Ban Pak Chok Aree Restaurant @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ร้านอาหารบ้านพักโชคอารีย์ @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Cuisine: Thai

Map: Ban Pak Chok Aree Restaurant @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ร้านอาหารบ้านพักโชคอารีย์ @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Charged Price: THB200 per person without alcohol

Visited: 29 October 2015

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 9/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

One last destination during my short vacation in Pran Buri was at Ban Pak Chok Aree. This is a new find for us. It is located at the very north end of Pak Nam Pran. I doubt any non-local would drive all the way here to find its existence unless they have been there before. This is another gem for us really. The atmosphere is still local like. The size of the restaurant is not big but should be able to accommodate up to 30 guests comfortably. The place does not just offer fresh seafood but it is an inn too. Hence, looking for cheap local stay with nice food, here is one for you.

Ban Pak Chok Aree Restaurant @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan

not big but not small

very local ambient

fresh seafood

Needless to say much about how delicious food here is. I would like to draw attention more on its quantity to begin with. Ok, pricing wise may look somewhat 20% to 30% lower than other places around. But when each dish turned up, I was just hooooo. They were big, I promise, especially Stir-fried Squid with Curry Powder - ปลาหมึกผัดผงกระหรี่ (6/10) which was delicious with nice taste of curry and soft squid. At the price of THB200 comparing to THB250 for fried squid with salty egg at Krua Jaew but almost double in size. This is one hell of bargain. We also had Stir-fried Pako Fern with Oyster Sauce - ผัดผักกรูดน้ำมันหอย (7/10). Pako Fern, sound odd, right? It was odd to me too. But it was a nice stir-fry vegetable dish. It also came with a lot of fried chopped garlic. Nice indeed.

Stir-fried Pako Fern with Oyster Sauce - ผัดผักกรูดน้ำมันหอย (THB100)

Stir-fried Squid with Curry Powder - ปลาหมึกผัดผงกระหรี่ (THB200)

Let's just skip Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (5/10). Ordinary one. No need to mention about it. The highlight was instead Deep-fried Sea Bass with Lemongrass Sauce - ประกะพงทอดยำตะไคร้ (8/10). God......the fish was big and fresh. Very good frying skill too. Sea bass was crisp. The aroma of herbs and especially lemongrass was beautiful. Cashew nut did give another dimension to the structure too. I promise this was delicious. When we ordered, we did ask for no chili as one of us cannot take much spiciness. The friendly lady chef did come out to serve this dish herself and talked jokingly to us that no-chili in this dish was in fact an offensive, LOL.

Well, this is the new secret heaven for us which is now not so secret as you are reading. Nice people too. Will sure return for many more times. Just wish it won't get overly crowded in the future.

Deep-fried Sea Bass with Lemongrass Sauce - ประกะพงทอดยำตะไคร้ (THB300)

Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (THB100)

Ban Pak Chok Aree Restaurant @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ร้านอาหารบ้านพักโชคอารีย์ @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

181/77  Moo 2
Pak Nam Pran, Pran Buri
Prachuap Khiri Khan
77140

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 10:00am - 09:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 32 631 461
Web: http://www.banpakchokaree.com/

Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Cuisine: Thai

Map: Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Charged Price: THB360 per person without alcohol

Visited: 28 October 2015

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 6/10

Services: 4/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Krua Jaew is the one that we often visit in Pran Buri. This seafood restaurant is rather large in size and comfy and is located conveniently along the beach front at Pak Nam Pran (though with division of small road). This place offers enjoyable food at decent price. One little thing to be aware about Krua Jaew is its popularity during public holiday. Make sure about reservation before visiting during public holiday. Otherwise, you should be fine.

Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan

rather large venue at a convenient location

The first dish to arrive was Fried Squid with Salty Egg - ปลาหมึกผัดไข่เค็ม (6/10). Squid with salty egg seems to be my all time favourite dish at any seafood joint whether good, bad, or so-so. For the one Krua Jaew, I would say it was enjoyable, nothing much better than meeting standard expectation. The way sliced chili and spring onion combined well with creaminess and saltiness of salty egg was nice. Only if the blending between squid and salty egg had been more simultaneously, this would be a highlight. Moving on to more spicy dish: Fried Babylon with Chili and Basil - หอยหวานผัดฉ่า (6/10). Babylon is another popular seafood ingredient here. When combining with chili and basil, it turned to be a strong punchy dish. Need a lot of rice to go with this one. Make sure of asking for little chili if you cannot take much hot and spicy.

Fried Squid with Salty Egg - ปลาหมึกผัดไข่เค็ม (THB250)

Fried Babylon with Chili and Basil - หอยหวานผัดฉ่า (THB150)

Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (5/10) is another classic dish that is always popular among both kids and adults. The one here was ok. I would prefer it to be fluffier and crispier. Having seafood, it is all about fish for me, not crab or prawn like others would do. Today I had Deep-fried Sea Bass with Sweet and Sour Sauce - ปลากะพงสามรส (6/10) and Boiled Sea Bass with Coconut Milk - เนื้อปลากะพงต้มกะทิ (6/10). The more interesting one was sea bass with coconut milk. It tasted similar to Tom Kha Gai but with fresh sea bass fillet instead of chicken. Weird combination but turned to be nice really. For sea bass with sweet and sour sauce, it was delicious enough to keep the meal going. Crisp texture with yummy sweet and sour sauce.

Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (THB120)

Deep-fried Sea Bass with Sweet and Sour Sauce - ปลากะพงสามรส (THB400)

Boiled Sea Bass with Coconut Milk - เนื้อปลากะพงต้มกะทิ (THB150)

During the meal, we also had Chateau le Puy Rose-Marie 2014 to accompany. Its crispiness and fruity character seemed to go rather nice with seafood. In fact, any fruity white wine or off-dry white wine or sparkling wine would be tremendous. But never red wine for strong and spicy Thai food in my opinion. Anyway, Krua Jaew at Pak Nam Pran is a decent one. Not cheap but it at least presents rather good value to money for its location and quality. By the way, just ignore the service here. Staffs seemed like robot. No interaction apart from taking order at all. Bland is the word perhaps.

Chateau le Puy Rose-Marie 2014

another seafood meal

Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

486/9  Moo 2
Pak Nam Pran, Pran Buri
Prachuap Khiri Khan
77220

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 08:00am - 10:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 32 631 302
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ครัวแจ๋ว-ปากน้ำปราณ-203205943047222/

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Cuisine: Thai

Map: Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Charged Price: THB150 per person without alcohol

Visited: 28 October 2015

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 10/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Usually once a year, we would find our journey to Pran Buri for a short break from Bangkok city and Laem Thong Seafood at Kui Buri is the one destination that we must pay a visit each time. If you are unfamiliar with geography of Thailand, Pran Buri is somewhat two hours and a half South West from Bangkok and Kui Buri is a little further with approx. additional half an hour driving. Laem Thong Seafood is located within Khao Daeng area of Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park. Hence, things there are still fresh and very local.

To arrive at Laem Thong Seafood I would say it is difficult and even more complicated for foreigners. Driving is the only way I would say. Map is provided above and you better follow GPS. However, if you know Pak Nam Pran rather well, driving straight from Pak Nam Pran main road and you will find it on the left hand side which is opposite of Wat Khao Daeng.

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan

pretty much local and rural atmosphere

fresh air surely

sneaky pussy!!!

Food here is typical local and geared towards Southern style. In case hot and spicy dishes are not friendly to you, just say it out. Otherwise you won't enjoy the meal. The beauty about this place is freshness of ingredients and value for money. One would usually be full within the budget of THB200 a head. Come on, THB200 a head for nice seafood, where else could you find it? I believe each morning the owner will go searching for ingredients with neighbourhood proximity. One of our favourite ingredients that is difficult to find elsewhere is Dumort. For instant, we had Fry Egg with Dumort - ไข่ชุบชะคราม as one of light dishes (7/10). Indeed it is just an ordinary omelette. But the unique flavour of dumort did bring out another dimension.

