Sunset Restaurant

Location: Cherngtalay
Type of food: Thai Cuisine
Price per person: 80- 150 Bht

I first wrote about Sunset Restaurant here. In fact, the germ of an idea of writing a Phuket food guide sprouted after I thought on writing about Sunset. Back then, the restaurant was newly opened. As the years passed, Sunset has been the favorite for locals both farangs  (foreigners) and Thais.

Not only is it very affordable, it is also consistently delicious. Sunset, to those not familiar to the northern part of the island, is beside Black Cat along the side of Cherngtalay Police. Be sure to go there early as the place is usually jam-packed. Service is usually fast and efficient and the staff are very friendly.

I'm sure every one has got their own favorite at Sunset but mine are:

1. Chicken Cashew Nut Stir Fry.

2. Chicken Green Curry

3. Phad See Yew Gai

Shie Ching's Phuket Town: Naka Seafood Barbecue

Direction :  ( from Phuket town) Go to Chao Fa Road West, slow down at Villa 5 traffic light and look on your left (Chao fa City will be on your right). It is before Honda and Shell Petrol Station. Naka Seafood Barbecue is in Shop C.

Price per person: 100-150 Bht

This roadside stall is popular for their Pla Phau (Salted Grilled Fish),  the fish grilled in charcoal is always fresh and the salt generously covering it makes the meat moist and juicy. Dipped in a soy, lime and chili mix, its sublime flavor will remind you why you stayed in the island. 

Pair it with Kung Ob Voon Sen (Claypot Glass Noodle with Prawn ) and the combination will make up for a truly fantastic meal.

Trisara

Location: Nai Thon Beach

Type of food: Thai and Western Cuisine

Price per person: 1000 - 2000 Bht

I have a soft spot for Trisara, we had our wedding reception there and they gave us a very memorable meal in one of the most important day of my life. So if this review may appear to be bias then let me apologize in advance.

But it is so easy to endear to the place, the moment you step down unto the teak deck overlooking the sea it will take your breath away. The location is simply stunning. And it spells ultra-luxury. We like dining outside under a huge umbrella shaded by the lush greenery.

The attentive service is exceptional. Although the food is well executed, the menu is not inspired.They have a good selection of Western dishes (pizza, sandwiches, pasta and salads). They emphasized on seafood and local ingredients so the freshness and quality is excellent. I had a Pizza, a Lobster Avocado Club Sandwich and a Prawn Pasta in my previous visits and they were all satisfying. The Yam Nuea Yang (Beef Carpaccio Salad) and Prawn Red Curry in their Thai menu is also good.

Trisara offers a Sunday Buffet complete with a  jazz band serenading you. They also have a seafood grill at night. And occasionally, they host a wine tasting event.

Trisara
60/1 Moo 6, Srisoonthorn Road
Tel: +66 76 310100 | Fax: +66 76 310300  
Email: [email protected] 

Bakery: Sungtum Bakery

Well-made baked goods are hard to find in Phuket. Bakeries are few and most of them are pricey. So I'm happy to stumble upon this unassuming bakery tucked on the same side and behind Ohlala in Kamala.


I have tried almost everything in their product range. I get a lot of our Chocolate Croissants (Pain au Chocolate, 15bht each) from there. The chocolate is so generous that I think it is great value for the price.

Try the Olive and Onion Foccacia (70 bht) and the Sour Dough Breads (70bht ) which are both excellent. They also have Vanilla Muffins with Almonds (15bht) that if you are lucky, Khun Mongkol can give you one to taste for free. They have a selection of Dutch Pastries (15bht) , Banana Loaf Breads (50 Bht) and Fruit Cakes (50bht). 

Most of the bread that are readily available are frozen and you only need to toast or reheat them a little bit. But if you want them fresh, you can order ahead of time.

Sungtum Bakery
Owner: Mongko Ngorpradit
T:   076 385 403
M:  082 419 1622

Shie Ching's Phuket Town: NC Kitchen

{This is my friend Ooi's first entry for her page Shie Ching's Phuket Town. Her real name is Ooi Shie Ching which makes Ooi her family name (but this is what I call her). Ooi or Shie Ching is from Malaysia but she came to Thailand 12 years ago to work and live with her Aunt Jane (who is actually our age) in Phuket Town. She is responsible for showing me the best places to eat in the island's capital. Not only that she speaks fluent Thai she is also a fellow foodie and knows all the secrets that the Town has to offer. }

NC Kitchen
Map: Please click here
Price per person: 100-150 bht

The restaurant is opposite the Royal Phuket City Hotel near the bus terminal. It opens in the morning and gets busy at lunch time. Their food is displayed in the counter at the front so all you need to do is point at which one you want and they will reheat it for you.

We recommend you try:


1. Hoi Chor or Deep Fried Crab Crab meat balls served with plum dipping sauce.

2. Deep fried Prawn with Tamarind Sauce battered prawns topped with the sweet and sour goodness of the tamarind sauce with dried chilis and garlic flakes.

3. Thai Fish Cakes- I love Thai fish cakes! They have more flavor than their western counterpart. You can taste the fish, coconut, kaffir lime instead of the usual floury aftertaste of a battered fish cake. Best eaten while it's still hot and juicy, with or without rice.

4. Sour Soup (Tom Som) is food for the soul. The acidity of the soup and the freshness of the ingredients give a good balance. A great comfort food on rainy days.

Catch

Location: Surin beach
Type of food: International / Mediterranean / Thai
Price per person: 500-1000 Bht

Whenever there is a discussion about Catch I always get both a favorable and dissenting opinion. The location is great. It is right in front on the gorgeous Surin beach. It's hip and chic. The food is consistently good (and in most people, that's what matters). But, and it's an emphatic 'but', a lot of people also think that it is expensive (which is a major deciding factor as well). And sometimes (not all the time) their service can be really slow.

I am in limbo here because I don't know which side I'm on. On one side, there are some food there that I like and that's the reason why I like going back again and again, but on the other hand, I do agree that it is expensive and that's why I can't go there as often as I want to.

In this previous post I talked about how a sucker for great burgers I am and that is probably why Catch has a soft spot in my heart. To quote my friend Romeo..

Juicy Cheese Burger


Medium Rare, huge & deliriously good! The best (the biggest) burger I've ever had in   ages, which tempted me to unhinge my jaw Crotalus adamanteus-style! I didn't dare, though.


Cheddar melted half-pound Angus beef between mildly buttered soft, puffy, vaguely sweet & golden-yellow buns with perfectly portioned crisp lettuce, onion rings & tomatoes. And I just have to have this with Dijon mustard & that oooh sooo silky & creamy mayo. No catsup. Plus fresh salad for all this guilt.

 

Beer, not fries, was my sweaty pair.   

                                                                                       -Romeo Ferrer Vitug-Arci
                                                                                       Executive Chef
                                                                                                        Magdalena Gourmet Cuisine                                                                   

Nobody could have said it better.

This Tuna in Asian Sauce with sauteed Bokchoy is juicy and substantial. It's always my go-to dish when I feel like I wanted something healthy but I'm too hungry for just a salad. The fish is perfectly seasoned and cooked with just the right pinkness in the middle. The delicate and crisp vegetable offers a great compliment to the tuna.

And when I crave for something with rice, I only have one thing in mind, the Seafood Pineapple Rice. It's as good as it looks. The curry flavored rice is mixed with mussels, squids, prawns, pineapple slices and cashews.


All in all, I guess I do like Catch. They must have done something right to be one of the enduring establishment in the island and that fact is what most people would agree.

{Photos by: Romeo Ferrer Vitug-Arci}