Wine Connection Bangtao Place lacks management

Wine Connection have a number of branches across Phuket. I have chosen to visit the one located at Bangtao Place, Thalang Phuket. Although I generally like what Wine Connection offer i am afraid there are a few things management are going to need to address , before I can change my MrTripAdvisor thumb to green.


There are just a few things that warrant small red thumbs:-

They allow their own delivery van and every other trade delivery/collection vehicle to park, load & unload, leave the engine running throughout (a typical thai trait) and in doing so, block their own public entrance? On one occasion I was there, a customer wasn't feeling to great so they tried to catch some rest on an outside sofa. A large delivery vehicle arrived, remained parked across the entrance, the diesel engine running and fumes bellowing out for some 20 minutes; Outrageous.

  They are suppose to open at 11:00 hrs but they never do, as the staff only begin to start preparing the place at 11:00. In addition whilst they serve you your morning coffee or snack, they then begin mopping the floors, so you'll have to endure the smell of disinfectant.

For reasons best known to the management (if there is any management) this particular Wine Connection has been operating on a reduced menu since the beginning of the year. So the normal evening favourites of the Rack of Lamb for example is no longer available. Basically the menu now consists of Pizza, Pasta and Salads. No fresh juices, no croissants etc.. when you consider they advertise themselves and own their own bakery i find that very odd.

Wake up !  stop allowing vehicles to park here, when you have a side entrance, and forbid the drivers to leave engines running during the time they are there.

Have your staff arrive earlier to prepare for opening and have all cleaning tasks done before opening.

Put back the full menu & get a branch manager/ess

The tuna salad is very well presented, consistently good and reasonably priced.

The bread is fresh and comes at an extra 30 baht.

Coffee is also fresh, normally hot and is not cheap, at 100 baht.

wont I slip over on this wet floor?

UPDATE: 02.04.2013  

I have revisited this Wine Connection branch and the management have taken immediate direct action on all the points raised in my earlier blog.

Excellent, and proves that customers and businesses can work together!

I can now award the green thumb to the Wine Connection at BangTao Place 

The Black Cat, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket

I recently visited under cover (masquerading as a tourist) the Black Cat located near the police station at Cherngtalay Road, Thalang, Phuket. This restaurant / bar is a success story for sure. Established some 17 years ago to the day! 


It is very rare for any bar/restaurant to trade successfully for that long anywhere in the world, but with it's French owner it is particularly rare in Thailand.

I have visited the Black Cat a number of times in the past year and I can now report with some certainty, that you are unlikely to be disappointed.

It is not an upmarket modern air-conditioned establishment, it has been created in the traditional thai style, a mix of bamboo seating and wooden tables, but it works. 

The last night I was there it was virtually full, with people waiting at the bar for tables.

The food once again is a welcome mix of Thai and European. I can say with certainty the Thai food is excellent and given the area that the Black Cat is situated, close to the prestigious Laguna residential developments, good value for money.

I would caution you to try the wine before you buy a bottle. Most of the wine in Thailand that is imported, is not as you would expect. The Black Cat I believe has some reasonable house wines from France.


The cheese board, salads and steaks seem to be popular.

The owner Philipe has certainty acquired and retained a fantastic group of staff. 

There are many of them and all without exception speak English and some French also. 



One small problem I personally have is they allow smoking inside the restaurant at the bar. Thailand along with most european countries do not permit smoking inside eating places. I think the Black Cat escapes this rule, based upon it is open to the outdoors (no walls). In any event I would urge the management to re-consider this. There is nothing worse than having to endure people smoking close to you, if you choose to eat and/or sit at the bar. The over-head fans simply exasperate the problem. Perhaps a smoking area away from the bar?

The two senior Thai barmen/waiters/managers are superb. If you have a problem, talk to them, they will do their best to fix it I am sure.

But without a shadow of a doubt the Black Cat is a winner. It provides a choice of large screen TV entertainment, but not loud. It also offers a very popular take-away service/delivery, that the local residents and even nearby hotel guests take advantage of. They also provide a free local shuttle service for those guests who would prefer not to drive.

The bar man "odd" even purchased a bottle of my favourite tipple, that they did not have in their well stocked bar. I would add this was before I revealed my true identity as MrTripAdvisor, on my last visit.

Smoking aside, I would say this is the perfect model of a foreign / thai mix business.

blackcatphuket.com

The Black Cat deserves all the success it enjoys, which appears to have been built on hard-work and a great husband and wife partnership. Good luck in 2013 !!



vive la différence

Nanford Guest House, Oxford, United Kingdom

nanfordguesthouse.com

Our review of today is by Magdelena V on the Nanford Guest House

Magdelena V is invited to participate in the MrTripAdvisor Blog!

The proprietor(s) of the Nanford Guesthouse are invited to explain themselves.

This establishment has been scheduled for a Mr Trip visit.

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