Vegetarian restaurant : Nong J (ร้านน้องเจ) — Restaurant in Talat Nuea

In search of some vegan food in Old Town Phuket we reached here after finding 4 other vegan restaurants closed after they ran out of food on Satun Road.

The place is unlike any restaurants you may have ever been. The structure looks temporary but has been there since many years. A 10-12 year old checks us in and gives us a menu. An extensive menu, I must say with most dishes also had pictures.

We order a Papaya Salad, a Fried Rice and and a Pad Thai to start with. The papaya salad fresh and crunchy with peanuts and fresh bean sprouts. Yum. The Fried Rice and Pad Thai were good, however we enjoyed knowing that this was a vegan restaurant. Almost full with we couldn’t resist one more dish that was served on another table.

8 mini sticks of Satay served with warm peanut satay sauce - delicious.

The young guy was so efficient and and so courteous. His service was impeccable. He answered most of our questions in as much English he could muster.

We tipped him handsomely and was so happy. He went to his parents and showed off what he had earned.

A must go while in Old Phuket town. Discard the appearance of the hotel and just go. They also carry dried soy meats and stuff. I wish I could carry...

Small family-run restaurant, but what a quality! The menu is quite varied and very extensive, allowing you to explore a wide range of vegetarian versions of typical Thai and Chinese cuisine, but all without losing authenticity or "truthness" :) This isn’t the usual veg restaurant that just imitates certain dishes: here, attention to detail is key and you can tell. Everything is set in a very intimate and homey environment, where you immediately feel welcomed and appreciated :) it's like being part of this fanily and being alloqed to have a small glimpse in their lifestyle. Another thing I really appreciated is their flexibility when it comes to dietary restrictions or if, for example, you want something without spices/ without hot sauce (and in that case, it really won’t be spicy!) I will definitely return and won’t get tired of recommending it in Phuket! Keep up...

Terrible Experience – Never Again

I went to Nong J Restaurant expecting tasty food, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.

I ordered a carrot salad and chicken curry. The curry tasted awful and was cold, as if it had been sitting out for hours or even prepared the day before. The carrot salad was watery and bland—not fresh at all. I visited around 11 AM, and it felt like I was served yesterday’s leftovers.

To make things worse, I was overcharged. The menu listed lower prices, but I ended up paying 200 THB for this low-quality meal.

While the staff were polite and smiled when asking where I’m from, good service cannot make up for bad food and unfair pricing.

This was a very disappointing experience. I will never return and cannot recommend this...