Tequila Reef New Ownership With Large Improvements

[Evilfriar]

Will be stopping in for a meal in a couple of weeks Chris. Commiserations on your loss.

Cheers

[Cerberus]

It would be a good addition if you are able to bring it back to a reliable standard, we have not eaten there for years due to the total inconsistency in both quality of food and poor service.  On a personal view it would be nice to see guacamole available even if as an extra cost.

I concur with all condolences regards your recent loss.

[JABL]

I have eated at TR in angeles and it was nice. 

Never really tried the one in pattaya but hopefully I might on my next trip. 

 

My condolences and good luck. 

[OoJohnnyoO]

Condolences for your loss and good luck with your future endeavour.

Noticed the updated menu on FB, pics look great. I have eaten at Tequila Reef every trip so far and will definitely stop in in September.

[Luv2Phuket]

My deepest condolences on the loss of your Dad.  Lost mine about 8 years ago after a lengthy illness.  It's never easy.

Look forward to working Mexican food into my "Pattaya standards"!

[Luv2Phuket]

2 hours ago, Cerberus said:

On a personal view it would be nice to see guacamole available even if as an extra cost.

 

I don't know if it is possible to source the avocados from Thailand, but avocado prices here in the USA are at all time highs.

It's become a huge issue for restaurants here that charge a little more to add it on, because those costs are not keeping pace with the underlying cost of the avocados themselves.

[tequilareef]

Things are obviously still a work in progress thus any comments here are greatly appreciated. It's been a sheer nightmare from a business standpoint getting all the paperwork in order as Tequila Reef is an American treaty company under Thai law. With that said, it's been a mountain of paperwork along with social security and tax obligations not to mention visa considerations. The professional fees alone have been tremendous. 

Anyway, thanks for all the condolences and our goal is to bring Tequila Reef back to where it was but with upgrades and updates to everything. This is why your comments are invaluable to our ultimate goal. I personally have helped make restaurants successful a few times in my life so I'm no stranger to the pitfalls of attempting to please everyone in the food business. 

Our margaritas will never change as they can't get much better and we plan on hiring some sexier waitresses in the near future. This is what has been lacking IMHO as well. Unfortunately, the downside of that is some of you guys end of taking them away from us. 

[tequilareef]

5 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

I don't know if it is possible to source the avocados from Thailand, but avocado prices here in the USA are at all time highs.

It's become a huge issue for restaurants here that charge a little more to add it on, because those costs are not keeping pace with the underlying cost of the avocados themselves.

They run at around 100 baht a kilo in Pattaya (Which is expensive) and sometimes they really aren't worth serving. We have sourced out some in Chiang Mai of all places and shall begin shipping them as needed in about 2 weeks. Personally, I believe guacamole is a must have ingredient to every Mexican restaurant but the consistency or moreover the quality is undesirable here in Pattaya thus we have "When available" on the menu. Hopefully, this new source will be adequate for our future needs. 

[Luv2Phuket]

1 minute ago, tequilareef said:

They run at around 100 baht a kilo in Pattaya (Which is expensive) and sometimes they really aren't worth serving. We have sourced out some in Chiang Mai of all places and shall begin shipping them as needed in about 2 weeks. Personally, I believe guacamole is a must have ingredient to every Mexican restaurant but the consistency or moreover the quality is undesirable here in Pattaya thus we have "When available" on the menu. Hopefully, this new source will be adequate for our future needs. 

Think that's a good plan -- better to say it is not available than to serve an inferior product, and the quality of guac is intimately tied to the quality of the avocados

 

[tequilareef]

Just now, Luv2Phuket said:

Think that's a good plan -- better to say it is not available than to serve an inferior product, and the quality of guac is intimately tied to the quality of the avocados

 

Anybody that knows guac knows the avocado has to be good otherwise the end result is garbage. Hopefully, this new source (Which is reputable up North) will remedy the situation and we can actually add it to the buffet, fajitas and even have a guac burger among other things. All of this at affordable and fair prices. 

[Cerberus]

1 hour ago, tequilareef said:

Anybody that knows guac knows the avocado has to be good otherwise the end result is garbage. Hopefully, this new source (Which is reputable up North) will remedy the situation and we can actually add it to the buffet, fajitas and even have a guac burger among other things. All of this at affordable and fair prices. 

Glad to see your comment regards guac, (your abbreviation ). To me it is essential with some dishes and knowing the difficulty and cost I would always be willing to purchase it as a selective extra.

Your Jugs of margarita were always a stable and have been missed when hitting another eatery before heading out.

[just hanging]

when I had my knees replaced, I ordered ribs from there twice since I could not go out, really good both times and lots of sauce which is important

[jerrygarcia]

2 hours ago, Cerberus said:

Glad to see your comment regards guac, (your abbreviation ).

 

that is what I've called it since I was a kid

[OoJohnnyoO]

when I had my knees replaced, I ordered ribs from there twice since I could not go out, really good both times and lots of sauce which is important

Every time I've been to Tequila Reef I've had the pork ribs and will have them again next time I pop in. Delicious!!!

[padfoot]

I am sorry about your loss.

Good luck on your new endeavor and thanks for keeping Tequila Reef open.

[mcjimmys]

I remember meeting your father back in 2000 a couple months after the restaurant first opened. He was a very nice man. He told me about when he worked in Hawaii and always had many interesting experiences to share. The food was great back then. I hope you can bring it back to the way it was in the beginning. I had many great meals there. Oh and a few frozen margaritas as well. Good luck and all the best. I will stop in for a meal soon.

[navidnavid]

I've eaten at both TR's in Patts and AC...

Borh times the staff were very nice to me... and the food was good...

[Kreggerz]

Sorry for your loss.

About the food there in the past. 

Horrible.

Some of the worst "Mexican" food I've ever had. Glad to hear there is realization there was a problem. There definitely was.

People saying they loved the food before. They can't be people that actually know anything about Mexican food.

[Kreggerz]

5 hours ago, OoJohnnyoO said:

 

Every time I've been to Tequila Reef I've had the pork ribs and will have them again next time I pop in. Delicious!!!

 

Perhaps so.

Pork ribs aren't Mexican food though.

I've only had the menu items that are supposed to be Mexican food. I've tried a number of times over the years, always hoping it couldn't still be as bad, but it always was. 

A major turnaround of what was being done in the past, on the Mexican part of the menu anyway, is definitely warranted. 

Edited June 23, 2017 by Kreggerz

[jimboh]

Sorry for your loss.

Love the ribs-could not give a toss if they are Mexican or not,

Bring TR back to what it was and employ sexier staff-seems like a winner to me.

Best of luck

[SLEUTH]

Sorry for your sad loss , best wishes for the future.

Will drop by in October

[philkrenshaw]

RIP your father. My favorite has always been the Thanksgiving dinner.

[bertik]

Sorry for loss of your dad. Have eaten at TR many times in the past, sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Not so bad that I completely boycotted the place. I am looking forward to a revisit next time I am in town. Love good Mex and Texmex.

[Pattaya_Brian]

1 hour ago, philkrenshaw said:

RIP your father. My favorite has always been the Thanksgiving dinner.

Some friends and I tried that Thanksgiving Day dinner buffet several years ago and it was horrendous. It was almost like somebody had emailed the recipes to a Thai manager and said, "Do the best you can." 

But as I've already said, the key to success for a restaurant that has incredible potential is a Western manager. If the food gets straightened out, then the ambience and location will see TR become one of the most popular restaurants in town. 

The potential is off the hook.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Pattaya_Brian

[jimboh]

Was in last night, nothing has changed as far as I could make out-Ribs and margaritas were fab, fajitas were poor.