The other two dishes to begin our meal were Deep-fried Fish Cake - ทอดมันปลา (5/10) and Deep-fried Silver Whiting - ปลาทรายทอดกระเทียม (5/10). Both were not exciting ones but typical enjoyable dishes. The fish cake was not very spicy. The texture was soft but still with chewiness. Silver whiting was fried a little under to my liking. I like the one that the fish is very crisp such that the whole thing can be eaten without worrying much about those tiny bones.

Fry Egg with Dumort - ไข่ชุบชะคราม (THB60)

Deep-fried Fish Cake - ทอดมันปลา (THB70)

Deep-fried Silver Whiting - ปลาทรายทอดกระเทียม (THB100)

Moving on to heavier dishes. Our all time never-miss-to-order dish is Curry of Blue Crab and Dumort - แกงปูชะคราม (8/10). Very aromatic and rich in flavour. Strong abundant but mild to the touch of curry taste. The natural flavour of blue crab and dumort lifted up its sexiness. Godddddd, I barely touched other dishes when this holy thing had arrived. The last two dishes were something most of people will order when having seafood: Tom Yum Silver Perch - ต้มยำปลากะพง (6/10) and Fried Rice with Crab and Prawn - ข้าวผัดปูและกุ้ง (6/10). Nice and decent ones. Thanks to the fresh ingredients.

Well, I personally would say that this little place is an amazing one. I wish it would stay very local atmosphere for years to come. It is so difficult to find good stuff these days. Look at Hua Hin for example. You will find nothing but touristy joints nowadays unless there are secret little places of your own.

Curry of Blue Crab and Dumort - แกงปูชะคราม (THB120)

zooming onto blue crab

Tom Yum Silver Perch - ต้มยำปลากะพง (THB120)

Fried Rice with Crab and Prawn - ข้าวผัดปูและกุ้ง (THB100)

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Rural Road PorKor. 4020
Khao Daeng, Kui Buri
Prachuap Khiri Khan
77150

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 09:00am - 08:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 89 549 4992

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา

Cuisine: Southern Thai

Map: Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา

Price: THB250 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 19 December 2014

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Happen to visit or pass by Phang Nga, I swear you should not miss Mon Phochana at Thai Mueang district. This restaurant by Phetkasem Road does not look elegant nor charming at all but the taste of food here is another story. It is just two block of commercial buildings with nothing spectacular that everyone would just drive pass without noticing. That is sure not a surprise at all. I was one of the kind too until a local relative suggested to give it a go. Blessing me, food here was so delicious that I had to return the next day: so rich, so flavourful, spicy but balance, and made with fresh local ingredients. Thank God I found this place.

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga

just a block of building by the road

When in Phang Nga, the very first thing we have to order is none but หอยชักตีนลวกจิ้ม - boiled wing shell (7/10). Wine shell is rather rare these days. It was locally caught: so fresh and yummy. Simply dip in spicy seafood sauce and that would bring you with finale. Next was ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น - deep-fried silver whiting with turmeric (8/10). This is one of my all time favourite Souther Thai dish. The aroma of turmeric was fantastic. Silver whiting was fried nicely such that it was cracklingly crispy. I could just eat the whole thing. As for หมูสามชั้นคั่วเกลือ - deep-fried pork with salt (6/10), it was nice but not so impressive. Juicy and crispy, it was. But a little too oily to my liking. Well seasoned though.

