The island is also known for being a thoroughly cosmopolitan center
for dining out, with all kinds of excellent foreign cuisines available
-- everything from Italian and French to Indian and Japanese. In
addition, wine has become readily available in Phuket, with some
local restaurants now featuring very decent wine cellars. Though
beer or Thai whiskey makes a great accompaniment to Thai food, local
Thais and foreigners alike are learning that various wines also
make a fine complement to many of the dishes.
Street Food/Hawker Stalls
Evident
all around the island both day and night, are the many hawker
stalls that sell an incredible range of foods, both street side
and at various fresh markets set up in communities on a daily
basis. These vendor stalls may be treated warily by some visitors
because of hygiene fears, but many visitors find that what is
on offer is deliciously satisfying, and incredibly good value.
Moreover, some of the foods offered by such vendors are not available
in standard restaurants or food outlets, and are therefore your
only chance to sample some really unique tastes, and if Thai people
can tuck in with gusto - why can't everybody else? From these
stalls you can get a variety of foods that include Thai, but Malay,
Indian and Chinese also.
The simplest of vendors carry their wares in balancing rattan
baskets slung on a pole, which is carried across the back. From
vendors who sell from rattan baskets, you can buy such things
as grilled bananas, sweet potato or corn, grilled eggs (still
in their shell), steamed ground nuts or corn, BBQ chicken, 
sates,
meatballs on skewers, garlic sausage, sticky rice mixed with banana,
shredded coconut or red beans wrapped in banana leaves or stuffed
into lengths of bamboo and then BBQ'd, tiny coconut puddings (grilled
on a small hotplate), papaya or mango salad, and more. You'll
see the vendors moving awkwardly down the street trying to dodge
the crowds, or squatting on the sidewalk waiting for customers
to approach, or just simply having a rest.
The next step up in sophistication is the mobile vendor selling
wares from a stainless steel cart with wheels, which is pulled
or pushed along the road or sidewalk using extended handle bars.From
some such vendors you can find a great range of natural ice creams.
The cart is equipped with a stainless steel container packed with
dry ice to keep the ice-cream icy cold. Often you'll hear them
coming before you actually see them as they often have a small
cow bell attached to their stall to attract customer's attention.
Flavours include the favourite - coconut ice-cream - sometimes
decorated with corn, red bean and coloured noodles made from yam
paste, but you can also get taro flavoured ice-cream, and the
Thai's extreme favourite - durian. The ice-cream is either sold
as small blocks set on paddle pop sticks, or is scooped into little
cups and then garnished with such toppings as dried crushed peanuts
and lashings of condensed milk. A larger stall selling ice-cream
has a wider range of toppings and also offer cones, or bread to
sandwich the ice-cream in.
Freshly
cut fruit is also widely sold by vendors who walk the streets
pulling their stall along looking for customers. The fruit is
packed in ice behind glass to keep it cold and fresh. You choose
you piece and the vendor will whip out his cutting board and knife
and chop it into easy bite size pieces, pop it into a bag along
with a skewer as your eating utensil. You will be offered a little
bag filled with sugar and chili mix - the Thai's like to dip their
fresh fruit into this for a little extra bite!
Also from mobile vendors you will find dry squid, banana pancakes
made from flour and egg (cooked on a hot plate, spread with condensed
milk, stacked, and then cut into wedges), smaller pancakes spread
with coconut cream and topped with shredded coconut and bright
orange strings made from egg yolks, deep fried banana, taro and
sweet potato, cool desserts made from a mixture of corn, red beans,
yam paste noodles, coconut milk or sweet cordial and topped with
shaved ice, deep fried spring rolls, deep fried chicken and pork,
Chinese flour dumplings with sweet or savoury fillings, pork,
chicken or beef sate's grilled on a charcoal and served with peanut
sauce and vinegared vegetables.
