Chef’s Signature Dishes – Summer Season 2024

Has Phuket become South East Asia’s foodie paradise ?

By: Andrew McKenzie

Nothing defines a great holiday more than the food experience that comes with it. We take a tour around Phuket to seek out some high quality, and affordable, plates of food. We are particularly focused in this edition on the eclectic dining options available at the island’s premier shopping mall, Central Phuket.

Long recognised as a popular tourist destination due to its stunning beaches and sophisticated shopping, Phuket has also been making a name for itself in the culinary world. With a diverse range of restaurants offering both local Thai cuisine and international Michelin-standard plates, Phuket has become a haven for food enthusiasts.

Whether you’re seeking a street food adventure or an upscale fine-dining experience, Phuket has something to satisfy every palate.

Salmon Papaya Salad

GLUAY NAMWA – Ground floor, Central Phuket Floresta

Most Thai’s are addicted to Papaya Salad, or Som Tum  as it’s called in Thailand. This version, from Gluay Namwa, features fresh salmon. Be warned, Som Tum  is normally prepared to be red hot and spicy, so ask the staff to go easy on the chillies if you enjoy milder food! The papaya used in this dish isn’t ripe, it is young, green papaya, giving it a crunchy texture. It also features tomatoes, yard long beans, dry roasted peanuts, and dried mini-shrimps. Combined together with fish sauce, lime and palm sugar and you get a salad, which is sour, sweet, spicy and refreshing all at once.

Beverage companion:  You should douse this dish with the BrewDog Punk IPA/ ABV beer. A craft beer which is a symphony of hop-driven flavours, delivering a powerful punch of grapefruit, lemon, and tropical fruits balanced by a hint of caramel sweetness.

+66 (0)83 849 8624

Stir-Fried Australian Beef with Black Pepper

KAITHONG ORIGINAL – 3rd floor, Central Phuket Floresta

This classic Chinese stir-fried dish uses the best grade beef imported from Australia and is marinated with a secret garlic and black pepper recipe, ensuring juicy and tender meat. It is stir-fried with oyster sauce, sweet onions, and green onions for added aroma and sweetness, and young green peppercorns are added, on the stork, for a touch of heat, spice, and strong aroma as they pop in your mouth.

 Beverage companion: Nothing screams local more than Thai Singha Beer. Made with a signature blend of 100% premium malt and barley, slow-brewed with the purest Thai spring water, and you have the taste of Thailand in your hands with this amber chilled beer.

+66 (0)76 688 988

Seasonal Canapes

SU VA NA Phuket – Basement floor, Central Phuket Floresta

This colourful selection of morsels caught our eye. It is a seasonal canapés trio consisting of: Phuket Rainbow Lobster, Japanese Wagyu Tartare Chaat, and Kamchatka King Crab. You will savour the rich blend of XO and Hua Hin Caviar in the Phuket Lobster, the refreshing burst of tamarind, mint, yoghurt and pomegranate in the Wagyu Tartare Chaat, and the harmonious fusion of Muoi Ot Xanh, avocado, and Ikura in the King Crab. These glamorous ingredients all come together on a glass platter, which floats above a recreation of the sea bed.

Beverage companion: I spotted a 2021 Chocolate Block, Boekenhoutskloof, Swartland, South Africa on the list, which will do nicely. The tasting notes claimed this highly rated white has aromas of black cherries, cardamom, sweet tobacco, espresso, and subtle whiffs of perfume, which I think recognised!

+66 (0)63 308 8262

Fried Sea Bass with Stewed Tamarind Sauce

MAIMORN THAI CUISINE – Ground floor, Central Phuket Floresta

Maimorn Thai Cuisine, located in Central Phuket Floresta, specialises in seafood and sources the freshest produce on the Island. The restaurant’s signature dish is Miang Kham with Sea Bass. Fried fish is served with a proprietary stewed tamarind sauce, which is sour, sweet and mellow all rolled into one. The plate is garnished with cashew nuts, peanuts, chilli, shallots, ginger and lime, served within betel leaf parcels, which is a traditional way of serving snacks in Southern Thailand.

Beverage companion: Go for the Silver Moki – a Sauvignon Blanc, with a taste that is slightly sour and sweet, complementing the pear, gooseberry, raspberry, and passion fruit flavours. From Marlborough, the winemaking city of New Zealand, it is perfect to pair with this fried fish dish.

