Phuket Thai was a restaurant that came highly recommended by a few of my readers. It’s a small place in Salmiya and it’s actually pretty near to where I live. I was actually a bit concerned that if the place did turn out to be great I’d end up eating there all the time and gaining weight. Turns out that’s not going to happen.
First impression as I walked in wasn’t that great since The interior looked gloomy and old. Me and my friend sat down and waited for someone to hand us the menus but no one did. There was one woman in the restaurant behind the cashier but she was busy talking on the phone. Finally a guy came down from upstairs and noticed us sitting and gave us the menus. There are two menus, one with photos and numbers and the other with numbers and descriptions. You flip through the photos menu and if you find a dish that looks interesting you get the number and then flip through the other menu to find out what it is. Not very practical but we ended up ordering the following:
Tom Yam Soup (Seafood) KD1.750
Tom Kha Soup (Seafood) KD1.750
Fried Wonton (Shrimp) KD1.500
Prawns on Toast KD1.750
Pad Thai Fried Noodles KD1.500
Steamed White Rice KD0.500
Sweet & Sour Shrimp KD1.750
Panang Curry (Beef) KD2.000
We started off with the soups which were pretty good with lots of seafood inside (although the crab was literally cut up and thrown in there with shell and all). The starters followed soon after but they were pretty disappointing. The fried wontons were super greasy while the prawns on toast were the most disappointing prawns on toast I’ve had so far. The toast was burnt and there was just too much sesame seed on top. Once the main courses arrived things picked up again but just slightly. The Pad Thai was really greasy and the sweet & sour shrimp was bland although to be fair, it’s a Chinese dish and my friend shouldn’t have ordered it in the first place. The beef curry on the other hand was pretty good and if I was to go back I’d order it again.
Finally when it came time to pay the bill we found out they didn’t accept Knet. I looked everywhere for a sign that says they didn’t accept Knet but couldn’t find any. At Thai Chow for example they have a large paper plastered on the entrance door saying they didn’t accept Knet. That way you can go to an ATM machine before having lunch. Since Phuket kept the no Knet fact a secret it created a bit of awkwardness since I had to leave the restaurant and drive to the nearest ATM machine in Salmiya while my friend stayed behind waiting for me. Not very cool.
Overall I was fairly disappointed with the place. Even though it’s seems really popular I just didn’t have a good experience myself. If you’re interested in trying the place out it’s located right behind Dodo and Kout Way on Baghdad street in Salmiya. Their phone number is 25714805. Make sure you have cash.
37 replies on “Review: Phuket Thai Restaurant”
I agree with you Mark…my last few outings to Phuket Thai have been disappointing to say the least. It ain’t like how it was before. The quality of food has dipped. I guess I’m starting to like Thai Chow King in Riggae for now… 🙂
The food looks really greasy and I suspect that they used ‘bad’ oils, so stay away from that Mark!
Let me guess … They didn’t have change either? 😉
LOL I just love it when you go to a place of business here and they never seem to have change.
Richest blogger in town + friend didn’t have KD 12.500 in cash?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah I love you, you remind me of me.
Who carries cash anymore?
+ 1
Everyone except you and Neo?
+1000
Geez, is there any restaurant that you DO like?
Haven’t you read my other reviews?
You dont really have many positive parts to many of them. Ur korean restaurant review was of the worst korean restaurant in kuwait!!!!!
What do u mean? My review of the Korean restaurant was a positive one. Most of my reviews are actually positive.
I guess Doughmacho is the Manager of Phuket !
Oops! I meant that the restaurant was the worst korean restaurant in kuwait…..it really was……but the interior decor was good.
Whats your favorite burger spot again?
I wish you’d go to the one in the Carton Hotel in the city. Get some bulgogi, some bi bim bap……absolutely appetizing!
I think their attitude is; “this guy wasn’t impressed ? Phuket, who cares !!”
