American food in Thailand

**hillbilly** · 14-08-2010, 07:58 PM

Well, we have had D&G Restaurant operating up in the town of P-lok for little over a year now. We have been serving Thai food and bringing in close to B90,000 per month. Our chef is a niece who we paid to go the the Queen's chef school in BKK for 2 years.

Recently, we have remolded and expanded the kitchen. Now it is time for some American food. Just in the beginnings and no doubt there will be a few hiccups.

So what do you think of my proposed menu? What mistakes have I made or what should I change? Please keep in mind that I will personally prepare many of these dishes beforehand in BKK and freeze individual portions. These pre-cooked meals will then be delivered to P-Lok. Tring to figure out the prices of each meal is doing my head in.

Not trying to promote my place, but would appreciate some feedback from fellow TeakDorians, expats or tourists.

Am I even on the right path?

American Food

These are some of my favorite meals I ate while growing up in America.

I hope that you enjoy these dishes as much as I did and still do.

Dinner
· Meaty Lasagna, salad and toasted garlic bread-B150
· Spinach Lasagna, salad and toasted garlic bread-B120
· BBQ pork ribs, ½ slab (6 ribs) with salad and grilled bread-B150
· BBQ chicken (thigh & leg) with salad and grilled bread-B150
· Tuna patty, mixed vegetables along with macaroni and cheese-B120
· Chili and crackers-B120-coming soon
· Grilled T-bone steak, salad, mixed vegetables, curly fries or, french fries and grilled bread-B200
· Fried pork chop, salad, mixed vegetables curly fries or french fries and grilled bread-B150
· Hillbilly ham and beans-B120
· Tacos (3)-B120
· Spaghetti, salad and toasted garlic bread-B120
Soups
· Mushroom soup with crackers-B50
· Chicken noodle soup with crackers-B50
· Vegetable soup with crackers-B50
· Tomato soup with crackers-B50
· New England clam chowder with crackers-B50
Sandwiches
· Grilled cheese with curly fries/french fries or chips-B80
· Grilled cheese and ham with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Fish sandwich with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Fish sandwich and cheese with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· PBJ with chips-B100
· Pork tenderloin with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Chicken tenderloin with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Hamburger with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Cheeseburger with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· BLT with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100

**Bettyboo** · 14-08-2010, 08:05 PM

· Grilled T-bone steak, salad, mixed vegetables, curly fries or, french fries and grilled bread-B200
· Fried pork chop, salad, mixed vegetables curly fries or french fries and grilled bread-B150
· Cheeseburger with curly fries/french fries or chips-B100
· Meaty Lasagna, salad and toasted garlic bread-B150
· Spinach Lasagna, salad and toasted garlic bread-B120
· BBQ pork ribs, ½ slab (6 ribs) with salad and grilled bread-B150

These look nice, and at a good price.

I suppose it depends who is gonna be coming in. For me, it doesn't look American enough, you could push the boat out a bit further... but, if it's mostly Thais then it might be too American?

**Humbert** · 14-08-2010, 08:09 PM

Looks pretty good. The only thing that doesn't appeal to me is the tuna patty. I would probably include a tuna fish sandwich instead. And of course it looks like you are missing the all American hot dog. I wish you a lot of success!

**hillbilly** · 14-08-2010, 08:15 PM

Hard to buy decent hotdogs in Thailand. Trying to source most everything here in Thailand, but damn difficult to do.

**Norton** · 14-08-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I suppose it depends who is gonna be coming in.

Ah yes. The key question. What is your customer base?

**hillbilly** · 14-08-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Humbert

I would probably include a tuna fish sandwich instead.

Well shit, how could I forget a tuna fish sandwich. I only make me one about two times a week for lunch. Thanks!

**hillbilly** · 14-08-2010, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I suppose it depends who is gonna be coming in.

Ah yes. The key question. What is your customer base?

Good question and the one that the wife keeps asking. But in the past decade of seeing few falangs in P-Lok, I now see more and more.

Our customer base right now is more of the upscale Thais. When this subject was brought up a few years ago, I said no B20 noodles shit.

Currently.we have a considerable amount of government workers coming everyday for lunch. Additionally, we have no karoke but on Saturdays we now have a local 2-3 man band playing soft music. No costs to us (right now) other than the food.

Additionally, we are close to the main road where Central is starting to build.

Who knows, it may be a big mistake on my part.

Sorta fun though...

**Norton** · 14-08-2010, 08:45 PM

Think the menu is too long. Get rid of the stuff which doesn't have cross over appeal to Thais. I would dump all what appear to be canned Campbell soups.

Would make only homemade Vegetable/Minestrone soup. Easy to make and cheap. Cook up a big pot and freeze individual servings. Spaghetti is good cross over. Not so sure about the Lasagna. Drop the taco. Use the Hillbilly ham and beans as filler and offer a burrito instead.

The pork tenderloin, ribs and steak will do well.

PBJ with chips? Please don't tell me this is a Peanutbutter and jelly sandwich.

