Best Restaurant of 2008 contender
Telephone: MK at three shopping centres on Phuket plus MK Gold at Jungceylon, Patong: 076 600165-6
Open: 10am-10pm daily
Address: Ground Floor, Silang Zone, Jungceylon, Patong.
Style: Thai meets suki and they fall for each other.
Price range: Moderate. Usually MK menus set out prices by the single baht, which is always a good sign that a mangement understands diners like to know precise costs. (red pork with rice, 47 baht, not rounded out to 50, sweetened black bean bun 33 baht, not rounded up to 35.) Swank restaurants are not that precise. You can bet everything is rounded up and up, not down.
Specialty: Roast duck, dim sum, suki and desserts
What the management says: MK began life 40 years ago under the Makong King Yee label in Siam Square, Bangkok and has grown to be a nationwide addiction since. The MK Gold at Jungceylon is Branch No. 237.
What Phuketwan says: First-time visitors to Thailand will scratch their heads about MK because it's a local creation. But with more than 200 branches, it's hard to miss. The food is fairly compelling, too. There is no duck like MK roast duck. Large or small (150/300 baht) it's the centrepiece of eating at this Thai institution. Lunch and dinner attract big family groups to tip in veggies and meat and seafood, all cooked in a central hotpot at your table. Trolleys bring the dim sum and top-ups of tea or sauces. Service is usually super-speedy and efficient. Desserts are another specialty. For anyone who sees the MK sign and wonders what's in store, our advice is: go in, and make sure you order the duck. Three of the branches on Phuket are standard and the new MK Gold at Jungceylon is categorised as ''Premium Thai Suki.''
How to find it: Big C, Ocean Phuket City, Central Festival, Jungceylon.
Parking: All four centres have acres of parking space.
Telephone: MK at three shopping centres on Phuket plus MK Gold at Jungceylon, Patong: 076 600165-6
Open: 10am-10pm daily
Address: Ground Floor, Silang Zone, Jungceylon, Patong.
Style: Thai meets suki and they fall for each other.
Price range: Moderate. Usually MK menus set out prices by the single baht, which is always a good sign that a mangement understands diners like to know precise costs. (red pork with rice, 47 baht, not rounded out to 50, sweetened black bean bun 33 baht, not rounded up to 35.) Swank restaurants are not that precise. You can bet everything is rounded up and up, not down.
Specialty: Roast duck, dim sum, suki and desserts
What the management says: MK began life 40 years ago under the Makong King Yee label in Siam Square, Bangkok and has grown to be a nationwide addiction since. The MK Gold at Jungceylon is Branch No. 237.
What Phuketwan says: First-time visitors to Thailand will scratch their heads about MK because it's a local creation. But with more than 200 branches, it's hard to miss. The food is fairly compelling, too. There is no duck like MK roast duck. Large or small (150/300 baht) it's the centrepiece of eating at this Thai institution. Lunch and dinner attract big family groups to tip in veggies and meat and seafood, all cooked in a central hotpot at your table. Trolleys bring the dim sum and top-ups of tea or sauces. Service is usually super-speedy and efficient. Desserts are another specialty. For anyone who sees the MK sign and wonders what's in store, our advice is: go in, and make sure you order the duck. Three of the branches on Phuket are standard and the new MK Gold at Jungceylon is categorised as ''Premium Thai Suki.''
How to find it: Big C, Ocean Phuket City, Central Festival, Jungceylon.
Parking: All four centres have acres of parking space.
