On the way into Phuket city, going toward Central Festival and Big C, past the County Club golf course, a couple of hundred metres or so on the left, stands a big chicken. Chicken may not be a totally accurate description for the rather stately rooster that looks proudly onto the road, but it's certainly how the folks at the restaurant see it.

The Big Chicken restaurant in Kathu is a regular haunt for Thais and local expatriates alike. The casual, friendly atmosphere and consistently good food have given it a strong reputation, and entire Post team will testify to that, after a very enjoyable dining out session only a month back.

The inviting smell of Gai Yang (what else but chicken, barbecued Thai style) mingled with the spicy aroma of Som-Tam (Thai papaya salad) assaults the nostrils upon arrival. A small gazebo styled cooking house just outside the restaurant grills, pounds and churns out these delicacies with startling frequency. They are regular starting points for many a meal at the Big Chicken.

Lovers of Thai food though, should by no means stop there. The restaurant boasts a truly mind-boggling variety of local fare. From shrimp cakes to fried morning glory, the starters cater to the gamut of tastes. The sweet and sour prawns in tamarind sauce are simply heavenly.

Moving on to the main menu, the place does some good fried crabs in yellow curry. The Tom Kha Plaa (fish in a light coconut soup with a generous sprinkling of mushrooms) is delightfully flavoured. For those with a more adventurous palate, try the whole fish in lemon and chilli sauce. You're guaranteed to be panting and wheezing through the entire dish, but it'll be very, very worth it.

The Green Curry at the Big Chicken is a bit of speciality as well, and curry fans should not miss out on this. You must, always, also not miss out on insisting for “Mai Phet” (not spicy), this is a real Thai food place, serving mainly Thai customers...the spicy stuff is the real thing. For fans of bitter gourd, they do an excellent fried gourd with egg or crispy pork. The Tom Yam, as can only be expected, is delicious. The whole menu in fact, is a sure winner. Get whatever you fancy, you just can't go wrong.

The restaurant offers garden, covered and air-conditioned seating.

On a pleasant balmy Phuket evening, the garden is the way to go. The cheerful friendly staff are very attentive and eager to please, and try hard even with their sparse English skills...the English menu certainly helps.

Prices are very reasonable, curries are around a 100 baht and starters begin at 50 baht. No foul play here.