Hat Yai Restaurant Listings Page 3

For a general overview of the food scene in Hat Yai see Hat Yai Food and Restaurant Listings Page 1. The following restaurants are some of the places I've eaten at in Hat Yai.

Comments: The English language rendition of the name is Mariko but, as you can see from the Thai sign, it is Maligo to the locals. Never mind, Ls and Rs are easily interchangeable in Asia. Ror Rua or Lor Ling? Who cares?

The Fuji chain of Japanese restaurants in Thailand (of which Hat Yai has two) sell great food in ultra-hygienic surroundings. You can't really go wrong - apart from the fact they aren't all that cheap relative to the local economy.

In Hat Yai, Mariko gives people an option to eat cheap Japanese food. The area it's in isn't that great but you can't have everything. You're not going to see any rats scurrying around while eating at a branch of Fuji but it's quite possible that you will while eating at Mariko, especially if seated at one of the tables outside.

The food is fine and the set meals are good value.

Comments: While thinking about restaurants in Hat Yai it never occurred to me that McDonalds is a restaurant, which is surprising because it's the world's largest.

Even after realising it was a restaurant I wasn't sure if I should bother adding it here. However, McDonalds is important to some people. A guy I met living in rural Nakhon Sri Thammarat made occasional trips to Hat Yai and one of the highlights of his trips was eating at McDonalds.

Many visiting Malaysian tourists eat there, and so do I occasionally when I get the urge for a burger. You can get a much better burger upstairs at Sizzler but it will cost a lot more money.

There used to be another branch of McDonalds at Lotus but it closed. Thais aren't over keen on Western food; most tell me they can eat it, but that don't really enjoy it. When they do decide to eat Western food they prefer KFC and pizza to burgers.

McDonalds at Lee Gardens Plaza had a makeover in 2009 and they've tried to make it a bit more upmarket. The noisy kids' playpen in the corner was removed, and a McCafe coffee bar installed. The changes have made a big improvement.

Comments: This is another of the small, independent, local-style steak houses that do farang food at prices which always end in a 9. They seem to be fairly common in provincial Thailand.

It is similar to BKK Grill, but (in my opinion) not as good, and it seems more geared to local tastes. For example, Thai style sauces are available with the steaks, and the mushroom soup is a Chinese-style soup rather than being cream of mushroom. Spaghetti and Thai food also feature on the menu.

The portions are noticeably smaller than at BKK Grill and not really up to the task of filling large farang stomachs. I have found it necessary to order extra dishes so as not to leave still feeling hungry. As a result, this bumps up the cost.

As usual with locally produced beef, the steaks can be a bit hit-or-miss. I have eaten some perfectly acceptable Thai beef but it can be quite tough. Pork is very popular with Thais and the chicken is fine.

It's a tricky place to find if you are not familiar with Hat Yai, being located on a road that links Prachathipat and Thamanoonvithee roads. The closest large landmark is a big Suzuki dealer called Baan Suzuki.

Comments: Located in the area around JB Hotel, this is a comfortable little place well away from the Malaysian tourist trail. It's air-conditioned, which can be of great relief in Hat Yai during the hot season.

There is no English sign outside, but the menu has English translations if you can't read Thai. The menu isn't that extensive but everything is good and prices are reasonable.

This small restaurant is very pleasantly decorated with old photos, posters, antiques, and other artefacts. There is even a framed copy of the King's birth certificate hanging on one wall.

Comments: Nakorn Nai is popular with both locals and farangs in Hat Yai, and for good reason. There is an excellent selection of food on the menu and prices are reasonable. They serve typical Thai dishes, Chinese food, Muslim curries and rotis, Western food including pasta and pizzas, Western breakfast food, specials such as beef stroganoff (accompanied with the weirdest 'sour cream' I have ever tasted), and there are even a few Japanese dishes.

They offer a wireless Internet connection and tea and coffee for free.

The cafe-style atmosphere is pleasant and the front of the restaurant is open. The only problem is that they have designated the front of the restaurant as a smoking area which is a bit unsocial. I read a comment recently that said having a smoking area in a restaurant was like having a peeing area in a swimming pool.

The restaurant is named after a street in old Songkhla town in which the first settlers made their homes. Presumably the owners can trace their ancestry back to those early settlers?

The restaurant is located a little way out of town, fairly close to Kosit hotel but on the other side of the street. Opening times are 07:30 to 20:00 and the restaurant is closed all day on Wednesdays.

Comments: This is one of the few places in Hat Yai that serves Indian food. If you visit Darbar on a good day, it can be a great experience. However, the service isn't always reliable and quite frequently a lot of dishes on the menu aren't available.

