Coco T.: an unusual restaurant in Hua Hin
Coco T. is not your average Thai restaurant in Hua Hin. To begin with, it is located in a not so obvious place, in Soi 80. That is the youngest bar street in Hua Hin. Then the orange color stands out, both on the walls and on the parasols. The interior looks sleek and modern, with only a Thai accent here and there. Finally, the seats are very comfortable. This is the domain of Pau Srisukyai and her partner Lodewijk Schulte.
Pau Srisukyai visited her family in The Hague in 1990. Like many Thai women, she first worked in a Thai restaurant. With her husband at the time, Pau moved to Arnhem, where she got a job in a chocolate factory in Elst. During the night shift there was very little food for the employees, while Pau brought delicious Thai dishes from home. It came down to the fact that Pau also cooked these for the employees for a fee.
Readers in the east of the Netherlands may know the result: the successful Thai restaurants Sala Thai in Arnhem and My Asia in Wageningen, among others. Ten years ago, Pau moved to Hua Hin and started to invest in real estate there cautiously. However, the affairs in the Netherlands demanded her attention and she returned to the Netherlands, where Lodewijk Schulte was involved in the business. Lodewijk is a business administrator and graduated from Radboud University in Nijmegen.
Pau was happy to leave the business to him. “In the Netherlands, the staff comes before the boss. I couldn't work with that,” says Pau in good Dutch. That is a bit different in Thailand, she knows from experience. Because Lodewijk, with his background as a 'business development manager', can hardly get by in Hua Hin, he gladly took on the role of host in Coco T.. The restaurants in the Netherlands are now leased.
For the time being, Coco T.'s menu has more Thai than European dishes because chef Pau first wants to see what the Thai and European guests want. “In Thailand, most Europeans want to eat cheaply, without much fuss. In the Netherlands, guests really go out for dinner. Coco T. has been open for less than a month. I can do everything, except bookkeeping,” says Pau with a laugh. This is evident from the beautifully decorated dishes.
The only question is how long the restaurant can keep her interested. She wants to build another hotel and an apartment complex in Hua Hin. This in view of her retirement. Pau (49) is not only a top chef, but also a businesswoman.
Lovely such a new restaurant in hua hin. Will definitely eat there at the end of this year. See you then pau
Remains a difficult street to earn your money, many restaurants have not made it there.
I hope the entourage will attract a lot of guests” and of course the quality of the food”, because it looks really nice to have dinner with your partner.
In any case, the opinions of the visitors are positive
You will definitely see us at the end of this year. We are coming to watch and eat and we hope to enjoy your restaurant. Good luck.
We wish you the best of luck with this new restaurant on soi 80, if the food is as great as in My Asia in Wageningen, it will be great! We'll see you in a month! Greetings to neighbor Chosita! Theo, Tilly.
Hi Theo and Tilly,
Thanks for your response, greetings from me and Pau and see you in Hua Hin.
You can count on your fingers the restaurants in Hua Hin that are doing well, the supply is much greater than the demand. I've lived here for a while and I can cite plenty of examples of comings and goings. Every time I see a new restaurant open, I ask myself: how long will it be able to keep going? I have the impression that everyone who has some money wants to start a restaurant. The message is to be careful. Soi 80 has a big problem: parking your car is a hassle
That doesn't only apply to restaurants in Hua Hin... I've seen a few come and go in my area in a year (between Hua Hin and Pranburi)..
Whether it will work? In any case, Soi 80 is well known… there are a few restaurants where I have already been with acquaintances and they seem to be doing well.
In the case of Coco T., parking is not really a problem. The restaurant is located approximately 50 meters from the intersection with Phetkasem Road and 20 meters towards the traffic light you will find a huge parking lot on the same side. If you manage to make a door in the wall that separates Coco T. from this parking lot, the walking distance will be about ten meters.
Nice first the Hof van Holland and now Coco T in Soi 80 .
Will definitely eat there when we are in Hua Hin again.
Think Soi 80 will be a street to talk Dutch.
Good luck Paul!
Yesterday we ate there.
Very tasty! Nice people. Beautiful restaurant!
Lo and Pau, good luck with Coco T!!!! We would like to come and have dinner with you in Coco T. I also have to greet you and wish you good luck from Zeffie, who came to visit you with Annie in My Asia in Wageningen. Annemarie and Nico.