what do you expect of a farang restaurant ?

[kopkei]

first of all i want to split this off from my response on the dark lao beer topic ,
so what do you expect of a farang food restaurant?
i also all ready went to eat in many of the mentioned restaurants every body is craving about in this forum....
first of all we talk about the decoration of the establishment which is in many cases very poor what i also understand if one is renting the place , but if the food and drink prices are ok i do not mind....many times not the case
second is the presentation of the dishes , many times main dish with one leaf of salad with 2 pieces of tomato as of the vegetables are so expensive here ...
3th they still not yet know how to serve all the ordered food at the same time so everyone can eat at the same time , fe we went to eat with 5 people to an expensive italian restaurant and my pizza (350baht)was ready ? after all others have eaten all ready , and the pizza even wasn't baked enough ...
4th the prices of drinks...in the above italian they only had leo /singha or heineken 140 baht/bottle ...(glass of wine 150) others chang 90 baht ( for me 65-75 ok ) , dark lao beer 90 baht ( again for me 75 ok, buy price 39)
in order to explain what i mean i will post some pictures of the food my guests get at my home...
first of all croque monsieur ( sorry english name ? have cheese and ham inside )

second filled tomato with tuna salad..

3th pork filet with mushroom sauce ( not knorr) , french fries separate..

btw all vegetables are prepared with a vinaigrette or other preparation
and some of my well filled , topped pizza's


so indeed as bubba stated i am better and cheaper of at home with all of this...
but still if i can find same quality / quantity , and have to pay a little more i wouldn't have to make this at home ...
unfortunately i still have not yet found such place ...
maybe now you all understand a little bit better what i mean....

[RLTrader]

Dam looks good. Where did you say your place was again, hows sevenish

[jai yen yen]

I showed my wife your pictures, she wants to know what time dinner is?

[newtovillagelife]

So if you want a good quality meal, and alcohol at reasonable prices, do it yourself if you have the skills.

Whats your point??????

A person running a business has a lot of things to worry about and pay for, and make a living off customers.

[jai yen yen]

So if you want a good quality meal, and alcohol at reasonable prices, do it yourself if you have the skills.

Whats your point??????

A person running a business has a lot of things to worry about and pay for, and make a living off customers.

His point was why go out and pay more for less quality than you can have at home. I agree and cook at home a lot myself although it does not look as good as his. I also don't mind paying a little more because I understand a restaurant needs to make money but when the food is not so good along with poor service I don't bother.

[Galee]

When I eat out at a farang restaurant and order farang food I expect all of it to be 'hot'. Not just a steak for example, but the chips and vegetables also. For some reason some of the local establishments have a problem with this.

[harmonyudon]

The bottle neck of running a restaurant is the staff. Good trained and hotel school graduated staff wont work in a small (farang) restaurant. Most of the establishments have to do it with uneducated staff. According to some members here you can train them. I am of the opinion that in Udon (Easan) its very hard to train them no matter who you (the boss) are.

[Prenders88]

Common courtesy and manners, go a long way.
Not being blanked by the owner of the establishment
Service with a smile from the staff
None of the above costs anything.
So many places and choices in Udon now, there is no excuse to put with rudeness.

[Barney]

