Food and dining in Patong Beach and nearby areas

Holidays would not be fun without great food. And at Patong Beach, that is something you definitely will not have trouble in finding. There are dining establishments all over Patong Beach.

After all my years of entertaining guests in Patong Beach, I find that most tourists prefer to experience as much as possible within a sadly inadequate number of days. They prefer to visit a different place every time. The exception was when an Australian, from Adelaide I believe, fell in love with a guest relations officer in a particular restaurant. :) Some are adventurous enough to sample wares on hand-wheeled carts selling kebabs and sticky rice.

Thailand food Quite a number prefer the higher standards set by sophisticated restaurants offering the best that money can buy. Here you will be pampered like a head-of-state. Every visit will be a culinary experience.

Their chefs are famous for their cooking skills and their wine-list is on par with any high-class establishment in any part of the world. Once I had the pleasure of being the host of a rich couple from England. i took them around and had such a lot of fun. It turned me off home-cooking for at least a month :)

Some of my guests specify that they want to live and eat as the Thais do.I bring them to the food-courts. For a fraction of the cost of a meal in London or New York, I let them sample delicious and wholesome Thai food.

Even locals swear that food at food courts taste more original and follow closely the traditional recipes than the better establishments.

Then there are the in-between eating establishments. Neither expensive nor very cheap but you can sample reasonably priced European food. They have their fair share of customers too.

For the more adventurous they should try the trendy eateries. The key word is to keep your eyes open so you feast not only with your taste buds but also with your eyes. Everything is happening in these colorful places. Enjoy the nouveau cuisine and uniquely Thai interior decor.

At Sai Nam Yen Road are recommended small establishments where the local populace gather to eat. A general rule of thumb: if it is crowded, you can rest assured the food is good.

Try to visit Kaab Gluay at least once. You can sample the authentic local cuisine at a fraction of the price in a 5-star establishment. Halal food can be found at Ghaddafi, opposite the mosque on the way to the beach.

Rat-U-Thit Road would be the place to go if you are looking for light meals or a simple dinner. Try out Alf's Fish n' Chips or Weissbier. I have brought many guests to Weissbier and so far none have complained. It has some very good imported brews and lots of hearty German fare. If you want some entertainment with your food try out the cabaret at Sphinx Cabaret and Restaurant,

Places I frequent: Harry's Steakhouse, Marco Polo and Roma, (think Italian) Sabai Sabai (good and inexpensive), Zen (a sushi chain), Lair Lay Tong (a mix of Thai and European).

Places I intend to visit in the near future: Sakura (Japanese and Korean cuisine), Baluchi (Indian menu)

My Malaysian friends love: the Thai food courts on Rat-U-Thit, between the school and Bangla Road and 2 Black Sheep. I usually entertain friends at 2 Black Sheep.