People regularly ask me to either recommend a restaurant, or to tell them how I choose restaurants.

If you happen to be listening to ABC Riverina this coming Thursday @ about 9.35 am (you can listen online, if you have the time or inclination), then thanks to a pre-record, ‘choosing a restaurant’ will be my topic of conversation this week.

There are three basic rules I follow:

1. Research, research, research (try to use reputable sites)
2. Ask a local
3. Look for the crowds

So far these rules have helped me well in Thailand. Even though I didn’t have a lot of time for research before I left Australia, I did manage to do a little ‘googling’ of restaurants in Old Phuket Town, where we are staying.

After another long walk (my phone tells me I did over 17,000 steps) Dave and I ventured about a kilometre from out hotel to a restaurant called ‘Raya’. Raya is famous for its Coconut Crab curry, so when I read a number of reviews recommending a visit, and in particular that dish, I added it to my list of must-do’s for Phuket.

Boy-oh-boy was this recommendation spot on! Plump chunks of fresh mud crab in a  creamy chilli and coconut broth with flecks of roughly chopped Thai Basil. So flavoursome, so creamy, nearly too spicy, and just so damn delicious! It was served with bundles of rice noodles and I also ordered some stir-fried water morning glory (everybody needs their greens, right). All for less than $40 Australian. There  was an old rickshaw out the front, nice touch!

During the afternoon, I decided it was time for some pampering. 17,000 steps earned me a foot massage (1 hour = $12) and poor time management over the past few months meant a desperately needed pedicure was also in order. ($20 for Gel – took 1.5hours!).

Another walk between pampering sessions included a visit to the famous ‘Phuket Walking street.’ Thalang Road is about 1km from our hotel, and is the main central street of Phuket’s charming Old Town. This quaint, narrow street is studded with numerous attractions, great shops, an eclectic mix of restaurants, all housed in the beautiful Sino-Portuguese architecture that makes this area famous. I stopped briefly for a coconut ice-cream. Freshly made by scraping the coconut flesh out of a coconut, freezing in while  blending with the coconut cream and then topped with caramelized pineapple. Not my usual sugar-free, but it was delicious!

After a rest in our (thankfully) air-conditioned room, we ventured out to find something for dinner. This is where I FAILED to follow my own rules.  Sunday nights are quiet in Phuket, and as we wandered around, we discovered many restaurants were closed. By this stage I was getting tired and every so slightly hangry, so we ended up choosing a restaurant nearby where we were the ONLY customers. I nervously ordered a green chicken curry and steamed rice, Dave ordered an omelette and some French Fries. Surprisingly both meals were ok, thankfully neither made us unwell and I can certainly say the service was super attentive!

Early to bed in preparation for our big day out on Monday. A visit to many islands off the cost of Phuket, including the reason we actually came here – James Bond Island.

All about that in tomorrows blog, Sara xx

P.s: Dave even found a Landy like our old one – perfect end to the day in Dave’s opinion!