What do I expect?
If you are paying the food then it should be prepared in a clean environment , then presented in a manner where it looks good and makes it edible, that includes correct temperature of cooked OR uncooked food. ie. if its salad you don't want it hot and vica verca. I may have to start carrying a very small rectal thermometer to some establishment for that purpose alone.
I suppose one advantage of cooking and eating at home is you do not have to worry to much about how it looks and just prepare and shovel it down, with a nice red of course. If you were an amateur food critic and sat at the table where I grew up and my mother presented an evening meal and you complained about anything on the plate it was a long wait for breakfast to fill you belly, it would not matter how many TV cooking shows you referenced your comments to.
As for uneducated trained personnel I would be interested to hear if Thailand has any laws or accreditation courses to ensure that people preparing, cooking and serving food are assessed and trained in the basics. I would think not. As an example, Singapore has a requiremment that all persons working in the food industry must as a minimum go to a basic 1 day food training and accreditation course, pass the test and then get a certificate before they start work. Applies to all workers both local or immigrant. My little TG while living with me for a couple of years in Singapore got a job through the Singapore female Thai network( I couldn't believe how many Thais were living in Singapore and married to Singaporean chinese and malays) in of all places a Thai restaurant, she did the course reluctantly and now finds it beneficial for her business in Thailand giving her an understanding of hygiene and food storage etc for the small amount of food she cooks in our shop. Any of the girls in our shop who come out the back and then works with the food is advised of those same basics prior to starting. IMHO and i am not saying it does not happen in UT, any proprietor especially farang should be proactive and provide a small job description and another small amount of prestart education and training which includes customer service will give the new worker boundaries and a minimum requirement of what is required for them to aim for and perform their task. Don't set the bar to high initially. You may then be surprised what level of interest and enthusiasm you get from them and you may on the other side of the coin find they are not suited. Small pay increase increments when certain predetermined levels of skill are met could also provide a positve attitude. This applies in any industry. I am not saying this is not done in UT, just interested if there are any requirements for basic food handling training, not cooking lessons.

[merchant seaman]

As far as training I have noticed that the larger Farang Chain Resturants such as KFC, Pizza Hut, etc. have what seems like a daily morning meeting with all the workers. Not that it doesn't happen in the smaller Farang run businesses but I've never seen it. Would be a good idea if not doing it.

[Khun Paul]

I thought long and hard before answering, what does one expect of any restaurant.
Food prepared in a clean environment, well cooked, well presented, tasty and on time with the rest of the order.
Apart from the Major fast food outlets, not one restaurant I have eaten at in Thailand comes anywhere near those points 100 % of the time. Normally the food is ok, how it is cooked and the environemnt leqaves a lot to be desired I am sure, even in big hotle restaurants.
All the items ordered comes at the same time, normally at least one or two items delayed on on the odd occasion does not even get to the table until one i ready to leave.

Cost is rather academic if the food is good doesn't matter if not good, i don't pay quite simple really.

For a farang run restaurant most do a very good job, cost a bit more but then i suspect hygenie higher up the scale then in Thai restaurants.

Staff most of the time quite good but if you are catering to Farang then staff should be able to communicate.

I noticed training mentioned, unless your staff are long term employees, and they will stay after training then basic training how to serve and prepare would be sufficent. The cook is the important person for any restaurant,

[RLTrader]

A year or 2 ago, was heading into Udon think Phosi road and saw a place that had a fast food name or maybe it was 7/11, can't really remember, with a lot of bikes in front. Ask wife, What is? and she said school. Maybe someone else knows more on this. If I remember next time heading into town will check.

Just thinking that just maybe there is some training here.

[gghh]

Most farang owners are not professionals either but choose this branch when abroad.
In many cases their training should have priority.

[harmonyudon]

Most farang owners are not professionals either but choose this branch when abroad.
In many cases their training should have priority.

So most of them have no schooling in hospitality is what you state here before. How do you know?

[nkstan]

If I am taking a group out to eat,I certainly do not expect a small restaurant with limited facilities and staff in Thailand to function like a restaurant in Falangland.Where ever I am,I do expect that the ambiance and decor of the restaurant to match the prices,except if my object is to just support a friend /owner,which will be limited if way over priced!

If one is going to live in Thailand,IMO,understanding and accepting the cultural and educational differences is very important in making your plans so that you can make acceptable choices!

To expect or demand Falangland standards in Thailand or to expect Falang backed/owned establishments to operate on standard Thai profit margins,borders on ridiculous,IMO!

[jingjai]

So if you want a good quality meal, and alcohol at reasonable prices, do it yourself if you have the skills.
A person running a business has a lot of things to worry about and pay for, and make a living off customers.

His point was why go out and pay more for less quality than you can have at home. I agree and cook at home a lot myself although it does not look as good as his. I also don't mind paying a little more because I understand a restaurant needs to make money but when the food is not so good along with poor service I don't bother.

