Photograph: courtesy Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian (หมี่สะปำ คุณยายเจียร)
Phuket—undeniably one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. With travel restrictions lifted, waves of tourists from all corners of the world are heading back to the island to enjoy its crystal clear waters and bask on its stunning beaches. Beyond the gorgeous sea, sun and sand lies a whole culinary experience waiting to be explored. This little island is a foodie town with not only its own unique, rich flavors and fresh seafood, but also culinary influences from many cultures in the region. From food stalls to romantic vintage restaurants, here are some of the most must-try local dishes Phuket has to offer.
Photograph: courtesy @ก็จะไป . wanna Go on Facebook
The infamous crab curry, or Gaeng Poo, is a must-try whilst in Phuket. It’s got all of the best components you could ever wish for in a Thai dish: creamy and rich flavors (a combo of coconut milk sweetness and curry heat), and lumps of delicious fresh crab meat. The yellow curry color is gorgeous but don’t let it fool you, as this dish can be quite fiery. Gaeng Poo can be eaten with rice or vermicelli noodles although the latter seems to be more popular amongst locals.
Photograph: courtesy Tukabkhao Restaurant
Where to find it? Highly recommended is Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Tukabkhao. Considered by locals and tourists alike as one of the hottest joints in Phuket (and therefore advisable to book ahead), Tukabkhao serves a variety of local Phuket and southern dishes as well as traditional favorites. Their spiced crab curry with rice vermicelli dish alone attracts heaps of customers daily. One bite of this signature dish and you’ll understand why. The ingredients are fresh and the curry, made using the restaurant’s own special paste, is out of this world, striking the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. Tukabkhao stays true to authentic local flavors so do consult their helpful staff about your spice tolerance level.
Photograph: courtesy Tukabkhao Restaurant
📍Tukabkhao Restaurant, 8 Phangnga Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 11am–9pm.
Photograph: courtesy One Chun Café & Restaurant
You can find some form of chili paste in almost every Thai person’s home. Usually it’s tucked in the fridge, ready to be served with fresh vegetables, rice, or an omelet. Phuket’s very own and much beloved shrimp chili paste is a dish with explosive flavors. If you opt to try it for the first time, do so at a restaurant where it’s served fresh in a bowl surrounded by different kinds of veggies. The main ingredients for the paste consist of dried grilled shrimp, shallot, shrimp paste, and not to mention chili. The veggies, mainly string beans, bamboo shoots, and other leafy vegetables, are used for dipping. Each restaurant will have their own recipe but do expect a certain level of spicy mixed with a sour lime flavor and a hint of sweetness. And for those new to shrimp paste, the lingering salty plus savory taste is an experience of its own.
Photograph: courtesy One Chun Café & Restaurant
Where to find it? The cozy One Chun Café & Restaurant is the perfect stop for a serving of Phuket-style shrimp chili paste. Another hotspot in Phuket and fellow Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, One Chun is always packed with hungry customers who are more than happy to wait for a guaranteed delicious meal. Inside, you’ll find vintage-style decorations and friendly staff. Their specialty shrimp chili paste uses grade-A shrimp and is not over-the-top spicy. However, don’t just stop at the shrimp chili paste. Try their other signature dishes, too, because this place is good at just about anything.
Photograph: courtesy One Chun Café & Restaurant
📍One Chun Café & Restaurant, 48/1 Thepkrasattri Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 10am-10pm.
Photograph: courtesy Kanom Jeen Paklon
Considered by locals as a breakfast dish, this is probably not the light brekkie you had in mind. For starters, it’s a tad spicy and also looks heavy enough to keep you full for hours. Rice noodles and curry or Kanom Jeen is actually a dish that can be found in many parts of Thailand. But what makes the Phuket-based ones so special is of course their use of fresh seafood and rich southern flavors. The white noodles you see are fermented rice. Normally, vendors will have a number of curries you can pick from, such as the popular crab, nam ya (fish curry), and tai pla (fermented fish), which are then doused over the noodle coils. Most of the curries are made with buttery coconut milk, which helps create that rich flavor.
Photograph: courtesy Kanom Jeen Paklon
Where to find it? Kanom Jeen is super easy to find in Phuket. Even large hotels in Phuket offer them as part of their daily breakfast buffets. But recently, Kanom Jeen Paklon has been generating a lot of buzz. It’s truly a local place so you won’t find many foreign tourists here. The name ‘Paklon’ actually means a vegetable overflow out of your plate, which is accurate to what you’ll be getting because the restaurant is very generous when it comes to its vegetable offering (you can take as much as you like on your plate). Bestselling dishes include the rice noodle with crab curry as well as beef curry.
Photograph: courtesy Kanom Jeen Paklon
📍Kanom Jeen Paklon (ขนมจีนผักล้น), Chao Fah Tawan Tok Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 7am-5pm.
Photograph: courtesy @By My Side : ผลัดกันถ่าย on Facebook
Finally, a local dish generous to those who can’t handle too much spice! Moo Hong is a fine example of the Hokkien Chinese influence that we see often in Phuket. The dish’s dark brown color might not seem so appealing at first glance, but this mouth-watering braised pork stew does not disappoint. It’s basically pork belly that’s been simmering for hours in a sweet sauce. The pork literally melts in your mouth and is the perfect comfort food for any type of day.
