Walking into SOHO Pool Club, you’re greeted by a tropical, upscale, elegant and fun motif. The venue feels like an outdoor rooftop club in New York, but with bamboo lining the walls and bannisters, and spacious areas throughout. Despite the typical heat of the Phuket sun, SOHO Pool Club has a gentle breeze that comes in from the sea, a welcome respite from the weather.
There is seating everywhere: near the pool, on the second-floor balcony, near the boats, just by the bar ‒ the world is your oyster. We sat near the sea, to catch the sun as it was setting behind the establishment, and to get a glimpse of the boats returning from their day-time excursions. We kicked things off with delicious drinks, including a delightful Mango Mojito that included real bits of the sweet fruit.
We started with the Nacho Avocado to nibble on, and this didn’t disappoint! As a former server at a Mexican restaurant, I know my way around a good nacho, and this is one of the best in Phuket. A hearty starter that included avocado, minced beef, tomatoes, onions – and topped with melted cheese.
The best part? They used cheesy chips, instead of plain chips, which added more flavour. It’s not only fresh, but easy to eat, very shareable, and is highly recommended. Speaking of shareable, SOHO Pool Club is the perfect place for any group event, especially with its hearty portions and seating by the pool.
For dinner, we ordered Chef Ai’s famous Khao Soi with Chicken, a Northern Thai-style curry noodle dish served with chillies, pickled cabbage, chopped shallots and lemon, which was simply phenomenal. Not only was it a creamy curry, but the chicken was falling off the bone and packed with flavour. It’s a great blend of crunchy, creamy, spicy, savoury and sweet.
My wife ordered the Pan-Fried Seabass with Lemon Garlic and Grilled Vegetables, a classic dish that was as fresh as can be. The seabass was cooked to perfection. The flavours were unreal, especially with a bit of crispy seabass skin. It was just the right balance of protein and vegetables, making it a guilt-free feast for the senses. A healthy dish that was as fresh as it was tasty.
You would think that an upscale pool club would skimp on the portions, but SOHO Pool Club seems on a mission to fill bellies as the portions are hearty. But there’s always room for dessert! The lemon tart arrived, served with natural almond cream and Italian meringue, which completed our meal on a high. A great compliment to a tasty first meal ever at SOHO Pool Club, to which I will 100% be returning.
SOHO Pool CLub is located past the security gate inside Phuket Boat Lagoon marina in Koh Kaew. Open 10am-10pm. Price range: B400-799. Facilities: Best to book a table. Major credit cards accepted. Car park on site. Has smoking area. Free WiFi hotspot. Reservations:082-7437144. Website:SohoPhuket.com. See also ’SohoPhuket’ on Facebook, and ‘SohoPoolClub’ on Instagram.