Escape Pool Club

The name ‘Escape’ is an extremely appealing moniker for a restaurant and poolside club in these torrid times of news overwhelm, cost of living crises and of course Phuket’s very own local traffic mayhem! So it was that on a recent evening my petite Thai partner Pattie and I battled our way over to Karon Beach for an ‘escapist’ supper in the embrace of this charming Centara Karon Resort eatery.I use the verb ‘battled’ here in all sincerity, as Phuket’s evening traffic was as maniacal as ever and the narrow approach road through Karon village itself was almost impassable through the added mayhem of several areas of road works.                              So, when we did enter the calm, restful embrace of the Centara’s leafy grounds our feeling of ‘escape’ was palpable!

The Escape Pool Club occupies a spacious, bright and welcoming indoor/outdoor area overlooking the eponymous swimming pool and, on this evening, it was full of happy, smiling diners. From families with bouncing kiddies, to loved-up couples, to silver-haired oldsters bucket-listing their way through retirement, all were here and enjoying themselves immensely.

As the spacious cream and blue décor embraced us, we immediately felt our stress levels decline and relaxation set in, as we were enthusiastically greeted by the smiling staff. This start of our ‘escape-response’ was immediately heightened by enlivening pre-supper drinks from the comprehensive beverage menu. Here, all the key selections are well covered, including all the classics. One notable element of ‘escape’ that immediately impressed us was escape from high prices! Yes, the cuisine and drinks at Escape Pool Club are all very affordably priced, which certainly is a welcome ‘escape’ from certain practices to be found around today’s Phuket!

Our ‘escape-response’ continued to blossom as gentle serenading live music kicked in. As it was a Wednesday evening, it was the Club’s weekly BBQ Night featuring smoked beef brisket, beef short ribs, pork spareribs, chicken, sausages, salmon and seafood plus a selection of appetizers, soups, side dishes and desserts costing just 899 baht ++ for adults and 350 baht++ for kiddies aged 6 to 12 years – all on an unlimited help-yourself basis.

Escape’s key culinary choices focus on charcoal grilled meats, fish and seafoods, plus Italian pizzas and pastas, and a wide selection of stir-fried dishes, all accompanied by side dishes and a mouth-watering indulgence of desserts and ice cream.

We chose our own starters from an array of tempting choices from the Tapas Bar, plus fresh, tasty salads.

Madame plumped for the Thai Salmon Ceviche, a spicy tartare of succulent pink meat, roasted rice powder, garden herbs and crispy rice crackers which, judging by the rate it disappeared, I can only conclude seems to have passed muster!

Polishing my halo, I dived into a tasty vegan three-coloured Quinoa and Avocado Power Bowl replete with soft-boiled eggs, crunchy veggies and olives, all swimming in a healthy lemon vinaigrette. Not wanting to appear too insufferably ‘goody-goody’, I complemented this healthy treat with a light rose-coloured grape-based beverage, which proved to be so refreshing, (and indeed refreshingly priced), that I had to have a couple more glasses!

Madame’s main course of grilled Tiger Prawns arrived sizzlingly hot from the charcoals, accompanied by sautéed garlic spinach and truffle parmesan fries and immediately prompted an abundance of the famed Thai smiles. I’d decided to try some of Escape’s famed traditional Italian fare and thoroughly enjoyed a classic Seafood Spaghetti with prawns, squid, scallops, mussels, crab and cherry tomatoes, bathed in fish stock and white wine.

So, thoroughly ‘escaped ‘were we by this stage of the evening that we simply had to stay for some ‘naughty’ Young Coconut Brȗlée and Piña Colada Cheesecake desserts.

The only drawback we could find to Escape Restaurant and Pool Club, was the necessity of eventually departing and re-entering the tumult of the real world waiting for us outside!