March Visit to the Phonlik

A check on the diaries meant that Friday the 4th was going to be the only chance for a further expedition - so the Phonlik it was according to the route. (There was some dissent that the High Street does not run North to South).

Foxy was late, due to emergency refueling at the Red Lion.

The welcome at the Phonlik is always bright and cheery. The restaurant is small and feels a little crowded, but there is a lively, happy atmosphere. It is not a place to dress up, and there are often children enjoying an earlier evening meal. We were sat in the "main" area which has the advantage of being away from the kitchen walkway. If you are sat next to the kitchen you do risk getting a little too involved with the take-away collections.

Too much gossiping meant that after 15 minutes of reviewing the menus (which have a great variety of interesting choices), we abandoned initiative and settled for the Set Menu D, Yuk Sun, Crispy Duck and Pancakes, then a variety of rich dishes for the main course, including a notably fiery chicken with crushed peppers and a sizzling beef dish. As Mary warned us, there was too much to eat for even our hearty appetites, so there was some food left over.

Service was prompt, with a slight lull before the main course, though our late start meant that we skipped the ice cream and coffee that was included.

So to the ratings:

Food quality: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Golf talk: 5 (again!)
Computer talk: 3.5
Table cloth mess rating: 3 (I blame the chopsticks and yuk sun)

So bonus marks for zero mention of golf. I'm afraid there were excursions into technobable at times.

Cost was £30/head including drinks and tips. The set meal was £20/head - the most expensive option, and we had 3 rounds of drinks. Beer was draught Carling (reasonable) or bottled Tsing-Tsao Chinese beer. Other set meals were at least £5/head cheaper, so a typical guide price might be nearer to £20-£25

All in all, a pleasant meal, well recommended.