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  • Dining

DELICIOUSLY UNIQUE CUISINE IN PHUKET

When people think of Phuket it’s the beautiful beaches, luxury resorts, exciting nightlife and remarkable sunsets that spring to mind, but there’s a lot more to this little island. Alongside ancient traditions, rich culture, and interesting history, it’s also a fusion of culinary influences and was awarded the title of ‘Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO’ for its unique and exceptional dishes.
Local Phuket food is known as ‘Baba Peranakan’. Baba is the name given to the descendants of the Chinese immigrants who arrived in Phuket to work in the tin mining industry and combines a mix of culinary styles with influences from Thai, Hokkien Chinese, and Malay food. Add to the mix influences from neighbouring countries, and an abundance of fresh seafood, and you have the basics of authentic Phuket cuisine.
If you want to try some true Phuket-style dishes, you may find some eclectic dishes in the coastal areas but take the time to head to Phuket Town for real authenticity.

Khao Yam

Savour classic Phuketian flavours at the elegant Blue Elephant, located in a grand Sino-Portuguese mansion in Phuket Old Town. You’re in for a treat with Khao Yam, a fragrant rice salad dish with elements of both Southern Thai and Malaysian cuisine. Served with herbs, vegetables, and seafood, it includes lemongrass, peanuts, bean sprouts, green beans, sour mango, and Nam Budu, a fermented fish sauce.
Khanom Jeen

Khanom Jeen

Curry for breakfast? In Phuket, that’s often the case and once you’ve tasted Khanom Jeen, a dish of fermented rice flour noodles, you’ll be asking for it every day. Topped with a variety of curry sauces, the most popular is Nam Ya, a fish curry sauce made with fish, ginger, shrimp paste, galangal, lemongrass, chillies, and coconut milk. Top it off with some pickled cabbage and vegetables, and maybe a boiled egg, and eat up!
Massaman-style curry

Tasty Roti with Curry

Abdul’s Roti Shop is legendary for their flaky Thai-Muslim pancakes, the roti is cooked, then shredded, creating a crispy heap that’s accompanied by a small bowl of fragrant chicken Massaman-style curry, topped with a fried egg, one of the best breakfast dishes for a lazy Sunday morning.

Roti also comes sticky sweet with condensed milk or topped with banana and chocolate.

Lunch Time with Noodles

Lunchtime calls for Hokkien Mee, Chinese Malay noodles. Prepare to be impressed as skilled vendors stir-fry Hokkien noodles at super-fast speed, adding seafood, slices of pork, Chinese kale, Chinese cabbage, and a soy sauce seasoning. This savoury and mild dish should be served with boiled eggs, shallots and crispy pork for a true Phuket lunch.

Get your Hokkien Mee at Mee Somjit on Phuket Road, it’s been a family business since 1946 and is a favourite with the locals, and the noodles are homemade.

Mee Hun Ba Chang

Mee Hun Ba Chang

Mee Hun Ba Chang is an iconic lunch dish in Phuket. Stir-fried rice vermicelli noodles are prepared with black soy sauce and garnished with fried onion flakes and fresh chopped Chinese chives. Served with pork spare rib soup, and sometimes served with pork satay and spring rolls.
Crabmeat Coconut Curry

Dinner at Phuket’s Best Eateries

Southern Thai food makes more use of coconut milk than elsewhere in the country so curries are rich and creamy. The Crabmeat Coconut Curry with coconut milk and rice noodles served over at Raya House is unbelievably good, and the location itself is charming and old-worldly with its jade-hued wood doors, original mosaic floors, stained glass and shuttered windows, and rustic ceiling fans.

Moo Hong originates from the Baba-Nyonya genre, a flavoursome balance of Chinese local cooking styles and ingredients. Cuts of slow-cooked sweet pork belly braised with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and black pepper, create a delicious stew, the pork is braised for hours until it’s tender and moist and packed with flavour.

Order a Baba-Nyonya cocktail and enjoy the live music before sitting down to the best Moo Hong at Tu Gab Khao on Phang Nga Road, one of the most popular restaurants on the island serving original Phuket style Thai dishes.

Oh Aew

A Touch of Sweetness

For a touch of sweetness after feasting on Phuket’s delicious dishes ‘Oh Aew’ is sure to hit the spot. This signature dessert is made with jellied Oh Awe seed and banana flour, mixed with boiled red beans and shaved ice, then topped with red syrup. It’s sweet and very satisfying. On your next visit to this beautiful tropical island, make sure you seek out some authentic Phuket-style dishes.

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