JBR - from the reluctant returnee!

Hi all, this is my review, just back today - from a person who was kinda overwhelmed last time in Phuket and a wary return visitor.

Well, I fell in love with the place this time so I apologise for rambling but it%26#39;s a compensation for saying very little previously!

Excellent flights with thai airways. We stayed at Mom Tri%26#39;s Villa Royale 12 nights - virtually faultless hotel where we were truly treated like royalty. Loved the beautiful rooms, natural surroundings and wonderful, polite gracious staff. We were well %26amp; truly spoiled with little touches of luxury all through our stay. Didn%26#39;t have the budget to eat dinner here in the end unfortunately but had evening bar cocktails and lunch, all fab.

KATA %26amp; Chalong Food %26amp; drink

Kata kitchen

1st night we arrived. good food, reasonable price. My main (chicken with chilli %26amp; basil %26amp; garlic) could%26#39;ve done with more heat if you like chilli.

Horngrill

steaks more pricey than other food on menu but they are fab steaks, really well cooked, some confusion with orders but yummmmy. Te calamari is best we%26#39;ve had from here. If you order waffle for dessert undo yer pants, it nearly filled a dinner plate!

Tappas %26amp; WIne

Had 4 or 5 tapas, some ok some lovely - Recommend Goong sarong %26amp; piri piri prawns %26amp; Idaho potatoes were good too.

Two Chefs

really loved home cured salmon with dill sister loved her beef (stewed kind of) dish also cheap short cocktails for 90 baht. Nice atmosphere

Jasmine

Had lunch - large bowls of curry, reasonable prices v quiet when we were there.

Capannina - italian

Massive pizzas, really big! lovely dough bases, nice, buzzing place. Mussel starter lots of mussels, v good.

Kata Pen

very cheap %26amp; nice beach view - had squid with chilli, but again could do with heat (mayb mention if you like chilli)

Kata BBQ

had lunch - cheap, had red curry %26amp; green curry steamed rice for two %26amp; pineapple shakes for about 360 baht

Kan Eang 2 - chalong pier

very interesting! %26amp; local. Ordered the local spicy spare rib curry %26amp; waiter giggled a little and said it its very spicy. I like heat so thought why not. sister ordered fried chicken and waiter pointed out they were chicken foot....anyway she misheard him and when they came crunched through one piece %26amp; didn%26#39;t crunch through any more after that ha ha. All food came together as in a Thai style meal with crunchy iced vegetables with my curry which came in handy when I was sweating from my eyes eating my fiery curry (with the wait staff watching my reaction tee hee). Had some deep fried fish skins (60 baht I think) amongst the feast which are nice, like pork scratchings.

Cocktail Bar? off in a side street south kata - had many drinks here, very nice ladies %26amp; reasonable drink price.

PATONG food %26amp; drink

Nicky%26#39;s Handlebar

had a lat snack %26amp; drink, glad we found it, walked for ages down rat u thid rd %26amp; thought we%26#39;d passed it (im sure tuk tuk drivers know where it is) noodle soup with shrimp 7 chicken %26amp; veg lovely. staff great, Nicky looked after us well.

Two Black Sheep

had snack, burger %26amp; toasted sandwich, burger was average, sandwich was nice though

Burasari hotel - Floyds brasserie

Did sunday brunch here, plenty of choice unlimited buffet style, great dishes with hot cooking stations and included wine sangria, smoothies etc for 1200baht %26amp; service chg %26amp; tax. Very loud band playing during.

Seahag - Soi Wattana?

Reasonable prices, good food hubby loved pad thai, loved my chicken penang - aircon, amusing staff

Family Mansion 2

cheap, no frills, good food %26amp; drinks - great little place. nice fish cakes.

Everything else!

Friday BBQ - great night as per last time, in the fine, fun company of mostly aussies on our table at the BBQ, some who were on our boat trip too (we were very ';well refreshed'; on this night and paid for it the next day), worth it to see funny pics of my sister up the pole. ha

Scuba Diving - Racha Yai. Went on the full day itinery with Richard %26amp; Megumi on the fab captain Josh%26#39;s very plush 50ft catamaran. We did a discover scuba dive during day which was excellent. Lunch %26amp; dinner included. Super day.

Green Man - dragged our drunken bums out of here late after much singing %26amp; lively engaging conversation with Howard.

Patong Soi Crocodile Soi Eric - spent time with the girls in Soi Eric (up to you bar) %26amp; the ';girls'; in Soi Crocodile! - very entertaining.

Jung Ceylon %26amp; Carrefour supermarket - sister bought a Gucci type bag Jungceylon, seems like good quality. Bought loads of snacks, thai coated nuts, seaweed tempura for hardly any money at all! love em.

Massage - Sense Spa Kata - thai massage %26amp; 2 facials - more expensive here but very very thorough and nice surroundings making it a lovely experience.

tuks tuks %26amp; taxis - 400 baht to patong think 150 ish kata centre

Thanks for your advice guys, I was well informed. It%26#39;s rare I say it but I could%26#39;ve done another week I%26#39;m sure, so it must%26#39;ve been good eh!

JBR - from the reluctant returnee!

Great report badbirdy - you sure love your food!

I had a similiar experience in Phuket town when I ordered a spicy red curry. The waiter looked at me strangely when I ordered it and I had to go back to the hotel for a shower after it!! ;) lol

***

JBR - from the reluctant returnee!

Thanks for your JBR BB.

Our trip next May/June will be a food finding mission (apparently like yours) so your reviews are very helpful.

Cheers

Hi Badbirdy

Great jbr loved the bit about the crnchy chicken foot. Did Thai airways have entertainment units on the backs of the seats on the London Bangkok part of your flight

Diane

Hi Badbirdy,

Thanks for an easy to read and very helpful trip report.

We too love Nicky%26#39;s Handlebars, Seahag is good, great place next door is our favourite- Orchid.

Must try Family Mansion 2 next time , have walked past it many times but have never eaten there.

Cheers,

Stewie.

Hi Badbirdy

Thanks for your JBR, we are staying at Mom Tris in 2 weeks time so it was great to get your review of restaurants in the area.

Was it a far from Mom Tris to the local shops?

Did you use the free car between Mom Tris %26amp; the Boathouse?

Any hints re Mom Tris that might make our stay better? ( besides lots of money :-) )

Thanks

Pete

Good report Badbirdy, and lookout your now hooked on Phuket like the rest of us, its a wonderful place to be.

Cheers, Pete

Glad to hear that you had a great time. Also pleased that you managed to sample some of my favourite local restaurants.

Regards

Chantal

Great reading your trip report badbirdy :D

Great report. Thankyou.

Only another 10 months for us. If you say it quick it%26#39;s not too bad.

Ok it is bad.......One Powerball.....

Sylvia May, no they didn%26#39;t have seat back tv%26#39;s from london to bangkok unfortunately, that%26#39;s the only downside as far as I can see.

Pete, the shops are just down the road (and the hill) the 7-11 supermarket etc, there are more if you continue down hill %26amp; to the left - about 15 mins walk. Then the Kata centre bit tuk tuk 5 mins ish - we did walk all the way back from kata centre (almost karon) to mom tris and took us a half hour. Didin%26#39;t use the free transport coz I eat so much, gotta prevent the weight gain!

The one thing I will say is take lots of (deet content ) mozzie repellant and relief - and be vigilant with it, I (and my party) got bitten like crazy - but then I am a clumsy, unfortunate creature. I also got stung by a jellyfish, sunburnt and tripped up giving me a nice swollen elephant ankle ha. Best to be on the safe side ;)