Dining and Drinking in Phuket
Phuket’s a gourmet’s paradise. There are so many culinary influences here that there really is something for everyone. From luxurious West Coast resort dining to simple noodle stands at night markets the range and choice of food available is staggering.
Can I eat Western Food? Of course! Every restaurant/hotel will offer a Western à la carte menu
What about Thai food? The paradoxes that define Thailand as a tourist destination start to appear here: Some of the best Thai food is for sale at a fraction of the cost of hotel dining at the many street stalls that line major market routes. In other words, you can order a fried noodle dish at a fifth of the price at a major hotel if you eat where the locals do.
Any pitfalls? No, given that Thai hygiene is meticulous. A basic Thai dish should cost you US$1.50 in Patong, Karon or Kata. A lot less in other locations. At all the major hotel locations you will be warned via the menu as to which dish is spicy or not. Most street stalls will serve you spicy food. If you don’t want to eat spicy, then simply say, “Mai ow phet phet!” (I don’t want spicy food).
Where’s the best nightlife? Patong, if you’re in party mode, Kata and Karon if you want a family atmosphere; Phuket Town if you want to meet the locals. At present, the Thai government is imposing a 2.00 a.m. closing time on drinking establishments so party animals should plan ahead or be disappointed.
Restaurants
The culinary scene on Phuket is vibrant and international. While Koh Samui and Krabi seem to hang on to their rural culinary identities, Phuket absorbs several distinct influences, from Chinese to European. The result? A glorious smorgasbord of eclectic cuisine.
Obviously, with so much water around Phuket, seafood features heavily on most restaurants’ menus. Most of the leading chefs do their own buying at local markets or have advantageous deals with fishing boats, thus ensuring spanking fresh food.
With a heavy Chinese influence, Phuket Town is a fascinating place to check out Chinese fare, especially at breakfast time when Chinese style noodles are served with a coconut curry mix. There are many cheap and friendly eateries here and, unlike in Patong, the prices are aimed at locals rather than tourists.
Many resorts offer theme nights and specials, so make sure you’re abreast of things that are happening where you are staying before you go out looking for the culinary action.
Romantic beachside restaurants dot the length of the West Coast. More often than not you’ll find seafood on the menu but Thai cooks are accommodating and will rustle up almost anything on request. Hilltop restaurants have recently come into vogue with those looking to dine with a view.
One of the most popular ways of preparing seafood or chicken is by grilling it. You’ll find that Thais like their fish well-done and the result may be a trifle hard for Western Tastes, especially as the most protection a fish will have from the flames is a banana leaf. Steamed fish, on the other hand, is delicious and tender.
There are European, American and Australian steakhouses in and around Patong. Prices are reasonable when compared to Western rates. Fast food outlets are also predominant, especially near shopping areas.
Italian food is especially suited to tropical romantic dining. All the major hotels and resorts will serve this fare and you can find good quality Italian eateries in Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai, and Phuket Town.
Japanese food is heavily represented by a slew of new restaurants in Patong. In Phuket Town you can eat for very little at the Japanese eateries in Phang Nga Rd.
For pub grub the Irish pubs in Patong lead the pack. There doesn’t seem to be pub grub in Phuket Town, although in the expatriate areas of Chalong and Rawai there are a few locations.
In most built up areas there are more than enough restaurants to deal with hungry locals and visitors. If you choose to eat “farang” food you’ll be paying more and it won’t necessarily be as good as back home. Thai food is, of course, cheaper but do make it clear if you do not wish monosodium glutamate in your food.
From the swankiest to the simplest; from the most expensive to the cheapest; from a hole-in-the-wall to a luxury resort, you’ll find every type of cuisine on Phuket.
Resort Dining
With big budgets behind them, resort restaurants on Phuket have the opportunity to shine.
Patong Restaurants
There are eateries galore in this town, making the competition fierce between restaurateurs. Still, many eateries run more on luck than culinary know-how. For once, do not follow the Golden Rule and eat where everyone else is as most people in Patong are strangers and simply follow the crowds themselves
Kata and Karon Restaurants
Slightly less frenetic than Patong, these two side-by-side beach towns feature several good restaurants as well as the usual fly-by-night opportunity seekers.