Couldn't have said it any better.
I cook 90% of the Western food I eat.
I rarely dine out at farang restaurants anymore, except for T.J's, Nok's Restaurant, and Papa Farangs (usually for food items to take home and prepare at a later time and/or date).

When my wife and I dine out together, or with friends...we go to Thai restaurants.

The ex-pat restaurant owner, has one thing in his favor/plus's though... The majority of the ex-pat guys here, can't cook, never have cooked a meal for themselves, or don't want to cook. IMO.

Food looks great kopkei! =D>

[harmonyudon]

If I am taking a group out to eat,I certainly do not expect a small restaurant with limited facilities and staff in Thailand to function like a restaurant in Falangland.Where ever I am,I do expect that the ambiance and decor of the restaurant to match the prices,except if my object is to just support a friend /owner,which will be limited if way over priced!

If one is going to live in Thailand,IMO,understanding and accepting the cultural and educational differences is very important in making your plans so that you can make acceptable choices!

To expect or demand Falangland standards in Thailand or to expect Falang backed/owned establishments to operate on standard Thai profit margins,borders on ridiculous,IMO!

Could not say this better @nkstan =D> =D>

[victorio]

good morning to everybody,
I refer for what write someone about concern Restaurant's,I think personality that before write somenthing is better learn education and why you dont ask from where your country and what or you eat others place's?they give you free somenthing?is better stay at home and ground salad in the garden your home because your display dish show in the picture are very low market salads and show that you can eat only salad mixed with gravy sauce.,low cost.
I think you dont need to show your food?yes is better you go to market buy anything and beer cheaper just go 7/eleven so the your problem is resolve.
Remember every owner is in the right how to run business and don't undervalue or the skill or profesionaly in hospitality
in this case have many point how to run restaurant or manage hotel skill,if you have doubt you can write private message and see me how to learn food and beverage restaurant. the meaning in business important is don't go under water without money and no experience in this business.
In under the low in all the world don't have any regulation refer price ,when show your menu in any restaurant you eat or drink fine dine cuisine or normal restaurant ,you are free to choose or go back home or eat outside in the road for 30 bt.
I don't want offend no one I'm sure that all the owner's restaurant's have recspect and is not easy run business everywhere with so many problems to manage.
I don't need show about my skill is enought after so many years,but please look yourself what everyday you do .

[kopkei]

well vitorio , it is nice you did understand what i meant in my post , indeed you can decorate a plate very nice , without using expensive ingredients...maybe some can learn something out of this ( pictures ) and believe me as a former cook of french cuisine i can post post some more pictures of great food ( even with inexpensive products) you will not yet have seen in a farang restaurant here , and about sauces ( gravy , i hate the word ) it all start with a good base and not a knorr base....or a tomato mixture you can buy in makro, which was the case of my last visit to an italian restaurant ( i am not naming the restaurant , i am not in to discrediting anyone , only making a statement ) where the tomato paste /mixture on the pizza, ravioli, lasagna came out of the same jar.... and as you stated , most ingredients are not expensive , so why not put some more on the most of the pizza's, i went to eat at different locations , i hate it when it is easy to count how many pieces of toppings are on it....fe , 2 slices of paprika , 2 piece of tomato enc... , or getting a pepper sauce so much it is finished after dipping 3 of the 6 french fries in it....spaghetti bolognese , with bolognese enough to eat half of the spaghetti with enc...if you know what i mean....so to me if the quality / quantity ( drink price) is good i easy forget about the bad interior , not so good service , and even a higher food price than normal , because that is why one go out to eat..but i agree everybody has different standards...... or maybe i am to difficult?...

[WhoUrDaddy]

What do I expect: the same mediocre service the rest of Thailand offers, but at an inflated price. the reason i don't frequent any farang managed restaurants. i do it so much better and cheaper at home.

What do I want: pleasant quiet setting, better service, for the price paid, AC, no loud music or drunks. I don't expect any restaurant to serve the food at the same time, hot, and frankly don't want them to try, as they don't have the heat lamps that restaurants in the west do, or the staff and training. thais share entrees, so it's eat as it comes. deal with it.