by Ross Kingsley | Mar 23, 2025 | BLACK BOX: RANTS, RAVES, REVIEWS & RECIPES
Thai cuisine is known for its vibrant flavors, balancing salty, spicy, sour, and sweet elements in a way that creates a unique dining experience. While many people associate Thai food with fragrant herbs, fiery chilies, and healthy fresh vegetables, one ingredient that goes lrgely unnoticed is sugar. From street food to home-cooked dishes, sugar plays a dominant role in Thai cooking. But why is sugar used so extensively, and what are the downsides of this sweet obsession?
Why Is Sugar So Prevalent in Thai Cuisine?
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Flavor Balance
Thai food is built on a delicate balance of contrasting flavors. Sugar helps to mellow out the heat of chilies, round off the tanginess of lime, and counteract the saltiness of fish sauce and soy sauce. Without sugar, many classic Thai dishes would taste overly sharp or unbalanced.
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Historical and Cultural Influence
Historically, Thai cuisine wasn’t always as sugar-heavy as it is today. However, with the introduction of refined sugar and sweeteners through trade and globalisation, the use of sugar became widespread. Palm sugar, coconut sugar, and later refined white sugar became key ingredients in Thai cooking. Over time, this led to a cultural preference for sweeter dishes, even in traditionally savory foods.
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Street Food Evolution
Thai street food is one of the country’s biggest attractions, but it’s also a major contributor to excessive sugar consumption. Vendors often add sugar to enhance flavors quickly and cheaply, making their food more appealing to a wider audience. Dishes like Pad Thai, Thai iced tea, and curries often contain significant amounts of sugar, a lot more than people realize.
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Western Influence and Processed Ingredients
With globalization, Thai cuisine has evolved, incorporating more processed ingredients that already contain sugar. Condiments like ketchup, sweet chili sauce, and even soy sauce now have added sugar, further increasing the sugar content of many dishes. Fast food chains and fusion restaurants have also amplified the use of sugar to cater to changing consumer preferences.
Downsides of Excessive Sugar Consumption
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Health Issues
Thailand has seen a sharp rise in obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders in recent years, largely due to high sugar consumption. The World Health Organization has again highlighted Thailand’s growing diabetes rates, with dietary habits playing a key role. While traditional Thai food is often considered healthy, the excessive use of sugar in many dishes has made it less so.
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Hidden Sugars in Everyday Foods
Many people don’t realize just how much sugar they consume daily. Even dishes that don’t taste overtly sweet, such as som tam (papaya salad) or tom yum soup, often contain sugar. Drinks, from Thai iced tea to fruit smoothies, are frequently loaded with added sugar, sometimes exceeding daily recommended intake levels in just one serving.
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Addiction to Sweetness
The constant exposure to sugary foods has created a preference for sweet flavors, making it harder for people to enjoy food without sugar. This has led to an increasing dependency on sweetened beverages and snacks, further fueling the problem.
What Can Be Done?
Awareness is the first step. Those who enjoy Thai food, whether in Thailand or abroad, should be mindful of hidden sugars in their meals. Asking for less sugar when ordering, choosing fresh ingredients over processed ones, and experimenting with alternative natural sweeteners can help reduce sugar intake without compromising flavor. As Thailand faces growing health concerns linked to sugar consumption, there is a need for a shift back toward a more balanced and mindful approach to sweetness in cooking.
Image Credit: Freepik.com
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© CHURRASCO PHUKET STEAKHOUSE / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Reprinting, reposting & sharing allowed, in exchange for a backlink and credits
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse serves affordable Wagyu and Black Angus steaks and burgers. We are open daily from 12noon to 11pm at Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong / Phuket.
We are family-friendly and offer free parking and Wi-Fi for guests. See our menus, reserve your table, find our location, and check all guest reviews here:
https://ChurrascoPhuket.com/
#Churrascophuket #jungceylon #phuketsteakhouse #affordablewagyu #wagyu
by Ross Kingsley | Mar 16, 2025 | BLACK BOX: RANTS, RAVES, REVIEWS & RECIPES
Lobster is synonymous with luxury dining and fine seafood, has not always been the prized delicacy it is today. Few people know that it started out its culinary journey being called the “Cockroach of the Sea”, and considered a nuisance rather than a special treat. In fact, there was a time when it was regarded as food for the poor – even slaves – a far cry from its current status on high-end restaurant menus. The journey of lobster from an overlooked crustacean to a symbol of indulgence is a fascinating story of supply, demand, and changing perceptions.