**dirtydog** · 14-08-2010, 08:57 PM

I would dump the chips, Thais aint going to be impressed when you open a packet to put on their plate.

**hopmad** · 14-08-2010, 09:09 PM

Sounds good. With veggie options. And chips! I haven't seen a chip since arriving here, only pathetic french fries.

**dirtydog** · 14-08-2010, 09:24 PM

American chips are called crisps in English.

**Jet Gorgon** · 14-08-2010, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

PBJ with chips? Please don't tell me this is a Peanutbutter and jelly sandwich.

What Norts said. Ya, PBJ has gotta be my kid fav.

I like rice or garlic toast with chili. Tuna sands are great (as long as the staff knows to drain the bladdy tuna and add mayo & chopped chives). Egg salad?
No breakkie? Dessert? Apple Pie and ice cream? Apple crisp?

How bout bison burgers? 555
Anyway, the menu may still be too long. See how it goes the first couple of months and kill the non-sellers.
Good luck!

**Mid** · 15-08-2010, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

American food

drawing a blank here , honestly .

**hopmad** · 15-08-2010, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

American chips are called crisps in English.

Curses, foiled again!

**Humbert** · 15-08-2010, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Hard to buy decent hotdogs in Thailand. Trying to source most everything here in Thailand, but damn difficult to do.

I never found it a problem unless you are looking for kosher. Lots of variety at all the big stores. I buy the debrezners at Carrefour and serve them with sauerkraut. For a chili dog practically anything will work.

**Perota** · 15-08-2010, 08:00 AM

First I find the prices very reasonable.

Now I was trying to think what kind of food can please at the same time foreigners and local. Mostly pasta and pizzas. Even MiL shares a pizza from time to time.

Based on what serves the most profitable "western" restaurant in my area (customers : 90% thais + 5-10% falangs during the holidays), Norton seems to have it right.

One thing also that seems to be very popular with Thai and not too bad for western taste is hot pot and Korean barbecue. Or maybe I've already spent too much time in Asia ...

And it's definitively not American, sorry ....

**Mr Earl** · 15-08-2010, 08:36 AM

Looks good, menu might be a little long.
All those soup sound good but how well would they store. I wouldn't bother serving canned soups.

I'd loose the PBJ and add macaroni and cheese, Thai people like macaroni.

I'd suggest grits and scrapple if it were a breakfast menu. But that's just me, most people wouldn't know what that is. It would be unique and original in Thailand.
You could probably find someone local to make the scrapple and mill the corn. They seem to grow a good deal of corn in the hill country and the pork here is the best.

**Marmite the Dog** · 15-08-2010, 08:53 AM

Any chance of adding pizza to the menu? Thais will go for that.

**Perota** · 15-08-2010, 09:08 AM

I always wondered if spicy Mexican food could be popular with Thais ? (you have taco on your menu ....)

**Mr Earl** · 15-08-2010, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Hard to buy decent hotdogs in Thailand. Trying to source most everything here in Thailand, but damn difficult to do.

Vienna agro sausage in Bangkok
028697478

Best ones I've seen so far. I like a good dog too.

**Davis Knowlton** · 15-08-2010, 10:08 AM

Don't know how this would go with the Thai clientele, but if you are on occasion going to make homemade soup, how about gumbo, or ham hock and beans. I used to go to a bar in panhandle Florida that did ham hock soup on Tuesday, and seafood gumbo on Thursdays. Never an empty seat. And never any leftovers. Ham hock and beans is also pretty cheap to make - gumbo less so, but you have lots of relatively cheap local ingredients. Just a thought, and all the best with your venture!

**Humbert** · 15-08-2010, 10:34 AM

The best American food has a regional personality. I love a restaurant with a southern character; biscuits, bbq, southern fried chicken etc. or Northern California; sourdough bread, artichokes, avacados, etc. But in rural Thailand you probably should play it safe and go for the old standards. I agree with others who have said that the menu selection is a bit too broad.

**sabang** · 15-08-2010, 10:35 AM

If some of your customer base are nostalgic Americans HB, and you know how to do one, how about meatloaf? Or slopppy Joe's. If you can get the spices, maybe an option for cajun/ blackened burger, chook n steak too. 'Be Lucky' butchers is a Thai/ German operation, they have outlets in Bkk & Pattaya, and do a good hot dog sausage imo.

**chitown** · 15-08-2010, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Hard to buy decent hotdogs in Thailand. Trying to source most everything here in Thailand, but damn difficult to do.

I might have a source fo you HB. Oscar Meyer and all beef hot dogs. Let me do some digging.

Also your prices are too low. You are running a resort and need to make some on your sales.

**Davis Knowlton** · 15-08-2010, 11:16 AM

As a card-carrying hillbilly, I'm sure you already know this, but cornbread is kind of required with ham hock soup. Also, agree with Chi re prices - don't underprice yourself - you get more bitching if you do, and then have to jack prices on certain items shortly after you open. Also agree that the menu is too extensive (say I, after having just recommended additions)

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