Sadly, now just another tourist trap
If you ever needed a first-hand experience of a restaurant which is coasting on nothing more than reputation and a few paid-for gushing internet reviews, then go to Salvatore in Phuket Town.

If you want real Italian food though, then go somewhere else.

The owner - from Sardinia actually, not from mainland Italy - is a nice enough chap. But his food suffers from the double whammy of similar tourist trap eateries - terrible food and excessive pricing.

We ordered pasta and what was described in the menu as "Saltimbocca alla Romana". Those of you who know Italian food will share my surprise when the food arrived and we found a dry, breaded piece of unidentified meat with lots of stale molten cheese inside. No hint of Sage or Parma Ham. The waitress and "manager" had only a shrug in reply to our query and then brought us the bill without being asked to do so. The pasta was equally uninspired and obviously straight from the supermarket shelf.

Forget the place - Mr Salvatore has been around for way too long, and has obviously given up on any efforts with regards to cuisine and quality of food. In this, he joins other Phuket over hyped luminaries like Da Maurizio in Patong (the ultimate tourist trap) and Gaetana in Phuket Town (the world's smallest pasta dishes served up by a pretentious Corsican owner masquerading as an Italian).

We recommend going to Capanina in Kata (closed Tuesdays) instead, or the famous La Pizzeria along the small stretch of Rawai Beach (closed Mondays). There, you will get good food at reasonable prices and you will come back often. Guaranteed.    [02 May 2007 04:57:51]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 

     ­likestoplay_88