หอยชักตีนลวกจิ้ม - boiled wing shell (THB150)

ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น - deep-fried silver whiting with turmeric (THB140)

หมูสามชั้นคั่วเกลือ - deep-fried pork with salt (THB140)

Moving on to more serious dishes. ผักเหมียงผัดกุ้งเสียบ - stir-fried melinjo with dried shrimp (6/10) is another favourite local dish that many people do have to order. It was nice but lack the magic touch that I could not explain. Then we had ต้มกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้งสด - melinjo and prawn in coconut milk (9/10). This is perhaps the very best dish we had here. Melinjo was fresh as well as the naturally sweet coconut milk. Spices brought up flavour with balance. I just love this dish. Lastly we thought we should not miss out curry, so we had แกงคั่วหอยขมใบชะพลู - river snails curry with piper sarmentosum (7/10). Most people who visit the southern part of Thailand seem to go for crab curry. Personally, I fond for shell based curry more. It contains more flavour and dimension on palate for me. Mon Phochana also did not disappoint me. River snails curry here was fabulously crafted. It can be too hot and spicy to some, hence, be aware.

Well, let me say once again. Mon Phochana is a local restaurant that you should not miss out in Phang Nga. Nice food at reasonable price. Thank god I found this place.

ผักเหมียงผัดกุ้งเสียบ - stir-fried melinjo with dried shrimp (THB100)

ต้มกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้งสด - melinjo and prawn in coconut milk (THB140)

แกงคั่วหอยขมใบชะพลู - river snails curry with piper sarmentosum (THB160)

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา
46/11-12 Phetkasem Road
Moo 1
Lam Kaen, Thai Mueang
Phang Nga 82210

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 09:00pm - midnight

Tel: +66 (0) 84 626 8991, +66 (0) 76 443 146
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ManPhochnA

Baan Ice Restaurant Thonglor @ Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารบ้านไอซ์ ทองหล่อ @ อาคารซัมเมอร์เซ็ท สุขุมวิท ทองหล่อ กรุงเทพ

Cuisine: Thai (Southern)

Map: Baan Ice Restaurant Thonglor @ Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารบ้านไอซ์ ทองหล่อ @ อาคารซัมเมอร์เซ็ท สุขุมวิท ทองหล่อ กรุงเทพ

Price: THB350 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 26 October 2014

Food: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 5/10

Services: 4/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

As one who enjoy Southern Thai food a lot, Baan Ice Restaurant at Thonglor has long been in the list of must try destinations. Baan Ice is sure a famous restaurant and reservation is highly recommended during weekends and public holidays. When I had made a reservation, I have to admit that I was kind of excited and eager to try this place. Words have been flying around about how delicious this place is. However, I, personally, was not so impressed with dishes here. Overall, they were on average and can be enjoyable but not fabulous.

Baan Ice is located on the ground floor of Somerset Sukhumvit which is pretty close to Soi Thonglor 5. The place is rather spacious and there are 2 floors. However, I did feel somewhat uncomfortable because the way they arrange tables that are so packed and close to each other. Honestly, I try to understand the commercial side of any restaurant but they will also need to understand the little privacy point of some customers too. The most disappointing part of this place is probably service; management within the kitchen to be more precise. Ok, staffs were trying to be helpful during a busy lunch of a Sunday. However, there were a few times during our visit that our order got wrong or even forgotten. Not really sure when happened in the kitchen. It must be chaotic perhaps.

Baan Ice Restaurant Thonglor @ Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor

rather crowded but easy enough ambient

Well, most of dishes are priced moderately and the menu does come in wide range with probably most of Southern dishes that you can think of. The overall taste is very hot and spicy. I found that the spiciness is overwhelming even though I can take hot and spicy a lot.

The first range of the meal comprised of Moo Hong - หมูฮ้อง (4/10) which is steamed pork with pepper and garlic, Khua Kling with Soft Bone Pork - คั่วกลิ้งกระดูกอ่อนหมูสับ (5/10) which is stir-fried pork with turmeric and chilli, and Stir-fried Sataw and Shrimp in Shrimp Paste - ผัดสะตอกะปิกุ้ง (3/10). Moo Hong was not impressive really. Peppery note overpowered other aroma and it was too salty. Pork was not tender enough. Khua Kling was one of the dish that turned up a little wrong. Instead of minced pork, we did get soft bone pork. This dish was ok but too spicy to be delicious. Stir-fried sataw was another too salty dish and we were disappointed.

