PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAThe simple decor of this Thai restaurant hides an intricate heart, where dishes of complex flavour leave its kitchen courtesy of Bangkok-trained head chef Sangvorn Meemulthong. It’s this combination of consistently excellent food and relaxed, professional and friendly service that have seen it stand the test of time and remain a stalwart along this (at times fickle) strip. Starting your meal with a steaming bowl of tom yum goong or the ever-popular tung thong – pandan leaf “money bags” filled with minced pork – is a pleasure, or sample several entrees by ordering the kuntok selection.
Mains fall into standard stir-fry, curry and rice/noodle categories, with some excellent seafood dishes on offer – try the whole rainbow trout with garlic, pepper and turmeric or calamari stuffed with prawns in chilli and coriander sauce. A favourite among regulars is the pud katiam nok – crisply fried quail in peppercorn and garlic sauce.
When ordering curries also bear in mind to specify your heat tolerance to the gracious Madame Tuk, as natural instinct dictates the chef will make it hot! There is exclusively imported Phuket beer on hand to provide cooling relief if necessary, and the staff are also helpful in recommending wines to suit your meal. If there’s any room left, the banana pancakes with home-made coconut ice-cream is a winner.
Angela Costanzo