Many restaurants in Phuket entised return visits. Of these 'Ran Thammachat' on Soi Phuton and the 'Hokien Noodle Shop' on the circle fountain roundabout were stand outs.
The relaxed atmosphere of dining in a tree house, with quirky alcoves and tv set fish tanks, makes Ran Thammachat worth a mention; not taking from the food in any way. Served up is traditional Thai fare from all regions; the Tom Yam served in a coconut shell with fresh young flesh was out standing.
A good range of dishes for meat lovers to try:
Duck Larp: Duck mince fried with chilli, lime and roasted rice (served with greens on the side).
Marinated bbq pork neck: A rich, juicy, tender, sticky cut. Lingering smokey flavour left you hankering for more.
Crispy catfish salad: The drying of the fish is a slow drawn out process. Taking days to produce a fluffy, flossy, airy flesh, mellow in flavour for such a strong tasting fish. We were all suprised by this dish, not really knowing what to expect. The texture was crisp, crunchy and slightly chewy. A typical garnish for this dish is mango salad (see LAM bits).
Hor Mok: Steamed fish mousse wrapped in banana leaf (cup like). A light mixture of fish, egg, red curry paste, lime leaf and coconut milk is steamed to a spongy consistancy.
'Hokien Noodle Shop', as the name states, serves up fresh hokien noodles wet or dry. Dry seemed to tickle our fancy and we returned for a daily dose of the hearty goodness.
A noodle dish consisted of; fresh home made noodles, bbq pork, crispy crackling (always the best part and always found at the bottom of the bowl), shrimp, chives and bean sprouts. A good drizzel of soy based malasis gave the noodles the edge. Garnish was always a spoon of black pepper and crushed peanuts. Served on the side was a bowl of lightly prawn flavoured broth, peppery and aromatic.
The shop is the front room of their house complete with family photos and antiques.
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