A Humble Beginning
In the early days of American history, lobsters were so abundant along the northeastern coast that they would wash up on shore in massive piles. Native Americans used them primarily as fertilizer and bait rather than a meal. When European settlers arrived, they viewed lobster as a cheap, readily available source of protein. So plentiful was the crustacean that it was served to prisoners, apprentices, and the poor—often in such excess that it was considered a mark of low status.
The Turning Point
The transformation of lobster’s reputation began in the 19th century with improvements in transportation and preservation. The advent of railroads allowed for fresh lobster to be shipped inland, introducing it to new markets. As inland consumers, unfamiliar with its previous reputation, encountered lobster as a novel delicacy, demand began to shift.
Canning technology also played a role. Initially, canned lobster was another cheap protein source for factory workers and soldiers. But as fresh lobster became more accessible in cities and high-end coastal resorts, it took on a new image. Wealthy vacationers in places like Maine and Cape Cod were introduced to lobster as a specialty dish, and its popularity grew among the upper class.
From Common to Coveted
By the early 20th century, lobster had undergone a full rebranding. Restaurants in Boston and New York began featuring lobster on their menus, and it soon became associated with fine dining. As overfishing reduced supply and demand continued to rise, prices soared. What was once a working-class meal had transformed into a luxury item.
Today, lobster remains a symbol of indulgence, whether served whole, in a butter-drenched roll, or as part of an elaborate seafood feast. Its journey from an unwanted byproduct of the ocean to a coveted dish speaks to the power of perception, marketing, and changing food trends.
So next time you crack into a lobster tail, remember—what you’re eating was once considered fit only for prisoners and the poor. The story of lobster is proof that culinary reputations can change with time, and sometimes, what was once common can become the pinnacle of fine dining.
Image Credit: Freepik.com
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© CHURRASCO PHUKET STEAKHOUSE / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Reprinting, reposting & sharing allowed, in exchange for a backlink and credits
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse serves affordable Wagyu and Black Angus steaks and burgers. We are open daily from 12noon to 11pm at Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong / Phuket.
We are family-friendly and offer free parking and Wi-Fi for guests. See our menus, reserve your table, find our location, and check all guest reviews here:
https://ChurrascoPhuket.com/
#Churrascophuket #jungceylon #phuketsteakhouse #affordablewagyu #wagyu
by Ross Kingsley | Mar 9, 2025 | BLACK BOX: RANTS, RAVES, REVIEWS & RECIPES
For better or worse, Google has become an essential tool for hospitality businesses like ours. The upside is that it has rendered Tripadvisor largely irrelevant, a platform that no hotelier or restaurateur will miss. Google’s straightforward review system is more than the sharing of customer feedback—it helps your business grow and plays a big role in improving search ranking on Google. When people look for services like ours, Google considers these reviews to decide where your business appears in search results. More reviews can mean better visibility, bringing more visitors to your business page.
Yet lately, Google seems to be getting too big and too powerful for anyone’s good. Over the years, its dominance over search, maps, and online reviews has reached a point where small businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, are being neglected and treated unfairly. The latest controversy surrounding the disappearance of thousands of Google reviews is just one example of this growing problem. The most frustrating part? Google seems increasingly run by AI bots instead of real human beings who can understand and resolve these issues properly.
The Disappearing Reviews Scandal
Recently, online discussions and news reports have highlighted a significant and unexplained disappearance of reviews from Google’s platform. Many businesses have lost years’ worth of customer feedback overnight, with little to no explanation from Google. In some cases, reviews were reinstated after weeks of complaints, while in others, they remain missing indefinitely. This is not just an isolated incident—it’s happening to businesses worldwide, and it highlights a deeper problem with how Google manages its review system.
At Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse, we were directly affected by this. It took us three weeks of back-and-forth with Google’s so-called “Help” function to get most of our reviews back. But even after all that effort, over 30 of our previous reviews are still missing. What’s worse, the only responses we get from Google’s support are bot-generated, generic replies that provide no real assistance or accountability.
AI Control Gone Too Far
The root of the problem seems to be Google’s over-reliance on artificial intelligence to manage and filter its review system. While AI can be useful in detecting spam and fake reviews, it is becoming increasingly clear that it is also deleting legitimate reviews from real customers. In our case, we have every reason to believe that Google’s AI is filtering out reviews that are submitted from our restaurant’s IP address.
