Rock Salt Restaurant — Restaurant in Rawai

Arrived in Phuket a few days prior to Christmas Day and because Christmas lunch is important to us as a family, I didn't want to attempt to cook when I didn't know the area or the best supermarkets to go to.

We had relatives over for Christmas and we opted to go to make a reservation at Rock Salt in advance as we thought this would be a laid-back alternative in the spirit of Phuket. We were particularly excited that they have a beach view and decided that we would order platters of grilled fish and shellfish, thinking that this was a banker - the fish and shellfish was certain to be fresh and it's near impossible to fail to make a tasty platter of grilled fish.

To my dismay, when we arrived they did not have a table for us inspite of our reservation which was made in person several days prior.

Desperate, as we had nowhere to go (for Christmas lunch!) we accepted a table which was near the (dirty) toilets and where the sea view is blocked in part by a hedge on top of the balcony wall.

Lunch was completely unpalatable - these were the worst grilled fish platters we have ever had, anywhere in the world. The fish was barely grilled and didn't look or smell like grilled fish. It came without any lemon or garlic butter (or anything else for that matter!) - this at a restaurant that claims to serve Mediterranean food.

The service was painfully slow and our server's attention to detail was non-existent. She also kept touching the large spot she had on her face while simultaneously touching our glasses, cutlery and plates.

Another server who had not been our server during the meal kept insisting that we settle the bill. We had been there for less than an hour and had not even been offered a dessert menu at this stage.

The bill was in line with European prices and we left the restaurant hungry.

Very poor value for money and possibly the first time in my life I have ever put aside a plate with grilled...

PRIME at The Nai Harn, perched above Rock Salt restaurant, was truly remarkable — an elevated dining experience offering stunning open views of Nai Harn Beach.

Every dish was prepared with top-quality ingredients and thoughtfully crafted by the executive chef, ensuring each element on plate complimented each other beautifully.

"PRIME" offers a special chef-led dining experience that feels both exclusive and personal. The restaurant setting is open-air with a view of custom-built fire grill in the open kitchen — where each dish is prepared & cooked before your eyes.

I've tried the "PRIME journey", the executive chef's 5-course tasting menu. Starting from 48 hour cold fermented Sourdough bread, David Hervé spéciale oysters topped with japanese cucumber, yuzu and green apple dressing (I could eat a dozen for myself easy), the cured and cold smoked Scottish salmon (best cured salmon Ive ever tried in life) to the Okinawa scallop and 270-day Black Market MB5 sirloin.

You can feel that each dish is deeply thought out, layered and cured with flavor, and every component in the plate compliments each element harmoniously.

The wine pairings curated by their in-house sommelier, was a delightful experience that went perfectly with this exceptional dining journey.

What sets PRIME apart was truly the passion of the executive chefs in execution — evident in everything dish throughout the PRIME Journey.

Highly recommended for culinary lovers, date nights, or anyone seeking a sophisticated, destination-worthy dining experience in Phuket. Advance booking is...

We were convinced by the positive online reviews, but this was by far the most disappointing dinner experience we have had during our vacation on Phuket.

Fail #01: We reserved a specific table but it was occupied upon arrival.

Fail #02: Although there was enough staff around we didn’t feel recognized. Empty glasses have not been refilled so we had to do it ourselves, which is unacceptable at such a price range.

Fail #03: One out of two starters - the very delicious greek salad - was forgotten to be served.

Fail #04: The main course was an absolute disaster! The prawns didn’t taste fresh but musty and the lobster was ice cold…not cold…ice cold! It was obviously prepared at an unknown time, then stored in ice and reheated when required. As we complained about it, they took the whole thing and put it back into the oven until the meat was completely dried out. On top of that it was topped with so much garlic sauce that it tasted like nothing but hot garlic.

Fail #05: After all the disappointment we have seen we asked for the supervisor to inform about our experience. She intended to write down our complaints, but in fact her sheet of paper remained empty. We doubt that the management would ever be informed.

Conclusion: If you are looking for overpriced food and bad performance, this is the place to be. But to be honest, it is nothing more than a waste of money. Every single street kitchen around serves better seafood dishes than this restaurant! At least the staff was...