Tonsai Seafood - Phi Phi Island

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.

Where is it?

On the main street of Phi Phi Don

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.

Décor

Tonsai Seafood's covered part

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.

Atmosphere

Grilled lobster

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.

Wine

Merlot, Chardonnay, ...

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…

Food

Lobster Thermidor

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.

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.

By Sam Wilkinson

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