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Maybe after reading this, they invite you again for free meal + excuse to cover up this review…
Just go to that place for the Tum Yum Soup, and that’s it.
While I appreciate your reviews, the restaurant is under no obligation to inform you that they don’t take knet. It is only a courtesy that they choose not to provide.
I don’t believe that. When majority of the restaurants accept knet and it’s become a norm that restaurants have knet it then a restaurant that doesn’t have knet should inform their customers. It’s good customer service and logical. They don’t have to inform customers and keep it a surprise like in my case but that’s just bad service.
I have to agree with Tejas. Places that accept Knet, Visa etc have a sticker on the door or a prominent place. It was your mistake to assume they accepted Knet.
No it wasn’t my mistake. When was the last time you saw a knet sticker on a door of a restaurant? I don’t recall ANY of the restaurants I frequent having a knet sticker at the door.
true
+1
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Ahh assumptions… a wise man once said when you ASSUME you make an ASS of U & ME 😉
Therefore NEVER ASSUME always have or carry backup..aka CASH !!!
It can be a pain, but no big deal……just go to an atm!
First time I went to Phuket Thai Restaurant, it became the last one too. The was a year ago. Got really disappointed. Their seafood Tom Yum soup is not a real Tom Yum soup at all. Not even near the taste of the Tom Yum soup I always have in that Thai Restaurant in Kuwait City. Most of their foods are greasy too.
i remember going to it and having to stand idly for around 10 mins till i went into the kitchen asked the chef if they had k net left came back, waited for another 15 mins untill i had to drag the waiter and even then we waited an hour for the food and when i asked about it they had’nt even started!! Also couldn’t promise that they would be able to get me abythgin in the next 15 minutes.. so we told them to go through with it we got the food it was decent but no way in hell am i going back, Pattaya beach “old is gold?” plus it really wasn’t great however the interesting characters entering and leaving the restaurant were enteraining for a while.
It used to be good once upon a time (Like 2 years ago maybe?)..But for some reason I always thought there wasnt some thing right about the place beacuse of the upkeep and cleanliness of the restaurant-and one day it was closed by Baladiya for some one finding a cockroach in the food. And that was it for me..
Sbaidee according to me is the best Thai place in town-The food gets better and better each time we go there..Reasonably priced and the right and fresh ingredients used. Cleanliness? Perfect
Mark you seriously cant rate food for crap these days. All I read you walked into a gloomy store, the guy was upstairs (OMG he supposed to be downstairs watching us from far away to get the signal that we ready to order), just walk and yell out if anyone is here, its a normal procedure that I do in 75% of the restaurants I visit worldwide.
Then I ready something about no Knet machine? then try and explain to the lady that it wasn’t your mistake, dont get me wrong but I usually light up my cigarette in ANY PLACE that has no visible sign of a no-smoking, middle of meeting rooms or restaurants, as long as the sign is not there, it means im allowed! I cant blame you for that either on this part.
Everyone knows that the hardest richest tasting food is thai, you cant compare it to raw meat and olive oil or a knocked off version of garlic bread with olive oil and bread. it’s thai food, 360 degrees on taste review would have been better.
Just because you find bad service ok doesn’t mean I can’t review. I review things my way, these are my experiences and there isn’t a right or wrong. You can disagree with me but doesn’t mean I have to have the same taste as you.
I used to go to this restaurant but stopped once i visited Oriental Thai Resturant in kuwait city behind Holiday Inn
Phuket Thai is the worst
Maybe you should have asked when you went in wether or not they
had K-net before you order. This place is not really a sit down place its mostly a take away place cuz the food is good and cheeper than other places. Most of the costumers are friends of the place or they know the people that wok there, therefore they are happy easy and satisfied with it !!!
The cook, chef, waiter and counter lady they are just slow easy and laid back thats all (:
Since majority of restaurants have knet they should have put a sign up informing customers they don’t. They’re the odd one out here not the customers.