48 HOURS IN PHUKET

Beyond beaches and resorts, Thailand's biggest island is a treasure trove of culinary gems. DANI VALENT gets the inside scoop from restaurateur Merica Charungvat.

- DANI VALENT

Touring Phuket, we can think of no better guide to the sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter delights than Merica Charungvat. Born in Bangkok and finishing high school in Phuket, Charungvat now splits her time between Thailand’s southern tropics and Melbourne, where she owns Thai Tide restaurant (see our recipe feature on page 84). “Phuket keeps drawing me back,” says Charungvat. “As well as being a destination for tourists all over the world, it’s long been a trade port, closer to Penang than Bangkok, and deeply connected to Hokkien foodways and traditions.” Charungvat’s favourite food experiences include old town street snacks, spicy noodles and thoughtful fine dining that celebrates the island’s culinary heritage.

SATURDAY LUNCH AT JAMPA

Awarded a Michelin Green Star for reducing waste and food miles, Jampa Restaurant is in Thalang district in Phuket’s north. And it rates highly on Charungvat’s hit list. On Saturdays, the restaurant’s Dutch-born chef Rick Dingen moves the team to the restaurant’s Hideaway, an open-air farm shack with peaceful lake views. Lunch begins with a tour of the orchards, vegetable plots and chicken coops, before settling in for a superb fire-cooked tasting menu that melds European and Thai flavours. jamparestaurant.com 

SOUR FISH SOUP AT THE CHARM DINING GALLERY