No Telephone

Open: 11am-11pm

Address: Near Karon Sports Stadium, beach road

Style: Thai and International tourist

Price range: Inexpensive. American breakfast (100 baht) happy hour discount combos 6.30pm-9pm, menu of 243 items plus other entries. bbq shrimp rice and singha (259 baht) garlic bread (50 baht) french fries (60 baht) tempura squid (95 baht) salads (70 baht-90 baht) spicy salads (95 baht-130 baht) soups (60 baht-95 baht) chicken coconut soup (95 baht) best friend spaghetti seafood (109 baht) club sandwich (95 baht) burgers (85-95 baht) pizzas (159baht-199 baht) salmon steak garlic and pepper sauce (260 baht) chicken/pork/beef (95 baht) shrimp/squid/seafood (109 baht) massaman curry (109 baht) pad thai (75 baht) 11 kinds of phuket lobster (250 baht-300 baht) phuket mussels (95 baht) steamed whole fish in lemon sauce (300 baht) fish fillets (139 baht-150 baht) mixed fresh fruit (80 baht) banana in coconut cream (85 baht) icecream (75 baht-109 baht) smoothies (79 baht) fresh fruit shakes (70 baht) thai red monsoon valley wine (800 baht) imported red (120 baht a glass)

What Phuketwan says: Some restaurants are worthwhile for the food. Others are great for the view. This one is perfect for people watching, placed in the middle of a string of seven eateries, all open to each other. We watch the patrons next door at Halle Hallo.Clearly, they are tourists bound for home soon. The two tiny waitresses fuss over the children. It is plain this is not their first visit. Then, as they leave, a hulking shirtless tourist picks up one of the waitresses with one hand. She waves. Perhaps she has said: ''Can I come, too?'', Or maybe he is just confused about the notion of Thai to take away. It's clearly fun for all, and see you same time next year. Then they are gone. Within the hour, a new party of tourists is sitting at the same seats, making friends. In comes a couple. He is European, she is Thai. They call for the game, Join Four. She talks to the restaurant staff, distracted. He concentrates furiously. She wallops him effortlessly. In a second game, she thrashes him again, barely looking at her move options. Our order comes quickly and it's tourist taste fare, not Thai-style, but filling. Our eyes have also taken in plenty. We watch the tourists come off the beach with no small amount of envy, smiling, happy, suntanned, unfussed by the food. They eat, they laugh, they lounge. And why not?

How to find it: At the southern end of Karon beach, close to the sports stadium, surrounded by on one side the Restaurant and Bar, Lamai, and Halle Hallo and on the other side, Bounty Seafood, Sampang-MalaRestaurant and Lamit.

Parking: Along the beach road or up a small rough lane beside the restaurants.

Phuketwan restaurant reviewers pay for their meals. If someone else does, we tell you so