Revisit to Phuket

I recently returned from a short stay at Phuket, Thailand. During the four days that I was in Phuket, my family and I went on plenty of gustatory adventures, sampling food from local restaurants as well as famed seafood restaurants. I was also reminded of the hospitality and friendliness of the Thai people- something very rare in the hectic nature of this modern age.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a spectacular sunset with hues of blue, purple, yellow and orange.
Below: An image of the sunset on the day of arrival

That night, we ate at the resort's Thai restaurant, selecting our favorite traditional Thai dishes that ranged from pad thai to khao phat. What's interesting about certain Thai dishes is that they are so universal that they can be found in a Michelin star restaurant to sold by a street vendor. The restaurant served authentic Thai cuisine full of spice and flavor.

For a family full of foodies, venturing into more local restaurants was a must. We decided to visit Kin Dee restaurant, a restaurant situated just about 20 minutes from the resort. Kin Dee is unlike any other restaurant that you may find in your typical city. The restaurant is actually in an outdoor space in something that resembles a large hut situated right next to the river. The traditional charm of Kin Dee enables you to feel like you're not merely experiencing tourist spots, but truly experiencing Thai culture.  Since we ate dinner there, we were able to witness the sunset. Kin Dee's chef used to work at the Thai restaurant at the resort that we have stayed at since I was younger, so it was great to be reunited with the dishes and cooking that I looked forward to eating every year as a child. We were also told that all the ingredients used by Kin Dee were local produce, so as to generate income for the local farmers. All of the dishes available at Kin Dee were traditional Thai dishes, ranging from sea food to noodles. My favorite dish was Kin Dee's spin on my personal favorite- calamari. They infused Thai spices into the dish that created a distinctively Thai taste to the traditionally Mediterranean dish. Overall, the dishes were not only affordable, but also tasty.

Below: Image of Kin Dee (taken from the restaurant website)

Below: Image of some of the dishes available at Kin Dee

The next day, my family and I ventured a little further from our resort and ate at Trisara Seafood, a restaurant at another resort in Phuket. As we dined, we heard the soothing sounds of the ebbing waves, witnessed the sky change from blue to pink to navy, and were cooled by the gentle sea breeze. The dishes themselves were spectacular- my personal favorites were the prawn and the seafood vongole. Overall, the dishes, although not particularly "Thai", made great use of the fresh seafood available in Phuket. 

Below: An image of Trisara (taken from the Trisara website)

Overall, the trip provided me with much needed rest and relaxation. After revisiting Phuket after six years, I was pleased to discover that the cordiality of the Thai locals and the beauty of Phuket has not subsided over the years.