Restaurants Around Phuket Island
Assuming that you’ve got your own transportation or a friendly tuk tuk driver, countless restaurants to suit all budgets are available and are located away from the major tourist districts.
Phuket Town Restaurants
There are dishes available in Phuket Town’s noodle shops that you’ll have a hard time getting anywhere else in the world. For vegetarian fare go up Ranong Rd. past the day market then turn down Soi Puthorn by the Chinese Temple. The night market near Robinson’s department store is also a good place to people-watch while you eat cheap and sumptuous local cuisine.
Social Drinking around Phuket
There are so many bars, pubs, beer bars, lounges and beach huts to drink at on Phuket that any listing is bound to be superfluous. There are a few danger points to watch out for, though:
Useful Tip
Given the amount of tales of woe from duped males in the Patong, Kata and Karon area it’s fairly safe to say that drinking alone while actively seeking female companionship is risky. Control your alcohol intake and be on guard. Still, the famous Thai hospitality is to be found in almost every bar so there’s a good time to be had even if you have to watch out a bit.
Thai Katoeys or ‘lady man’, are either a transsexual or a transvestite. One must bear in mind that they genuinely have an interest in Western lady’s beauty tips, and most certainly are not interested in sexist or discriminatory comments. To the uninitiated, these glamorous creatures can appear deceptively alluring but care must be taken in dealing with them. Many Katoeys are notorious wallet snatchers. There are many in Patong and at the other main West Coast locations of Kata and Karon. Do not openly stare or pass obvious comment about them. They may appear beautiful and command attention, but they are aggressive when provoked and one can find that there real gender attribute of strength will cause one trouble.
Thai beer is strong, especially Chang beer, which has the same alcoholic kick as a decent Hock. Go slow!
Because of the high humidity in Thailand your body will lose a disproportionate amount of fluid, especially if you’re dancing and drinking. For this reason we recommend drinking water along with any alcohol you choose to drink. Who needs an ugly hangover anyway?
You may think you can drink and drive, but so do an awful lot of other people on Phuket. Result? A lot of motorcycle accidents after midnight. If you must drink, it’s really best to leave the vehicle at home or to get a non-imbiber to drive.
A brisk late night walk on the beach to sober up is not a good idea in Patong or Karon. These are the stomping grounds of the local katoeys (ladymen) some of whom solicit aggressively and who have been known to resort to mugging.
Closing time in Thailand is at 2.00 a.m. Unlike other laws which are openly flaunted, this law is rigidly applied with active police enforcement. No doubt things will get laxer in the future, but the present government insists that closing hours be respected.
While the average Thai will smile embarrassingly at public drunkenness, a passing police officer will not. Do not create a scene or you’ll risk a fine at the least, and an expensive overnight stay in a cell at the most.
Bars & Pubs
Phuket has a wide range of bars and pubs; from the discreet to the outrageous, the choice is yours. If you’re looking for atmosphere then a beach bar can’t be beaten. If you want fun, then you can choose between the girly bars of Patong and the Irish pubs where a family atmosphere is complemented by good live music. Maybe you’d like a view. In that case there are several hilltop locations from which to watch the sunset and the neon-lit fishing trawlers on their way out for a night’s work. There are German, French, Dutch, Italian and Australian bars – each proclaiming its nationality with a flag out front. Then there are drinking holes where no one cares from where you come, just so long as you’re having fun. Here are some of the best island-wide bars.
Nightclubs
The nightclub scene on Phuket resembles a cat & mouse game between owners and the authorities. The government has insisted on a 2 am closing time and has recently raised taxes on night entertainment venues and this, of course, has a knock-on effect for the visitor. Not only that, but the local authorities have recently closed down two major venues, alleging immorality and lewd behavior as the cause. Both venues have since reopened yet, on the whole, the nightclub scene on Phuket is a lot quieter than it was two years ago. In Patong, the most successful but recently closed-down Shark Disco has later reopened as Star Wars. The Phuket Bar & Banana Disco on the Beach Rd. is probably the only place to have carried on with the tried and proven method of one-price drinks and loud music. Of course, there are sexy clubs to go to – mostly situated on Soi Sea Dragon. For the gay club scene there are several locations in the Royal Paradise Complex. In Phuket Town there are two dancing clubs on Rasada Rd. which cater for younger, more local tastes and the Candy Pub nearby Robinson’s department store is another hot spot. |
