Ka Jok See

(Unknown restaurant)

i was in Phuket 2 weeks ago for a short getaway. There was neither sun nor rain (except the last day when i was departing) while i was there. Not much of a sun, sand & sea vacation. i knew abt the cool weather (so unlike of a beach destination) prior to departure but becoz it was an impromptu trip, i was more keen on being away fr work and enjoying all the food and cheap massages/bodyscrubs/hairwash i could possibly get in tt 4days.

Obscene amt of food and plenty of spa done on tis trip (i think i clocked more horizontal hrs than vertical) but i shall save these details for future entries. i just thot if i only had time for one recommendation fr tis trip - wat would it be? 

It would definitely hv to be my dining experience at Ka Jok See, located in Old Phuket Town. 

While i was in Phuket, i 'check-in' on fb to 'announce' my whereabts to frens, none who knows i was away. Pls dun be mistaken, i wasn't trying to brag or attract attention (or maybe i was. Jus a lil sometimes when i'm really bored =p) i usually don't tell anyone my vacation plans just to avoid all the pre-trip questions and comments. Not that they are of any bad intentions but it's really not necessary, to me. Why then did i decide to let everyone know when i was physically away? Becoz i knw pple would 'want to tell me' where to go/wat to do/eat/play. And i agree sometimes they do know better. That - i like. Very much. i enjoy spontaneity on trips. i dislike pre-planning. i usually keep my list to the minimal, hving one only for security and safety reasons as i'm often traveling alone. i like finding out on the spot, asking the locals, sometimes getting lost and/or even frustrated. Other times discovering unexpected things/places/pple along the way, including being amused by my own reactions and thots. There are more fun and excitement that way.

For that fact, i am willing to log into fb when i'm overseas. It's really fun, corresponding wif ur pals at different corners in tis world. You get them excited at where you are, you are also curious abt wat they hv to say/recommend. i rem in 2009, i was alone in NYC for 2 weeks. For that trip i had a list of things to do/see but i hvn't got a fixed itinerary. i'm more the kind of person who decides where/wat to do when i get up the next morning - do wat you feel like. That is my kinda vacation. (Tis trip i was fortunate enuff to hv an old fren who appreciates my traveling style for company.) So in New york i was, updated my status on fb and i had frens telling me to go places not on my list =) Just as i expected. i was game, and off i went. i've never heard of iHop and i went down to Harlem to eat them pancakes nxt morning. Not sure if i (an asian lady) would venture into Harlem alone if not for food. Took pics, posted on fb and pleased the suggester =) Kinda like my own 'amazing race' game, except it's not a race & perhaps more amusing than amazing. Next day, my aust fren shouted out on fb to go to the Magnolia Bakery (as featured in Sex & the City) and so i went on that day. Not that i hv any interest in fulfilling any SNTC things-to-do but why not. When i finally managed to find the bakery, the queue was as long as the queues for KOI bubble tea in sg and it was darn cold in new york then. Thinkin abt tis now makes me Bbrrr... Queuing 40mins outdoors for 2 cupcakes in a surban in new york wasn't exactly in my plans. Still, it was a damn good suggestion coz the bakery and their cupcakes are really one of a kind! I promise to blog abt their cupcakes & show u my pics of their bakery one day soon. Even as i'm writing abt tis, my heart is pumping wif excitement as i recall that happie day in NYC. Posted the 2 cupcakes pic on fb b4 i ate them in my hostel room, and everyone was happie =)

So tis trip, again i checked-in on fb (there are some good in tis new function while others may complain) awaiting for responses... amongst all (there were massages, food recommendations, etc), K recommended tis really good restaurant that serves fusion-thai cuisine. i love it very much. So much i will definitely go back again next time i'm in phuket.

Becoz K mentions on fb that reservations are needed and becoz it's located in Old Phuket town (30mins drive away fr Patong beach where i was stayin) where the cab driver didn't really knw where exactly, i went early in the afternoon to hunt ard the area, hoping to make a reservation (i knw i could just call but...) before i went for my spa/shopping activities. 

The location wasn't really that hard to find (small streets, no signages still) but a mistake i made was stumbling into the restaurant jus beside it instead. i mistaken it as Ka Jok See (both had no restaurant signboards! Or was i blinded?) and was trying to chicken-and-duck talk wif the only person inside -- a-thai-who-couldn't-speak-a-single-english-word-to-save-her-life re reservations. Funnily, there wasn't any patrons during lunch hour (actually not surprising if you knw wat a dying place Old Phuket Town is). Alas, she whipped out her mobile phone to call her boss who could speak english. I was embarrassed abt my intrusion and was shameless enuff to take the above pics of tis pretty lovely-looking restaurant. Why not huh.

i'm kinda curious but lazy to find out wat's the name of tis mistaken restaurant as well as the food they serve. Maybe i'll google for it when i'm less lazy. Or someone can tell me.   

So shame shame, Ka Jok See was jus beside the mistaken restaurant. Where were my eyeballs?

  

Passionfruit & Mango Juice while we were surveying the menu. Thick puree. Thumbs up!

very chic interior

   

Left - Swedish Manager (or was she swiss?) wif superb cust service

Right - Menu. It's actually ala-carte buffet dinner but the Manager wouldn't put it that way for some reasons. I asked, it's buffet rite? She said no, you can order anything on the menu and as many times as you like, paying one price. It's buffet i said, she says no agn.

Pple, i tell you. IT IS BUFFET.

For one price (i can't recall how much exactly coz my fren bought tis), you can pick as many and as much as you like fr the list. I reckon we paid abt S$50 each, including the juice (not part of the buffet). It's pretty pricey by Phuket standards but definitely worth every cent.

Complimentary DimSum Starters
Pardon the bad pics, mostly taken from my iphone coz it would be too unglam to keep snapping away wif my cam. Alho' the tourist is entitled to it =p

Love the fried prawns & sauce

Lemongrass Pork ribs & Mango Salad

Pomelo Salad wif a twist. Jw didn't like it but anythin pomelo is good wif me. 

One interesting bite which i like very much. I think it's called Mee Krup - crispy fried mee coated wif a delightful sweet sauce.

Seafood fried rice / Tom Yam Seafood soup / Green Curry Chicken wif Melons / Eggplants

Enjoyed tis Red Fish Curry wif pumpkin too!

We busted our guts! We had a blast! And we probably only tried 1/4 of wat's on the menu. As if it wasn't enuff, we were served complimentary fruits & thai bean cakes + some hardcore mijoto on the house!

We couldn't have asked for more. For sure a great place for grp feasting sessions. As the singaporean in me will say - then can eat alot alot!!