The owners of Royale Nom Tok, Corry and Marc, moved to Phuket a few years ago and opened this unique restaurant: their living room during the day becomes the dining room in the evening.
As we move about Phuket, we had in the previous weeks, received several positive comments about an unusual restaurant located in Kathu. We decided to go ahead and give it a try to see if all the attention was merited. As always, the hope is that you, the reader, will find some common ground with our opinions and use them to your dining benefit. The way we approach our reviews is to try a varied menu, more than once, and let our varied culinary experience guide us. Our group is formed by distinct food eating types. A professional (The food critic) who works full time in the gastronomy profession, a writer, myself (the experimental eater) who enjoys everything and likes to try as complicated and unusual food as possible and (the picky eater), who is Thai and careful not to venture too far and rejects a fair variety of offerings. In this way, we try to cover the gamut of food tastes and give an honest and diverse assessment of the restaurants that we review. Spending an evening at Royale Nam Tok is like spending an evening in someone’s home. Actually, it IS spending a night in someone’s home.
The owners Corry and Marc sold their restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium and moved to Phuket a few years ago and opened the restaurant in their home. Their living room during the day becomes the dining room in the evening and then returns to its original state after the doors have closed. They literally packed everything from their restaurant into three containers and had it all shipped to their newly completed house in Phuket, soon to become the new restaurant. Corry deals with the diners and Marc handles the gastronomy side. We settled in for an interesting evening, starting with a champagne cocktail, a mix of champagne (obviously) and Grand Marnier, which gave it that extra kick. For an intro course, we were invited to sample a pumpkin cappuccino which was flavorful and gruyere chips (delicious) with a fried fin de claire oyster. We examined the menu extensively and then got started. We began with a black truffle flavoured pan fried duck liver with a port wine sauce and other decoration. The truffle flavour was wonderful and the foie gras was very smooth and perfectly cooked. A very good start to the main dish selections. Next came a lobster bisque with meat garnish perfumed with Remy Martin Cognac, another great dish to start the evening with. Finally for the final starter, we had pan fried King Scallops served with truffle potato and lobster sauce.
The flavours were nice but the scallops, while large, were overcooked. We rested and commented on the wonderful location. I personally found it slightly stuffy for my taste, dining in someone’s living room, but the others were enamoured with the decorations. We then began with the main courses. We started with lamb tenderloin stuffed with parsley and grain mustard sauce “pommery royale”. The meat was perfect and the sauce and spices complemented it perfectly. It was thoroughly enjoyable and came with a quiche as an accompanying dish which had us all complementing profusely. Second, we were presented with the parrot fish fillet, slowly cooked in vegetable bouillon with garden herbs and spinach mash. This was another great success and had the group once again fighting over each last little bit of the perfectly cooked fish. Then came my favorite dish of the evening, an angus beef tartar prepared at the table with spices, egg and many other ingredients that was perfect and reminded me of the European version of steak Tartar. Again, the fight was intense to get some more of this dish. I made a mental note right then and there to return for this menu item.
We rested then began on a cheese selection that was as diverse as any in Phuket and added to the already fantastic range of items we had consumed. We drank a bit more wine as our hosts told us some great restaurant stories of years gone by. More cheese and wine was consumed as we listened. Finally we were presented with a raspberry foam mango pie that was the perfect end to the evening accompanied by an espresso that helped us digest. We are happy to recommend Royale Nam Tok to all our readers and will be returning ourselves there very soon.
Restaurant Royale Nam Tok
Moo 6 116/102 Kathu 83120, Kathu, Phuket 83120, Thailand
Tel: +66 87 263 7327
Email: info@theroyalenamtok.com
Website: www.theroyalenamtok.com
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