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- VOL. 12.7
Wrapped in Comfort at Le Meridien’s Portofino Ristorante
Piercing – The Rite of Purification
Epat Diary: Dangerous Liaisons
Phuket, as the only Thai population centre on the western side of the narrow Malaysian Peninsula, not only draws upon the bounty of the Gulf of Thailand, but also upon the resources of the Andaman Sea, a part of the seafood-rich Indian Ocean. So if you enjoy seafood, and are on holiday in Phuket, you’re in the right place. It might be as close as you will ever come to Seafood Paradise.
Generally speaking, seafood is served in three ways in Phuket. It appears in a variety of ordinary dishes that Phuket’s Thai and expatriate residents enjoy every day. It is also served in several well-known seafood restaurants catering primarily to Thai and other Asian tourists. Finally, it’s served in restaurants designed to meet the tastes of the island’s numerous Western visitors.
ORDINARY DISHES Every tourist is familiar with fried rice, and for many it’s a lunchtime staple, frequently made with bits of pork or chicken. In Phuket many locals like it made with shrimp, crab, squid — or a mixture of all three. The latter, called khao pat talay, turns an ordinary dish into something extraordinary.
The Thais often chop or grind fish to form a paste that is then mixed with other ingredients. The most famous, and unusual, of these preparations is thod man pla, a dish eaten throughout Thailand, often made with catfish in the interior of the country. In this preparation the ground fish is mixed with red chilli paste, slivered lime leaves, thinly sliced green beans and a binder. The mixture is then formed into little patties and fried. At first the patties puff up, but then collapse into little, spicy, reddish-brown cakes. This unusual dish is often very popular with tourists, particularly as a snack served along with ice-cold beer.
The Thais also form a much milder-tasting fish paste into little balls called look chin pla. Here the minced fish is combined with garlic, white pepper, fish sauce and cornstarch to form a ball that is served in noodle soups and curries, or barbecued or deep-fried as a snack. The fish-balls have a firm, rubbery texture some visitors find unusual, but the Thais treasure. A great way to sample look chin pla is to have some for lunch in a bowl of noodle soup.
Seafood is also a popular ingredient in a variety of noodle dishes, many of which are eaten at lunchtime or as a snack. Perhaps the most popular of these are made with fresh rice noodles that have a “gravy” containing seafood and bit of Chinese broccoli poured over them. Called kwaytiao ratna gung when made with shrimp, kwaytiao ratna pla muek when made with squid, and kwaytiao ratna talay when made with mixed seafood, these delightful concoctions are available everywhere.
A uniquely Thai, tasty treat is haw mok pla, spicy coconut custard filled with chopped fish and steamed in a banana leaf. This scrumptious dish is served in most seafood restaurants and can often be found as a take-away dish in local markets.
These are but a few of the everyday seafood dishes consumed by Phuket’s Thais. Keep your eyes open when you are in local restaurants. If you see something else that tickles your fancy, a smile and a little sign language will insure that it appears on your table.
SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS CATERING PRIMARILY TO THAIS Phuket is not only a major tourist destination for visitors from abroad; it’s also a popular holiday spot for Thais. The island’s isolated location in the far south of the country makes a trip to Phuket an adventure for Thais living to the north. The chance to sample Phuket’s famous seafood is a major attraction for Thai tourists, and there are several seafood restaurants to which these tourists, along with other Asian visitors, flock. If you read English, ordering at these restaurants is a breeze, as most visitors from neighbouring countries require menus in a language other than Thai.
These restaurants don’t have displays of seafood out front like those at the tourist enclaves on the West Coast of the island, but the Thai insistence on fresh seafood means what’s served is easily as fresh as what you will find elsewhere. Tom yam gung, the popular sour and spicy soup served in Thai restaurants throughout the world, is almost obligatory eating at these dining spots. The Thais often choose to have it made with mixed seafood, in which case it is called tom yam talay.
It is possible to get grilled shrimp and lobster in these places, but the Thais really enjoy eating fish. They are particularly fond of it when it’s fried whole in a large wok and then doused with a sauce. Fish cooked this way is always crisp and chewy, a condition causing many Westerners to proclaim the fish “overcooked.” Thais, however, love the chewy texture. Pla thod sam rot, a fried fish covered with sweet and sour sauce, is one of their favourites as is pla thod rat prik, a dish where the fish is covered with a mildly sweet chilli sauce.
When the Thais want fish delicately cooked, they steam it. Pla neung manao — fish steamed with garlic, chillies and lime juice — is invariably brought to the table nestled in a fish-shaped pan atop a charcoal-fired brazier. Diners brush aside the chillies and garlic and scoop up a piece of fish along with some of the sauce. The result is never overcooked and the taste leaves people raving about the virtues of steamed fish.
There are, of course, many more dishes available in these restaurants. These rustic, traditional Thai dining spots invariably overlook the sea and are always convivial places where it’s easy to relax.
RESTAURANTS CATERING PRIMARILY TO TOURISTS To find a seafood dish cooked according to a Western recipe – take Lobster Thermidor as an example – the best place to look is at one of the large hotels. The hotels all take advantage of the fresh seafood available on the island and all have chefs in the kitchen capable of producing authentic Western-style seafood dishes, at prices that won’t bankrupt you.
Many, however, prefer their seafood at one of the outdoor restaurants dotting the beaches on the island’s West Coast. These dining spots invariably have enticing displays out front with fresh fish on ice and live shrimp and rowboat-sized lobster swimming in tanks. All you do is point and tell the waiter how you would like your selection cooked. The weight of your selection is how the price is determined.
The waiters will offer guidance on how a particular piece of seafood should be prepared. Grilling is probably the most popular method, and it guarantees your seafood will be prepared in a familiar way. Since these restaurants are Thai-operated, dishes will also be prepared according to Thai recipes. The waiters usually speak passable English and can explain the Thai preparations in considerable detail, usually eliminating misunderstandings and insuring everyone’s satisfaction.
The menus at these places often have a variety of Thai and Western dishes listed. Some of the stir-fried dishes are excellent. Many people, for example, enjoy shrimp when it has been stir-fried with cashew nuts. Squid, stir-fried with black pepper, is another Thai favourite most visitors thoroughly enjoy. Unlike selections chosen at the front of the restaurant, the prices of these menu items are fixed and don’t depend upon weight.
A few words of caution are necessary about “pick and choose” restaurants. The overwhelming majority of them are reputable operations, but occasionally a scam will be encountered. Some of the smaller, less scrupulous places have been known to switch fish in the kitchen. Make sure what you get is what you selected! You should also be sure what, if anything, is charged for cooking your selection. This will avoid later misunder- standings and an occasional inflated charge sure to dent your pocketbook and cause your hackles to rise.
Phuket is a haven for seafood lovers. While you are here, take advantage of the island’s bounty. You will find seafood featured in ordinary, everyday dishes, in restaurants catering to Thai and Asian visitors and in places designed to please the palates of Western guests. Wherever you choose to enjoy your seafood, you will be glad you came to Phuket.