Ah, sorry Hugh. I misread your post about the restaurants. Last time we were in Patara it was May, early in the season, and some places were just getting ready to open up but there were still quite a few people around. We ate at the pension one night and the Green Frog(?) the other. Both excellent meals.
Unfortunately I think the majority of people who come to the beach come in from Kas and Kalkan, in fact I think there are special buses just to bring them in and take them back again, so they miss out on the village altogether. A great shame in my opinion.