Tonsai Seafood
Tonsai, Phi Phi Don Island
By
Sam Wilkinson - Photos by Stephan Audiger
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Tonsai
Bay is a bustling and colourful place at most times of
day. But when the sun sinks into the Andaman Sea and the lights
go up along the coastline there is a tangible sense of magic
in the air.
Tonsai Seafood is right in the heart of all this fairylike
seaside sorcery and, like a fairy’s magic wand, the restaurant
glistens and glitters with bright lights.
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Where is it?
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| On the main street
of Phi Phi Don |
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Right in front of Phi
Phi Banyan Villa, Tonsai Seafood is smack-bang beachside on
the track that leads from the pier to the many resorts and restaurants
on Phi Phi’s east side.
View Tonsai
Seafood location map.
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Décor
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| Tonsai Seafood's
covered part |
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This 600-cover restaurant features a trio of eateries: a covered
restaurant, an al fresco dining part in the middle and a bar-restaurant
on the other side featuring set menus.
Each section is pretty much on the beach and one of the restaurant’s
visual attractions is the line of freshly painted longtail fishing
boats directly on the sand, adding fantastic local colour.
There’s a generously proportioned and busy open kitchen in
the middle of things and a boat-like display case on the path where
people stroll past featuring every kind of seafood, and then some,
under ice. Simply choose your dinner from this striking presentation
of the day’s catch. For practical purposes the al fresco section
has plastic tables and chairs.
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Atmosphere
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| Grilled lobster
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Colourful, happy, sparkling, easy going – hey, everyone’s
on HOLIDAY dude, so there’s not a care in the world here. Get
a few friends plus the kids together over a few beers and a spanking
fresh seafood dinner and what do you have? Lots of happy vibes and
laughter.
The atmosphere tends to liven up past 19:30 with diners arriving
and settling in by 20:00.
There is subdued background music but the real music to the ears
is the gentle slip-slap-sploosh of waves along the beach just metres
away.
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Wine
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| Merlot, Chardonnay,
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Tonsai Seafood has a 19-label list from both Old and New World
selections. The house wine – a Cuvée La Garde goes for
550 baht a bottle and 150 baht a glass.
There are lashings of beer, both local and foreign, and a properly
fitted out bar in the set menu section.
It’s definitely a good idea to order your wine – be
it red or white – chilled in ice and don’t be afraid to
put ice in your beer, either, everyone else does in Thailand…
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Food
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| Lobster Thermidor
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All the usual suspects are on offer here. Grilled, steamed or fried,
you can choose how you would like your lobster, fish, shrimps, tiger
prawns served up but there is also an extensive western food menu
as well as snacks and sandwiches.
The kingfish steak is nothing short of mouth watering and the lobster
thermidor the best I have ever tasted – it is truly a work
of art.
Try the tom yam seafood if you want to turn the spiceometer up
full or if you’re ravenous order a filling shrimp fried rice.
The tiger prawns are served either in tamarind sauce or with a garlic
combination and they’re big and satisfying. This restaurant
is a leader on the island for the freshest and most satisfying seafood
you can get.
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Service
Considering the size of the place the service here is excellent
and good natured. Dishes arrive on time and the wait staff is professionally
polite yet naturally friendly in a very Thai way. There is no sense
of overbearing urgency and all in all the service is a direct reflection
on some really great food.
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