Namaste appears to be a lot more consistent and reliable. A Thai lady does the cooking and told me she has been cooking Indian food for seven years. She does a good job. The menu isn't extensive (compared to Indian restaurants in other countries), but you get a decent choice.

There is no beef or pork served. Hindus don't eat beef (neither do many Buddhist Thais), and Muslims don't eat pork of course. Provided you aren't vegetarian, there shouldn't be anything here that you can't eat because of religious beliefs.

The food is very good. The curries taste authentic and the naan bread was quite OK (even if it wasn't the best naan I have ever eaten). Indian food is one type of food that I crave and it isn't very common in Hat Yai. Bangkok has some great Indian restaurants but they are something of a rarity out in the provinces.

Namaste is therefore a very valued restaurant in Hat Yai. It is located on Niphat Uthit 2 fairly close to the Florida hotel.

Comments: When I first arrived in Hat Yai at the end of 2003 there were only a few coffee and cake shops. There was no such thing as wireless Internet at that time.

I mention this because there are now lots of coffee and cake shops in Hat Yai, and what has really driven the trend is Wi-Fi. Nowadays, lots of people carry laptops around and they want places that have a Wi-Fi connection so they can sit down for a coffee and check their e-mail, surf the Internet, etc.

Nest Home is just one of many such places that have opened up in Hat Yai in recent years. It is located directly opposite the Kosit hotel. They serve drinks, cakes, Thai food, Western food and - as the name might imply - they have another speciality.

The resident population of Hat Yai is mainly ethnic Chinese, and most tourists from Malaysia and Singapore are also ethnic Chinese. Businesses in Hat Yai therefore cater to Chinese tastes.

Nest Home - according to the business card - is a purveyor of "Bakery Food Drink & Birds' nest products". There are also a number of places in Hat Yai that sell sharks' fin products.

The atmosphere inside is quite cozy. The Thai food is OK but in my opinion the Western food is a little expensive.

Comments: Possibly due to its proximity to Lee Gardens Plaza, this vegetarian restaurant seems to be well known to farangs in Hat Yai. I often see a farang or two if I eat here whereas I don't at many other places I go to.

They serve already prepared food (kaaw-gairng style) and can also cook to order. Some of the dishes contain 'vegetarian meat' which I assume is some kind of soya simulation. As you can see form the photo (if you can read Thai) they have 'vegetarian chicken' and 'vegetarian pork'.

I haven't worked out whether Muslims can eat vegetarian pork or not. I guess that technically they can but doubt that any would want to.

The restaurant is located on the corner where Prachathipat and Pracharom roads meet; just a few doors away from Corazon.

Comments: Outside of Bangkok, finding good Western food in Thailand can be quite a problem. The Thais try to make sandwiches and Western breakfasts and things and although they taste OK they are never quite like the real thing. Occasionally though you come across places in provincial Thailand that defy this general observation.

In a small Thai-run breakfast restaurant in Khaolak I have eaten delicious German-style black bread which was as good as any I've had in Germany and it was made by a Thai woman, not an expat from Mainz. The Ome Bake House in Hat Yai makes cakes that are as tasty as any I've eaten in a Salzburg or Vienna coffee house. Germans and Austrians may disagree but my opinion is that the cakes are just as good.

Chocolate and cheese cakes are sold by the slice for less than Bt100. They also serve Thai food which is tasty and a meal of fried chicken with holy basil leaves and rice costs half as much as a piece of chocolate cake.

There is no A/C and it gets pretty hot inside. The location is quite a way out of central Hat Yai. It's at the other end of Thamnoonvithee Road to the railway station, just next door to the Chinese Buddhist temple which is adjacent to Tesco Lotus.

Ome is open from 10am to 10pm but closed on Mondays.

When I first added this entry there weren't many coffee shops in Hat Yai but now they are everywhere. Ome has lost its uniqueness but it is still good and it is cheaper than most.

Comments: Restaurants selling Western style food and Japanese food are very popular in Hat Yai. The Western food isn't as authentic as you might get in Bangkok or Phuket but it's OK.

Most places give you the option of eating imported steaks but these are a lot more expensive than the home-grown ones. Local beef can be variable. Sometimes it is quite OK, but other times it is tough. If you opt for chicken, there is nothing wrong with the local produce.

Of all the Western-style restaurants in Hat Yai, I think that Taste Add serves the best food. Pairin Steak House isn't bad though.

In most of these restaurants you are still very aware that you are in Thailand but Pairin could be anywhere in Europe or North America. It's air-conditioned and the decor is very Western.

The staff are very pleasant, the food is quite acceptable, and the prices reasonable.

