Mama's Restaurant - Phi Phi Island

Mama’s restaurant has been open for some 20 years now and this has got to be some sort of a record for Phi Phi Island. And if not, it should be. Owner, Angelo Rasami from Tours in France, has been in Thailand for 21 years and he’s managed to make his eatery one of the most popular and reputable around.

Mama’s is in Tonsai, the busiest part of the Phi Phi Island group so no one can say that Angelo has shied away from a challenging location.

Where is it?

Crepes for sale in front of Mama's

Roads on Phi Phi Island are not named but if they were, the one Mama’s is on would be called ‘Main Street’ as it is the busiest in the area.

Basically, come off the pier and turn right. Keep on walking for about 100 metres till you see Mama’s on the left-hand side. Remove shoes and enter.

View Mama's Restaurant location map.

Décor

"Very cool and very tropical"

Wood throughout with a high thatched roof and bamboo walls, it’s very cool and very tropical. Banana trees leaves poke over the hallway walls.

A lot of the restaurant’s artwork on the walls and in the hallway is that of Bobol, an expatriate French artist living in Phuket.

There is a modest bar with a mirror behind a couple of rows of optics and a darts board in the corner. Low-slung lighting makes a statement in the nighttime and during the day Mama’s is a good people-watching spot.

Atmosphere

Conversation around a glass of wine

With plenty of floor cushions in one corner and eclectic background music you’d be forgiven for thinking Mama’s is a hippie joint but you’d be wrong. Mama’s takes its food seriously and the clientele is obviously made up of food lovers.

As mentioned, the eatery is a good people-watching venue and the never-ending sea of humanity flowing by outside on the streets only reinforces the impression that Mama’s is a haven of tranquility in busy Tonsai.

Mama’s is also a good place for meeting Phi Phi-based expat residents.

Wine

Marestagno Aleria from Corsica

With a Frenchman at the helm, the restaurant’s wine selection can only be carefully considered. There are several New World red wine selections, and a classy Merlot Pinot Domaine Lalande from France itself.

As for white wine; the brief list is evenly distributed between Chile, Australia, California and Italy. Perhaps the most ideal wine for Mama's dishes is Rose, of which two labels are available; a Hardys' Grenache Shiraz and a Marestagno Aleria from Corsica.

Of course you can get cold beer and cocktails here too.

Food

Mackerel steak with mashed potato

There's a definite light touch to the cuisine here. The pat schaa – fish in soy sauce with garlic and raw prawns in a garlic-and-lemon sauce are both delightful dishes and the mackerel steak with mashed potato worth fighting for, it's that good.

Healthy, fresh, and visually pleasing, it's a welcome culinary experience to eat at Mama's. As to be expected in a location like this there is a veritable medley of seafood dishes on the menu and the crevettes tao jiao – prawns in peanut sauce with smoked beans and coconut is a prime example of the eatery's high quality.

Mama's also does set menus and for 320 baht you can regal yourself with a three-course meal with coffee or tea to follow. For dessert, try the almost perfect crepe suzette.

Service

Again, a job well done: Mama's staff members are happy and they show it, their level of spoken English a lot higher than staff at more expensive dining spots. Experience will out and at Mama's you will find yourself in experienced hands.

By Sam Wilkinson

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