Presumably owned by someone called Lek and with live music and seafood. However, I visited at lunchtime and so there wasn’t any live music or seafood. Lek may or may not have been there. This is a pretty new restaurant, opened at the start of the 2012 High Season. To be honest I had avoided it as it looked a bit of a tourist trap. And it is. It’s basic but everything is done that bit nicer than in a regular roadside eatery. From the orchid on the table; Heinz ketchup & HP Sauce in the condiment basket; food served on ceramic, not plastic, plates and an idiot proof menu with lots of photos. There’s also a wide selection of western food on the menu with plenty of set menu choices to make ordering simple. However, at first glance prices are quite high for the Thai food especially.
I thought I’d try a couple of usually spicy dishes to see how toned down the food was. Some raw shrimps with garlic, which should come with a very spicy seafood sauce and ‘pat kapow gai’ stir fried chicken with basil, which should also be hotter than the average dish. The prawns were very fresh an the seafood sauce was spot on. Delicious. Onto the chicken, it also tasted great, and it was a huge plateful of chicken for 80 Baht. (Rice is extra) The downside was that it definitely wasn’t a proper ‘pad kapow gai’ or any Thai dish for that matter. The small, potent, mouse shit chilies were replaced with far prettier, but far less strong regular chilies and there was just a tiny bit of basil leaf lurking amongst the stir friend meat. Basically, just very nice stir friend chicken. Skip the fruit shakes though.
Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend Lek’s as a place for ‘real’ Thai food. Prices do seem a bit on the high side, but the portions are definitely larger than average and so it is recommended for anyone with a hearty appetite looking for a good value meal. I didn’t try the Western food, but a couple of Russians sitting nearby were having steaks and they definitely got their money’s worth too. In the evening the bar is open and there’s also a pool table. Not a wild party place, but good for a meal and drinks. I’ll be back to try the cocktails sometime.
Price: $$ – $$$
Photos:
Location: Roadside in the centre of Kai Bae village, midway between Gajapuri Resort and the northernmost 7-eleven minimart.
These restaurant reviews are just my thoughts on a place at the time I visited. I’ll mention if I know the owner well or get any freebies. But for the most of the time I am happy to play tourist and don’t mention this site at all. Obviously it isn’t possible to sample every dish on the menu and the type of food you have for lunch will differ to evening. In addition, owners and more importantly chefs, often change and your experience may differ from mine. If it does, post a comment below.
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