Healthy dining at the Courtside Café and Bistro

Those familiar with the Pasak 8 area of Cherng Talay will be fully aware there is a lot going on right now, with numerous new residential developments underway and in planning. With a distinct lack of dining options in the immediate vicinity, the recent opening of the Courtside Café and Bistro therefore makes much sense and comes as welcome news.

The Courtside Café is part of a much broader development that is currently centred around the SiamSportsPro Tennis Academy Phuket, but will ultimately incorporate additional dining facilities, a rooftop bar, a wellness centre, including Japanese onsen, and a range of luxury villas. It is an impressive project that will no doubt serve as valuable component of the local community once completed.

The doors of the Courtside Café are, however, already open and the venue has been serving a comprehensive range of healthy food options to customers for some time, generating much buzz locally. It is with much interest then that my dining partner and I make our lunchtime visit to experience the menu for ourselves.

The roomy, split-level venue offers a view onto one part of the tennis centre and creates a relaxed vibe – we never realised how strangely soothing the sound of tennis balls being hit in the background can be! It is the perfect spot for an early breakfast, social lunch or even just a coffee and pastry. Browsing the menu, you are immediately struck by the variety of healthy options on offer and all at very reasonable prices. A range of tasty sounding juices and smoothies are complemented by an extensive breakfast menu and variety of snacks, salads, wraps, pastas, sandwiches and burgers, all of which look and sound very appetising.

We opt for the gyoza and chicken satay for starters and both and are simply delicious! The gyoza is served on a bed of beautifully cooked mixed vegetables that could easily be a dish in its own right. What we especially liked was the fact the gyoza was fresh and crisp and not dripping in oil, as is often the case. Likewise, the satay; succulent chicken with fresh vegetables and a sauce that had just the right amount of kick!

The smoked chicken Caesar salad for main was genuinely delicious. One could argue such a dish is easy to make and difficult to mess up, but those who know their salads know a seriously good one when they get it, and this is exactly that. Once again, it is fresh and crisp as opposed to being soggy from an overload of dressing and the chicken is both plentiful and extremely tasty. A definite winner!

Similarly, the Beyond Burger, an option which can often be very divisive, but which is a definite hit on this occasion. Fantastically flavoured and expertly cooked, it offers a great option for those who are looking to lessen their meat consumption and is one I would personally recommend highly.

In summary, the Courtside Café and Bistro offers an excellent alternative option for those looking for healthy and nutritious food that is destined to earn itself a strong and respected reputation among locals. Definitely worth checking out – and a place we will no doubt return to many times in future.