Why? Because we offer free WiFi to our guests as part of our marketing strategy. Many customers appreciate this and sometimes leave a review while they are still inside our premises. However, Google’s AI appears to misinterpret multiple reviews from the same IP address as suspicious activity and automatically removes them.
This is completely unacceptable. It punishes businesses that provide free internet access to guests, and it silences real customer feedback simply because they happen to be using a restaurant’s WiFi. Worse still, when we try to report this issue, we are met with nothing but AI-generated responses that fail to acknowledge the core problem.
The Latest Incident: A Guest Review That Never Appeared
The flaws in Google’s AI-driven moderation system became even more apparent when a recent guest at our steakhouse wrote a review while sitting at our restaurant and showed it to us before leaving. Despite their review being fully written and submitted, it was never published on our Google page.
This raises serious concerns about how many other reviews from legitimate customers have been filtered out without any business ever knowing. If a customer takes the time to write a genuine review, they expect it to be visible. The fact that Google is arbitrarily removing or preventing these reviews from being published undermines the integrity of its entire platform.
Google’s Responsibility to Fix This
For a company with near-unlimited resources, Google should be able to do better. At the very least, they should provide actual human oversight to handle such issues instead of letting AI run unchecked.
We urge Google to take the following actions:
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Improve Transparency: Businesses need to know why their reviews are removed and have a clear way to appeal these decisions.
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Fix AI Misjudgments: Google’s system should not penalize businesses simply because reviews come from a shared IP address.
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Bring Back Human Support: AI-generated responses are useless when businesses face real problems. Google needs a dedicated human support team for resolving review-related issues.
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Audit and Restore Lost Reviews: Every business affected by the disappearing reviews should receive a proper audit, and their legitimate customer feedback should be reinstated.
A Problem That Affects Thousands of Businesses
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse is not the only restaurant dealing with this issue. We are confident that thousands of other hospitality businesses around the world are experiencing the same frustration. Small businesses rely heavily on online reviews to attract customers and build credibility. When a tech giant like Google carelessly erases these hard-earned reviews, it can have a direct and devastating impact on a business’s success.
This issue is not just about lost reviews—it’s about the growing disconnect between small businesses and the platforms that control their online presence. Google’s increasing reliance on AI-driven moderation, combined with a lack of real human oversight, is creating a system that is unresponsive, unfair, and potentially harmful to independent operators.
Final Thoughts
Google’s review system is getting too big for anyone’s comfort, and businesses like ours are paying the price. The disappearance of legitimate customer reviews, the inability to reach real human support, and the unjustified filtering of feedback based on flawed AI algorithms all point to a platform that is more concerned with automation than accuracy.
If Google truly values the businesses that rely on its services, it needs to take immediate action to rectify these issues. Otherwise, trust in its review platform will continue to erode, and businesses will have no choice but to seek alternative ways to share customer feedback.
For now, we will continue fighting to have our missing reviews reinstated. But we shouldn’t have to fight in the first place. Google needs to recognize the damage it is causing and take responsibility for fixing it.
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© CHURRASCO PHUKET STEAKHOUSE / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Reprinting, reposting & sharing allowed, in exchange for a backlink and credits
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse serves affordable Wagyu and Black Angus steaks and burgers. We are open daily from 12noon to 11pm at Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong / Phuket.
We are family-friendly and offer free parking and Wi-Fi for guests. See our menus, reserve your table, find our location, and check all guest reviews here:
https://ChurrascoPhuket.com/
#Churrascophuket #jungceylon #phuketsteakhouse #affordablewagyu #wagyu
by Ross Kingsley | Mar 2, 2025 | BLACK BOX: RANTS, RAVES, REVIEWS & RECIPES
Gordon Ramsay has been an undeniable force in the culinary and entertainment industries for over two decades. From his Michelin-starred restaurants to his dominance on television with shows like Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, and Next Level Chef, Ramsay’s brand has become nearly inescapable. But no empire lasts forever. Despite his relentless drive and adaptability, there are fundamental reasons why Ramsay’s long-term success is not sustainable.
Oversaturation and Diminishing Uniqueness
One of Ramsay’s greatest strengths has been his ability to be everywhere at once. His TV shows, social media presence, and global restaurant empire make him one of the most recognizable chefs in the world. However, this omnipresence is also his biggest weakness. There is a fine line between being a cultural staple and being overexposed. With multiple television shows running simultaneously and an increasing number of Ramsay-branded restaurants and products, his brand risks becoming diluted. What once felt fresh and exciting may soon become repetitive and highly predictable.