It's located on the same road as Diana department store and the Florida hotel, in between these two places but closer to the Florida. It's very near the intersection with Niphat Uthit 3 Road. There's a sign-making shop opposite with lots of neon signs on display so it's quite easy to find.

Comments: Palm Court Restaurant at the JB Hotel is often the place I head to when I have cravings for farang food. It is one of the top hotels in Hat Yai and when eating there it is obvious that they have excellent chefs who have been properly trained in preparing international cuisine and have most likely worked abroad at some stage.

Not only is their foreign food very good but so is their Thai food. As would be expected in a hotel of this quality, the service is excellent too.

Comments: This restaurant is aimed directly at the visiting Chinese Malaysian and Singaporean tourists. It's located just opposite the Sakura Grand View hotel (one of their favourite hotels) and the menu is in Thai and Chinese only with no English.

It's a pleasant enough place with friendly staff who I often chat with as I walk past when they are sitting around doing nothing.

The food is biased towards Chinese tastes and in my opinion the prices are high for local rates. I've considered eating there a few times but have always decided I can get better value elsewhere. Local Thais would appear to feel the same way and it remains primarily a place for tourists.

Comments: Located near the Amarin hotel and just a few yards away from one of Hat Yai's red light 'Karaoke' districts, this place is very popular with visiting Chinese Malaysians and Singaporeans.

I have walked past hundreds of times but it just isn't the kind of place that appeals to me personally, so I have never eaten there. However, an e-mail I received from a Chinese Singaporean visitor praised it highly so I am including it here.

Reader Comments:

• "... we had two steamed flower crab for 294 bht it may sound pricy.. the crabs were both double shelled which is about to change shell and the meat is at its best at this stage. The other dish is stewed pork ribs with bitter gourd for 100 bht, it is soft and succulent as it should be and pork chunky.

  The last dish is deep fried soft toufu stir fry with chinese leek (looks like gaint spring onions) with generous slices of lean pork, this cost 60 bht."

Comments: This traditional Thai eatery, very close to the train station and the guest houses on Thamnoonvithee Road, specialises in Phad Thai with shrimp (Phad Thai Goong) or seafood (Phad Thai Taleh), and kanom jeen.

Kanom jeen, a very popular dish in southern Thailand, consists of thin, white rice noodles and various curry sauces. It is eaten with a selection of fresh, raw vegetables and mint leaves, etc. These will be brought to your table automatically.

Coming straight out of Hat Yai railway station, there is a road on the left opposite the exit for the Robinson department store car park. The restaurant is a little way along this road on the left. It's open between 10:00am and 3:00pm from Monday to Saturday, but closed on Sunday.

There are no English signs but it is always very busy which is a good sign. There are quite a few restaurants in Hat Yai that work to the same formula. They serve a limited number of dishes, but the food is good and cheap.

When it comes to food, Thais are very picky consumers. Many restaurants open and then close shortly afterwards because they don't have enough business. Thais vote with their feet and watch their money carefully. Therefore, any restaurant that is always busy can normally be relied upon to give good value.

After the sterile environment of eating in restaurants in Thailand that target tourists, this place is a genuine Thai experience. It is really fast moving as customers come and go, and the wait staff fly around shouting orders to the cook.

When I have been, I have never seen another farang or a Malaysian tourist. It might help if you can speak Thai but as the menu is so limited, you will be able to get away with just pointing at what you want.

Comments: Hat Yai doesn't have the greatest variety of cuisine in the world. Thais like Thai food; most tourists that arrive are ethnic-Chinese and they are also catered to for their food requirements.

Western food is available but it's not great and there aren't that many places outside of the central tourist area.

As you walk past Rim Taang, you would never think it is somewhere that serves Western food. It looks like a perfectly standard Thai eatery and there is no signage outside indicating otherwise.

However, there are steaks and hamburgers on the menu - and there are even English menus.

When I ate there, I was reminded a little of Taste Add but it's not as good as Taste Add. Neither the standard of the food, nor the presentation of the food, are as good. Prices are about the same.

I can't really recommend it, but as an alternative to some of the other places in Hat Yai that serve Western food it's OK.

Comments: I've used the restaurant's own transliteration for the name but, as usual, it is terrible. If you say it as you read it, Thais won't know what you are talking about. Try Reuan (with the middle part sounding as if you have just stepped in something bad) and Bpuu-nuh-gun.

Bpuu-nuh-gun Road runs alongside the university and - as you might expect - there are lots of students in this area. It's also a long way from the centre of town, which is where all the tourists are. When you combine these two facts, the result is cheap prices.

This area has lots of restaurants, lots of variety, and good prices. There are several small rice and noodle shops, but also some fancier places ... such as this one.