Photograph: courtesy @By My Side : ผลัดกันถ่าย on Facebook
Where to find it? Although this is quite an easy dish to find on the island, Raya easily tops the list for best Moo Hong in Phuket. For more than 30 years, Raya has been churning out delicious southern dishes and their signature Moo Hong is indeed a bestseller. Also, one of the neat things about their Moo Hong is you’ll be getting more pork meat than pork fat here. The same can’t be said about some of the other restaurants.
📍Raya Restaurant, 48/1 Dibuk Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 10am-10pm.
Photograph: courtesy One Chun Café & Restaurant
A dish I can’t resist ordering whenever in Phuket is the stir-fried melinjo leaves with egg. It’s such a differentiator when you’ve got about 3 other heavy spicy dishes on the dining table. The melinjo leaves are cooked fresh and taste a bit like a mild version of kale. Although the dish can look a bit bland, the leaves actually have a nice, mild bitter taste and texture. When cooked with eggs and dried shrimp, the ingredients complement each other nicely. Even those who are not big vegetable fans will enjoy it.
Photograph: courtesy One Chun Café & Restaurant
Where to find it? One Chun Café & Restaurant does a mean Bai Liang Phad Khai. What customers particularly like is they use large dried fried shrimp instead of the tiny ones. The taste is also more intense (salty and sweet) and the leaves are cooked perfectly, not wilting by the time they reach your table. With their perfect take on this dish, the restaurant certainly deserves a second shout-out in this article.
📍One Chun Café & Restaurant, 48/1 Thepkrasattri Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 10am-10pm.
Photograph: courtesy Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian (หมี่สะปำ คุณยายเจียร)
Another Hokkien-influenced dish is Mee Sapam, one of the tastiest stir-fried noodles you’ll ever try. In a nutshell, it’s stir-fried Hokkien noodles (egg/yellow noodles) served with a gravy-style sauce and seafood (shrimp, fish balls, squid, etc). The dish normally is not served spicy but you can season it however you like. As for the taste, if you’ve feasted on another famous Thai noodle dish before, Rad Na, the Mee Sapam shares its similarities. Most often, Mee Sapam is served with a soft-boiled egg, which enhances the dish even further. There’s just something about those soft egg noodles and gravy sauce that keeps us coming back for more.
Photograph: courtesy Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian (หมี่สะปำ คุณยายเจียร)
Where to find it? We could not recommend any other restaurant besides the place that invented the Mee Sapam. Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian has been in the business for over 70 years. They offer a variety of Mee Sapam dishes such as the original, premium (with more seafood), mixed, and pork. Nowadays, they’ve expanded their menu so you can actually order other local dishes here, kind of making it a one-stop service for local Phuket cuisine. The restaurant can get pretty busy but the food is worth the wait.
Photograph: courtesy Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian (หมี่สะปำ คุณยายเจียร)
📍Mee Sapam Khun Yai Jian, 56/8 Thep Krasattri Rd., Mueng District. Opens daily 9am-5:30pm.
Photograph: courtesy TrueID; @GoEatChill on Facebook
One of the two desserts featured on this list, O-Aew is perfect for a hot day (which is almost everyday in Phuket). What you’ll be getting is a bowl of cubed jelly served with ice and syrup on top. However, different vendors and stores will offer a variety of toppings to choose from, such as the classic black grass jelly, red beans and banana, as well as more fun toppings like Ovaltine powder and other local fruits. The jelly itself is unique because it’s actually made from a Chinese herb that is said to help relieve mouth ulcers.
Photograph: courtesy TrueID; @GoEatChill on Facebook
Where to find it? Not all restaurants will have O-Aew on their dessert menu. You’ll have better luck at a proper souvenir store, where you can buy the takeaway cup version sans toppings or at the street vendors. O-Aew Pae Lee is said to be one of the oldest O-Aew vendors in Phuket. We’re talking more than 80 years and 3 generations! They are tucked away in Soi Soon Utis (soi means alley in Thai), which is known for having lots of yummy street food. Prices start at just 15 Baht and they even have seating nearby. The store’s sign is written in Thai but the queues make it hard to miss.
📍O-Aew Pae Lee (โอ้เอ๋วเจ้าเก่า), Soi Soon Utis, Mueang District (the stall is situated at the beginning of the alley). Opens daily 2-5pm.
Photograph: courtesy @The Phukettian on Facebook
These rolled pancakes may look like a simple snack but there’s more to this local dessert than meets the eye. The batter is made from flour, eggs, sugar, and coconut milk. Even before you take that first bite, the aromatic and soothing smell of coconut hits you and your hunger level spikes immediately. It also pairs nicely with a cup of black coffee.
Photograph: courtesy @The Phukettian on Facebook
Where to find it? Head to a food cart called A-Pong Mae Sunee for the best A-Pongs in Phuket. They’ve been selling the local dessert for over 30 years and everyone knows their name. You’ll notice they use hot coals instead of gas to cook the pancakes, which prevents them from burning. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it’s a no-brainer that they sometimes sell as many as 400 A-Pongs per day!
Photograph: courtesy @The Phukettian on Facebook
📍A-Pong Mae Sunee, Soi Soon Utis, Mueng District. Opens daily 9am-4pm.
Scan the QR code below to see the original post on the 'TimeOutShanghai' WeChat account. Follow us there for the most up-to-date information on activities and events in Shanghai!
