The greatest advantage is that even a silver service restaurant in Thailand is affordable to most who feel they deserve a treat. There are however, numerous down to earth Thai and foreign cuisine restaurants that allow you to spoil your taste-buds several times a day. With the enormous numbers of foreigners congregating in the busy tourist spots, many of the restaurants cater to western tastes, with ‘toned-down’ curries and menus full of European and North American favourites. It’s easy to take in an impromptu meal with the proliferation of eating venues, and these range from posh places with sea views to humble noodle shops on the street side. For hygiene purposes you might want to avoid the latter, unless you are adventurous and want to hang out with the locals, but local health authorities have done a good job of maintaining standards by awarding a ‘good taste, clean food’ certificate which is indicated by a blue and green sign displayed outside the entrance. If you want to try authentic Thai kitchen food, then head for the markets in Phuket town. Patong has a large selection of average places but some fine sea front venues are located nearby in Kalim Bay. Surprisingly, Phuket Town and Chalong have some of the best restaurants located in old mansions such as Baan Klung Jinda. Even eating off floor level tables on the beach at Rawai can be charming and Surin is notable for low-key Thai restaurants right on the beachfront. All bars and restaurants catering to tourists have a fine selection of spirits, while restaurants will have a limited selection on the wine list. Cellars are a rare speciality in the top end restaurants. Beer is good value and a number of local and international brands are sold. The locals also favour whisky, usually buying a whole bottle to share among friends. Phed med ma muang (chicken, with cashew nuts and dried chilli) is also suitable for non-spicy fans). There are numerous other variations including ginger, garlic, morning glory, tofu and local vegetable but a favourite lunch filler among the Thai is Som Tam (a spicy unripened green papaya shred with chilli infusion, sun dried tomatoes and more. Specific southern dishes include Penang (a mild flavoursome red curry popular with pork) and Massaman (Malay influenced yellow curry with chicken and potato). Seafood is, of course, another speciality in Phuket and it is often displayed fresh outside the restaurant and can be grilled, poached in spices or baked in banana leaves. There are many more dishes, along with exotic fruits and snacks worth trying and they are so cheap you can afford to order and experiment. | 