The most sophisticated of vendors have stalls of quite a substantial
size, with 2 side wheels on one side and the other side attached
to a motorbike. They usually have a favourite spot to settle down
in for the day or night, where they place a few small plastic
or wooden chairs and tables around so that customers can sit and
eat on the side of the street. Depending on what is being served,
the stall might be equipped with a charcoal grill, hot plate and
preparation area, with all the ingredients either hanging down
from the top, or stacked around the sides protected by Perspex
walls. Serving more than just snacks, these stalls can provide
substantial meals and attract dozens of customers at busy times
of the day. Often you will come across clusters of such vendors
- each offering something different, so that the customer can
pick and choose from a variety of stalls and have a veritable
feast for 40-50 Baht. You might find the following being sold
- egg or rice noodle soup, with or without broth, containing beef,
chicken, pork, or fish balls, ground beef or seafood, vegetables
or tofu; fried noodles with chicken, seafood or pork, vegetables
and egg; Thai style sukiyaki; fried vegetables with or without
tofu or meat; glutinous rice with chicken and broth; red pork
or duck with rice; stewed pork with pickles and greens and boiled
egg on rice; northeastern Thai food such as papaya salad, mango
salad, warm chicken , beef or pork salad, grilled pork or beef
accompanied by sticky rice; Biriyani chicken with soup; mango
and sticky rice; fruit shakes; and much much more.
Standard Thai
If
street food isn't your choice, you can find great standard Thai
food absolutely everywhere. Here are a few pointers might be useful
when deciding what to go for.
Seafood - Great local seafood is readily available at
restaurants in all main beach areas. Particularly at night, Patong's
Beach Road features many seafood restaurants with their selections
of fresh fish, shellfish and accompaniments proudly and colourfully
displayed at front entrances . Most will offer a choice of having
seafood prepared in Thai style or your favorite western style,
for a range of budgets. If looking for something out of the tourist
area, Kan Eang Seafood
under the trees on the beachfront at Ao Chalong is highly recommended
by local residents as the place to enjoy the widest variety of
delicious seafood. Another alternative is to take a trip into
Phuket Town's Night Market, next to Robinson's Department
Store on Ong Sim Phai Road and sample freshly cooked seafood from
one of the many vendors set up there.
Talay-Tai at Karon Villa Phuket, Karon Beach. Tel:
396-139, ext 340 serves Thai and international seafood and meat
dishes in a relaxed setting on the beach road. Select your own
fresh Phuket lobster, crab or saltwater fish. Reasonable prices.
Open daily 11am-11pm.
On the Rock at Marina Cottage, south end of Karon Beach
serves seafood of the highest international standard right on
a rocky promontory with a superb view of Karon Beach. Open for
lunch or dinner, the restaurant is accessed by a series of wooden
walkways through lush foliage.
Thai
Food Restaurants
Baan Rim
Pa on Kalim Beach Road, far north end of Patong Beach
serves wonderful Thai food in one of the most sophisticated settings
on the island, overlooking the sea.
Ka Jok Si, in Takuapah Road, Phuket Town, is worthwhile
for the food - absolutely delicious, the setting-an old Chinese
shop house decorated in a style that reflects the personality
of its unique owner Khun Lek, and the exceptional service.
Old Siam on Karon Beach Road at Thavorn Palm Beach Hotel.
Tel: 396 116, 396 552 is a stylish Thai restaurant serving excellent
Royal-Northern cuisine. Choose the terrace or traditional teakwood
house. Classical dance performed Wednesdays and Saturdays. Open
noon-2.30pm, 6-10pm. 
Reservations
suggested.
Mae Porn 50/52 Phang Nga Road, Phuket Town. Tel: 212 106,
a popular, centrally located meeting spot. Café-style or
air-conditioning. Thai food, fresh fruit drinks and beer. Reasonably
priced, quick service. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Lunchtime favourites include the Gung Café, adjacent
to the Boathouse Inn at Kata Beach. Serving lunch and dinner right
on the beach at Kata, the menu features simple yet tasteful Thai
food, served with flare.
Robinson Department Store Cafeteria, (top floor) Phuket
Town serves various Thai style dishes, including, rice, noodles,
snacks and drinks. Purchase your coupons and wander around the
different vendor stalls to see what you might like. Sample 2 or
3 dishes for as little as 20-30 Baht each dish.
Tesco Lotus Cafeteria, Phuket Town has a similar arrangement
and the choice is probably greater than at Robinsons - easier
parking also.