The Evolution of Food Media
When Boiling Point first aired in 1999, Ramsay’s aggressive, no-nonsense approach stood out. But the food industry and media landscape have evolved significantly. Today’s audiences are gravitating towards more approachable, relatable food personalities who focus on education, inclusivity, and positivity rather than confrontation, audience humiliation, and choleric antics. Shows like The Bear and social media influencers on TikTok and YouTube are shaping a new era of food entertainment—one that leaves Ramsay’s high-pressure, militaristic style look and feel dated.
Declining Restaurant Relevance
While Ramsay’s restaurants remain profitable, his name alone does not guarantee culinary excellence. Many of his mid-tier establishments, including his burger chains and Hell’s Kitchen-themed restaurants, have received mixed reviews, with some critics accusing them of prioritizing branding over quality. Furthermore, several of his restaurant chains are getting increasingly lackluster or negative reviews, further damaging his culinary reputation. The fine dining world, which originally gave Ramsay his credibility, has evolved. A new wave of chefs is pushing creativity and boundaries in ways that Ramsay no longer does. His focus on television and branding will ultimately lead to a decline in the prestige of his culinary empire.
Aging and Legacy Concerns
Ramsay’s relentless energy has been key to his success, but time spares no one. At 57, he is still at the top of his game, but can he sustain this level of intensity for another decade or two? Unlike some of his contemporaries who have gracefully transitioned into mentorship and behind-the-scenes roles, Ramsay remains a front-and-center personality. If he fails to adapt to a changing industry or step back at the right time, he risks fading into irrelevance.
When Stars Fade
Gordon Ramsay’s career has been built on talent, intensity, and an unyielding drive to succeed. But the very traits that propelled him to the top may also be what eventually bring him down. Whether it’s cultural shifts, overexposure, or simple aging, his long-term dominance is not guaranteed. While he won’t disappear overnight, his influence will wane, as all empires do.
Image Credit: hhttps://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/about-gordon/
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© CHURRASCO PHUKET STEAKHOUSE / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Reprinting, reposting & sharing allowed, in exchange for a backlink and credits
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse serves affordable Wagyu and Black Angus steaks and burgers. We are open daily from 12noon to 11pm at Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong / Phuket.
We are family-friendly and offer free parking and Wi-Fi for guests. See our menus, reserve your table, find our location, and check all guest reviews here:
https://ChurrascoPhuket.com/
#Churrascophuket #jungceylon #phuketsteakhouse #affordablewagyu #wagyu
by Ross Kingsley | Feb 19, 2025 | BLACK BOX: RANTS, RAVES, REVIEWS & RECIPES
The late celebrity chef had this to say about the “Culinary Underworld”:
“I love the sheer weirdness of the kitchen life: the dreamers, the crackpots, the refugees, and the sociopaths with whom I continue to work; the ever-present smells of roasting bones, searing fish, and simmering liquids; the noise and clatter, the hiss and spray, the flames, the smoke, and the steam.
Admittedly, it’s a life that grinds you down. Most of us who live and operate in the culinary underworld are in some fundamental way dysfunctional. We’ve all chosen to turn our backs on the nine-to-five, on ever having a Friday or Saturday night off, on ever having a normal relationship with a non-cook.
Line cooking done well is a beautiful thing to watch. It’s a high-speed collaboration resembling, at its best, ballet or modern dance. A properly organized, fully loaded line cook, one who works clean, and has ‘moves’ — meaning economy of movement, nice technique and, most important, speed — can perform his duties with Nijinsky-like grace.
The job requires character — and endurance. A good line cook never shows up late, never calls in sick, and works through pain and injury.”
Image Credit: https://explorepartsunknown.com
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© CHURRASCO PHUKET STEAKHOUSE / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Reprinting, reposting & sharing allowed, in exchange for a backlink and credits
Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse serves affordable Wagyu and Black Angus steaks and burgers. We are open daily from 12noon to 11pm at Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong / Phuket.
We are family-friendly and offer free parking and Wi-Fi for guests. See our menus, reserve your table, find our location, and check all guest reviews here:
https://ChurrascoPhuket.com/
#Churrascophuket #jungceylon #phuketsteakhouse #affordablewagyu #wagyu
