Bangkok's "Seafood Restauant & Market"

At +1,500 seats, it's about as 'intimate' as a 'high school basketball playoff game'; i.e. NOT 'intimate'.

But with that said, it's probably as much fun as a 'high school basketball playoff game'; and the food, OH MAN, it's soooooo good!!

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How it works:

1. After you are seated, you take a look at the 'preparation styles list' on your table, and then go pick up a shopping cart.

Note: Preparation styles: As Bubba Gump would say:

"Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That - that's about it."

2. You then go to the 50-METER long counter, and pick out what you want: Shrimp, Swordfish, Alaska King Crab, Phuket Lobster, Halibut, >>>>>>>>>>

3. You throw it in the cart, and take it back to your table. A waiter will come by ask you how you want it prepared, what you want for side dishes and drinks, etc, etc.

4. You pay 'market price' by kilo for the seafood, and 'cooking charges' at the end of the meal.

As you can guess, it's quite noisy and hectic, but I have NEVER been disappointed with a meal.

http://www.seafood.co.th/

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Side-story:

I don't remember exactly when it was, maybe early 90's, I went to the Market one night for dinner.

As usual, there were a couple of 'drop-dead gorgeous' Thai hostesses at the door, dressed in traditional Thai costume.

They greeted me with big smiles and wai's (traditional Thai greeting: palms together, slight bow).

I smiled and wai'd em back, and since there were no other customers nearby, I pointed to a small sign with the restaurants motto, "IF IT SWIMS WE HAVE IT", and asked, with a very straight-face:

"Do you have mermaid?"

I KNEW it would be met with blank stares, so I repeated 'MER-MAID’, and 'Pulled a Marcel' (Marceau), and pantomimed a 'breast-stroke'.

Still nothing, so I said, "You know, the movie, 'The Little Mermaid'!!".

It took less than two-seconds for one of 'em, and less than three seconds for the other, to 'GET IT'.

They both laughed like crazy, and cracked me up by saying, "Sorry Sir, we no have mermaid tonight." - laugh, laugh, laugh

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Good Gawd Almighty – I LOVE THAILAND!!!