There are quite a few large, seafood restaurants dotted around Hat Yai but quite a few are geared up for the Malaysian tourist trade. Consequently, prices are quite high.

This one is as good - if not better - than anywhere else, but it has mainly a local Thai clientele. Therefore, prices are lower. The food is excellent and it is highly recommended.

Getting there could be a little tricky. There are no sawng-thaew routes that go along Bpuu-nuh-gun Road. As this area gets busier (there are quite a lot of new housing developments being built), the situation may change but because it is mostly Thais here they have cars and motorbikes.

Sawng-thaews going to the bus station pass the top of the road. You can get off there and take a longish walk, or get a motorbike taxi. The restaurant is located opposite the large, recently opened, international conference centre.

The well known land marks in Bpuu-nuh-gun Road are Gate 8 (bpruh-dtoo bpairt) and Gate 9 (bpruh-dtoo gao). Ruan Punnagann is closer to Gate 9.

Comments: There is nothing written in English at this restaurant, including the name. Everything is written in Thai and Chinese only, for reasons that might become clear as you continue reading.

The first clue is the name of the restaurant which translates into English as Siam Birds' Nest. The second clue is the pictures of sharks around the restaurant, and the bags of dried shark fins on display.

I received an e-mail from a Chinese Singaporean who felt offended about my references to Chinese eating habits with regard to restaurants in Hat Yai. He reminded me that not all Chinese eat sharks' fin and birds' nest.

I know that. Not only do many Chinese not eat sharks' fin and birds' nest, they don't eat any kind of meat at all as they are vegetarians. However, there is a big Chinese presence in Hat Yai and there is a huge trade in sharks' fin and birds' nest. These are just facts.

Comments: Located just across the road from Hamid restaurant, this is another Halal restaurant fairly close to Lee Gardens.

It's not quite as clean or upmarket as Hamid but it's OK and seems to do quite a good trade.

Comments: The people who run the large Samila Sea Sport seafood restaurants in Hat Yai and Songkhla took ownership of Hia Kui (another large seafood restaurant) half-way through 2009.

I didn't notice the change for a long time because almost everything is identical, apart from the sign outside.

The restaurant is fairly close to the town centre and remains very popular with Malaysian tourists.

Comments: The original Samila Sea Sport is located on Samila beach in Songkhla and is the most pleasant restaurant of the many seafood places that line the beach in that area. I've eaten there several times.

A second branch was opened in busy Hat Yai but of course it is nowhere near the sea and not as pleasant. The food is still quite decent though and it's a large restaurant.

The road it is on is known locally as saam-sip met (30 meters) for some reason I still haven't figured out.

Comments: The Novotel is probably the most expensive hotel in Hat Yai but its Saneha restaurant provides probably the best value food in town.

On the menu are Thai and Western dishes. The Western dishes are good, if a little expensive for local prices. The Thai food is excellent, slightly unusual, and cheaper than many lesser restaurants nearby. I highly recommend the baked rice cooked in a pineapple, the sweet and sour shrimps in a coconut, and the chicken panang and beef mussaman curries. With each dish, you can taste that the ingredients used are fresher and of a higher quality than many other restaurants.

The restaurant is elegant and spotlessly clean. The service is excellent. I started eating there often after one particularly unpleasant rat experience elsewhere. I am used to Southeast Asia but the 'Third World' experience of living in Thailand has its limits.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays they do a fabulous all-you-can-eat buffet for the giveaway price of Bt215 (it used to be Bt185). The buffet food is excellent consisting of Thai curries, classic Western dishes and freshly cooked pastas. The evening buffet at the Novotel is probably the best food bargain there is in Hat Yai.

It gets even better. For just Bt100 you can buy a discount card which entitles you to a 15% discount for one whole year.

This restaurant is highly recommended but, even so, it is usually fairly empty apart from Tuesdays and Wednesdays when lots of hotel guests and resident Hat Yai regulars turn up for the buffet feast.

Comments: Santa Fe always seems to promise a lot, but never quite delivers what it promises. Maybe it's me, but I always come away feeling a bit underwhelmed.

It looks like a typical American restaurant; the restaurant has a railway theme and part of the dining area is inside a replica train carriage. However, that's where the similarity ends with the real thing.

I've spent a lot of time in the US and eaten at many American restaurants, and that's maybe why I am critical of Santa Fe in Hat Yai.

For example, if you order a steak it only comes with a few fries instead of a real portion, and the salad sauces are sweet Thai versions instead of the real thing. Because of how the restaurant looks, you expect the food to be authentic American-style, but it never quite comes up to scratch.

It's OK if you fancy a change from fried rice, but if you are a real aficionado of America food, don't set your expectations too high.

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