Gluay Nam Wa, Samkong, Phuket City
Open: 9am to 11pm daily.
Style: Fresh cafe.
Price range: braised pork belly (95 baht) spicy sea bass fillet salad (120 baht) stir fried minced pork with salted egg and bitter gourd (95 baht) stir fried prawns with tamarind sauce (120 baht) tuna sandwich (79 baht) rice soup with pork/chicken/fish (59/69 baht) namwa set (99 baht) vegetable salad (79 baht) boiled egg salad (89 baht) stir fried spicy seafood (89 baht) deep fried chicken wing (95 baht) deep fried pork hock with spicy dip (279 baht) stir fried noodles with soy sauce (69/79 baht) chicken nuggets (79 baht) steamed fish balls (120 baht) stir fried broccoli with prawns (95 baht) milk coconut with pandan flavor cake (89 baht) orange cake (89 baht) honey toast (139 baht) iced green tea (60 baht) orange juice (60 baht) kiwi juice (65 baht) Jacob's Creek wines available.
Specialties: Tea, 30 types from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Japan and Taiwan, and coffee of all kinds.
What Phuketwan says:
WHEN PEOPLE start queuing for seats at your restaurant, you know you're doing well. When the queues are forming and you've only just opened, you know you've nailed it. Gluay Nam Ya is a runaway success even though it's the newest restaurant in Samkong, the eating zone where Phuket City residents dine. The owner did his research after opening a smaller restaurant on the other side of town. He recognised that while Samkong was noted for its great food, there was no cafe. His plan? Give Samkong a cafe. We arrived early for lunch and by noon, the place was full. This was no hardship because the lounge seating area by the window appeared to have been taken over exclusively by young ladies, mostly wearing shorts. Once we tasted the food and gained a sense of what the restaurant was about, we gave it three thumbs up, a high level of acclaim because there were only two of us. Many tourist restaurants make Thai food bland because that's thought to be sensible. Gluay Nam Yai's food tastes great without being too spicy. That said, this place is hot, and at prices that should help to contain the upward surge at the more traditional Samkong eateries. If we were to award a Phuketwan Good Value restaurant for the first six months of 2013, this would be it. Beat the queues if you can. If not, this place is worth the wait. Telephone: 076 213112 080 0813210
Address: 367/35 Yaowarat Road, Phuket City, Phuket.
How to find it: Down Yaowarat Road from Old Phuket Town, head past Vachira Phuket Hospital. When the large green monkey looms on your left after a bend, you're there.
Parking: On the street.
Phuketwan reviewers pay for their own meals. If we don't, we tell you. Gluay Nam Wa is a candidate for Phuketwan's Good Value Phuket Restaurant of the Year 2013.