Moo Hong - หมูฮ้อง (THB160)

Khua Kling with Soft Bone Pork - คั่วกลิ้งกระดูกอ่อนหมูสับ (THB180)

Stir-fried Sataw and Shrimp in Shrimp Paste - ผัดสะตอกะปิกุ้ง (THB220)

The second in the range is deep-fried dishes. Deep-fried Pork with Salt - หมูเค็มก้นครัว (4/10), the dish they had forgotten (T_T)", is probably one of the favourite menu for many people. Not really Southern Thai dish in my opinion but always enjoyable to eat. Deep-fried pork with salt here was too hard on the texture. I presume that pieces of pork were cut to largely. The next one was Deep-fried Silver Whiting with Turmeric - ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น (6/10). This was a more savoury dish. I always enjoy the aroma and taste of turmeric. Decent deep-fried skill to crispiness. Would not mind to order again if have a chance to revisit.

Deep-fried Pork with Salt - หมูเค็มก้นครัว (THB160)

Deep-fried Silver Whiting with Turmeric - ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น (THB200)

Lastly, we had some curry dishes and they are sure something not to be missed when having Southern Thai food. Kanom Jeen Khun Ya - ขนมจีนคุณย่า (6/10) in which I believe it is fish based curry served with vermicelli, boiled egg, and fresh vegetable. This was a rather nice dish here. It can be very spicy but still at acceptable level (for me). Eating Kanom Jeen with fresh vegetable is such a compliment. The last of the meal was Beef Curry with Garden Chilli - แกงเนื้อพริกขี้หนูสวน (7/10). It was spicy definitely but I did enjoy it. Beef was tender. Curry was rich and flavourful. This is a dish to enjoy with nice jasmine rice. Additionally, just to mention that beef was Australian beef as emphasised in the menu, probably local beef would do similar job in my opinion. No need to put higher cost of imported beef in the menu really when there are decent local beef around.

Kanom Jeen Khun Ya - ขนมจีนคุณย่า (THB120)

Beef Curry with Garden Chilli - แกงเนื้อพริกขี้หนูสวน (THB300)

Australian beef!!!!

Baan Ice Restaurant Thonglor @ Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารบ้านไอซ์ ทองหล่อ @ อาคารซัมเมอร์เซ็ท สุขุมวิท ทองหล่อ กรุงเทพ
Floor G Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor
115 Soi Sukhumvit 55
Sukhumvit Road
Khlongtan Nuea, Wattana
Bangkok 10110

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 11:00am - 10:30pm

Tel: +66 (0) 2381 6441-2
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Baan-Ice-Restaurant-Thonglor/439210452804120

Raya (ระย้า) @ Dibuk Road, Phuket, Thailand

Cuisine: Thai (Southern)

Map: Raya @ Dibuk Road, Phuket, Thailand - ระย้า @ ถนนดีบุก จังหวัดภูเก็ต

Price: ~ THB350 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 20 December 2013

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 6/10

Services: 4/10

Visiting Phuket for a short vacation, it is perhaps a must thing to do these days to pop by Raya which is currently one of the most famous restaurant on Phuket Island. Raya is located on Dibuk Road, just by the corner where Dibuk Road (ถนนดีบุก) and Thepkasattri Road (ถนนเทพกระษัตรี) intersect. It is pretty easy to locate the place. It is an old build with two storeys and there is a big "Raya" sign to spot.

