Phuket Food
Seafood is particularly good on the Andaman Coast, since the fish originate from tropical waters which are relatively free of industrial pollutants and chemical contaminants. Though fish is landed in many local ports, a significant amount also comes from trawlers operating from Ranong, which lies to the north of Phuket on the border with the Tenasserim Coast of Burma and the Mergui Archipelago.
Most restaurants in the tourist centers on the west coast of Phuket have seafood on the menu. Particularly popular are Seabass and Tiger Prawns, and, of course, Phuket Rock lobsters. Seafood can be served in either the Thai style or as international cuisine. Spicy Tom Yam soup, served with either prawns, fish, or a mixture of seafood, is an enduring favourite.
For the best local Thai cuisine however, the visitor is recommended to go to any of the many Thai restaurants on the east side of the island, where a wealthy local population maintain the standards by favouring restaurants with their patronage, or not. Particularly good seafood restaurants are found in the area around Rawai and in Phuket City, which is something of a paradise for connoisseurs of Thai food.
Many other national cuisines are also available, as many foreigners who may have taken up with local women have started small restaurants. Patong, the islands premier tourist beach, has restaurants featuring cuisines from virtually every continent of the world. The best foreign, if not Thai, cuisine on the island, however, is without doubt to be found in the major hotels along the west coast. With international hotel management names like Hilton, Holiday Inn and Novotel commonly found in Phuket, the visitor is assured of a wide and delicious variety of food.