Andaman Rock Lobster Roll

MUTEKI by MUGENDAI – 3rd floor, Central Phuket Floresta

This dish is not only a feast for the taste buds but also a treat for the eyes. The vibrant colours of the ingredients, the meticulous presentation, and the artistry of the sushi chef combine to create a visually stunning dish that is sure to please any sushi lover. The lobster is fried with tempura flour, stuffed with Muteki’s  special secret recipe of delicious sweet egg, and enhanced with cream cheese and cucumber. Finally, it is mixed with flying fish roe, fried shallots and served as a Japanese fusion roll.

Beverage companion: Asahi Lager Super Dry  was created out of modern Japan in 1987. Brewed under the supervision of master brewers, the Japanese call the brewing process for this beer the Karakuchi  taste.

Backed Cod in a Harra Sauce

KALIDO – Southern Bang Tao Beach

 With its origins in Lebanese cuisine this delicate fish dish sings with Middle Eastern spices straight off the plate. The cod’s flesh is super succulent after it’s been marinated with white wine, lemon juice and olive oil, then popped into the baking oven on medium heat. The vegetable accompaniment of olives and chopped onions are stir-fried with half baby potatoes, which have been previously pan fried for colour. Once the Harra Sauce is added the plate is decorated with tama leaf and fried caperberries.

Beverage companion:  With a sibling who lives in Western Australia, I have been to this producer on a couple of occasions. The Vasse Felix Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia 2021  has an acidic hint of lemon curd, so works well with spiced fish.

200 Day Grain Fed Ebony Black Angus Tenderloin

COSMO – Nai Harn Beach

This dish is the Chef’s favourite on the dinner menu at COSMO. The fantastic garnish is full of flavour, consisting of a warm salad of baby potatoes, watercress, sugar snap peas, chargrilled red onions, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and Dijonaise sauce. But it’s the cooking of the steak that’s the art: high-heat seared on all sides in the pan, then with the heat turned down, and 55g of butter added, the meat gets constantly basted and turned until done to the required level. Rested for 10 minutes before serving

Beverage companion: Look for a bold and robust red. You’ll find it with a Rioja from Spain, and they have the Imperial Reserva CVNE on the list. A firm, tannic red with blackberry and walnut character on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with a long, flavourful finish.

Chicken Satay Sensation

BAY GRILL – Blue Tree Phuket, Cherngtalay

 Sink your teeth into crispy, tender chicken thighs marinated in a vibrant blend of turmeric, curry, and Thai herbs. Fried to perfection and teamed up with a tantalising Peanut Satay Sauce, this burger is a fusion dance of Western and Thai flavours. With pickled cucumbers in Acar juice for a sweet and tangy kick. It’s not just a menu item; it’s a chart-topping delight—Bay Grill’s  best-seller!

Beverage companion: Pink Passion Mocktail . Bursting with the flavours of passion fruit, pineapple, and pink dragon fruit, blended with 3 fresh fruits, this lively concoction delivers the perfect sweet and sour kick. It’s a refreshing delight that adds an extra splash of vibrancy to your Bay Grill-Blue Tree Lagoon  experience!

Pulpo a la Gallega

CASA BOHO – Kamala

Pulpo a la Gallega, is Galiciaian-style octopus, a staple seafood dish from Northwestern Spain. The Aji Amarillo salsa used in this recipe has been adopted by Peru to make the mother of all sauces, and Chef Fernando Hernández uses it here to prepare this colourful dish. Aji Amarillo is a yellow chilli pepper from Peru, it is first steamed and then combined with garlic, onion and canola oil. The redness in the sauce comes from pimentón, and once the octopus has been simmered and grilled, the dish comes together with Chorizo frites, coriander and the all important yellow drops of Aji Amarillo.

Beverage companion: When a restaurant has a reputation for fine cocktails, as Casa Boho does, don’t always seek out the wine list. The Aperol Spritz does the trick with this pulpo dish, the sparkling wine, aperol and vermouth provide some sharpness and tons of refreshment.

Wood Fired Spatchcock Young Chicken

SIAM SUPPER CLUB – Cherngtalay

‘Spatchcocking’ is a very traditional, western way of preparing chicken. By removing the backbone, and flattening the poultry; the cooking process will be quicker and more even throughout the bird. Seeing this on the menu at the Siam Supper Club was an invitation to try something different, because here the Chef has taken western tradition and fused it with Thai spice. The chicken is marinated for 12 hours with turmeric and chilli brine, and garnished with wok-fried local greens, ‘Khao Soi’ emulsion, crispy deep fried noodles, charred lime, cilantro and pickles.

Beverage companion: Riesling is a go-to wine pairing with spicy Thai food, so I was pleased to see a Loosen Bros Dr. L Riesling 2019, from the Mosel Valley in Germany, on the list. An off-dry fruity white, packed with sun-drenched yellow cherry and peach flavours.