Raya @ Dibuk Road, Phuket, Thailand

the old house-converted building

The interior has been perhaps kept with most of original feature. I kind of like the old fashion ambient myself. The place is rather large. I guess up to 100 customers can be held at once. Range of food here is local Southern Thai food. Although, there are some of those famous Thai dishes available but please do not bother with non Southern dishes. On the pricing side, it is not cheap but not so dearly cost.

still kept the old fashion interior

more rooms on the upper level

One of the dish that we could not really miss was crab meat with curry and coconut milk - แกงเนื้อปูใบชะพลู (7/10). This is probably the most famous dish from the Southern part of Thailand. The dish itself was nice and lovely. The curry paste was flavourful. The overall taste was not too spicy and I guess foreigners can take the dish with care. They were fairly generous with the fresh blue crab meat in the curry. Though the dish was nice, the overall taste however was not as expected by the local. It tasted more like the recipe has been adjusted to suit the liking of Bangkokian and travellers. You may perhaps try the crab curry in a more local place to compare. I would not say I do not like this dish but I am not so fond of it. One of the knowledge that we have learnt from the local was chaphlu leaves (piper sarmentosum or wild betel) are never an ingredient for crab curry. Well, it may be Raya's own recipe.

The other soup base dish that we had to order was prawn and pak meang in coconut milk - แกงกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้ง (8/10). Pak Meang is a local vegetable in the South of Thailand. It can be a great ingredient for coconut milk base soup as well as to go with omelette. This soup was lovely indeed. Thick coconut milk with fresh leaves and fresh prawn. So simple and so authentic. Love it. (ps. I could not see it in the menu but you sure can ask for it)

crab meat with curry and coconut milk - แกงเนื้อปูใบชะพลู (THB600)

zoom up to crab meat

prawn and pak meang in coconut milk - แกงกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้ง (THB350)

prawn and pak meang

Steamed pork with pepper and garlic - หมูฮ้อง (6/10) was somehow less enjoyable than expected. I think that the overall palate was overwhelmed by pepper. I would personally love to see less pepper and a touch more of sweetness to balance. The pork itself, on the other hand, was wonderfully tender. I suggest asking for the belly part. The pleasure of a bite that combines both tender meat and fatty/gelatin part was wonderful in fact.

The other dishes that you may not like to miss were stir-fried sataw with shrimps - ผัดสะตอกะปิกุ้ง (7/10) and deep-fried pork with salt - หมูคั่วเกลือ (6/10). Sataw was fresh and delicious. Some may say that the natural scent of sataw can be unpleasant. Well, I disagree with the claim and would encourage to really try the dish. It was stir-fried nicely with shrimp paste. Deep-fried pork with salt is almost everyone, every gender, and every generation favourite dish. No strong chili or herbal taste. The texture is the part that comes into play. Crisp and light salted. Terrific indeed. Only if pork could be sliced in a thinner form, the dish would be perfect.

steamed pork with pepper and garlic - หมูฮ้อง (THB350)

tender piece of pork

stir-fried sataw with shrimps - ผัดสะตอกะปิกุ้ง (THB350)

deep-fried pork with salt - หมูคั่วเกลือ (THB200)

For dessert, something cool and sweet is really a compliment for hot weather in Phuket. Grass jelly with longan - เฉาก๊วยลำไย (6/10) is not the one to pay attention to. You can find this anywhere in Thailand. Lukchok in syrup - ลูกชกลอยแก้ว (7/10) is, on the other hand, the one you should try if it is available. You would not see much of lukchok elsewhere in Thailand. Lukchok is similar to lukchid (palm seed) but in a smaller form and round. The texture is chewy just like palm seed but firmer.

All in all, Raya is a lovely restaurant with nice ambient of local atmosphere and nice food. Some may have been transformed to suit the modern day liking but still enjoyable. For me, I would not really chase for it much but if you have not tried, why not?

lukchok in syrup - ลูกชกลอยแก้ว (THB30)

grass jelly with longan - เฉาก๊วยลำไย (THB30)

Raya @ Dibuk Road, Phuket, Thailand - ระย้า @ ถนนดีบุก จังหวัดภูเก็ต

48 Dibuk Road
Talat Yai, Mueang
Phuket
Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 10:00am - 10:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 76 218 155