Some of Phuket’s food may sound unfamiliar at first, but once you start eating, there are many little links to what we already know in Singapore.
Over at Khao Tom Dibuk, there is rice porridge, mee sua, fish slices, pork offal, century egg, kaya toast, and soft boiled eggs.
Sounds familiar?
The family started in 1985 on Dibuk Road, serving bowls of khao tom (Thai rice soup) and other local breakfast dishes in the morning.
The restaurant later moved to Phang Nga Road in 2001, while keeping the original Dibuk name.
The space today feels more polished than the old school porridge shops we may be used to.
There are printed menus with photos, QR ordering, MICHELIN stickers, marble-look tables, family photos, and old shop images on the wall.
The menu is quite wide, but most of it revolves around a few comforting bases.
You can choose Boiled Rice, Congee, Mee Sua, Tao Chiam, Glass Noodles, or Instant Noodles, then pair them with toppings such as Minced Pork, Pork Liver and Pork Small Intestine.
The signature bowls are useful if you do not want to think too much in the morning.
These include Mee Sua in Clear Broth with Minced Pork, Pork Liver, Pork Small Intestine and Soft Boiled Egg (THB 70), and Instant Noodles with Tom Yum Flavours, pork toppings, soft boiled egg, cheese and black broth served separately (THB 95).
I had the Congee with Grouper Fish Fillets, Minced Pork, Pork Liver, Pork Small Intestine and Century Egg (THB 150). And just look at that century egg.
The congee was soft, warm, and smooth, with tender grouper slices, bits of pork, ginger, coriander, and fried garlic.
While it might be considered plain-tasting for some, this reminded me of what my grandmother used to cook when I was young.
Not exactly the same, of course, but close enough to bring back memories of eating warm porridge at home, usually when I was sick.
I also tried the Mee Sua topped with Pork Spare Ribs (THB 165), Pork Soft Bones, Pork Tails, Soft Boiled Egg and Seaweed, with Black Broth served separately.
The mee sua was soft and light, with a slightly slippery texture.
The black broth was the more interesting part, with a deeper herbal flavour and warm spice notes that reminded me a little of Chinese medicinal soups, but gentler and cleaner.
It was not as peppery as bak kut teh, and not as heavy as some herbal broths.
One thing I really need to mention is the chilli dip.
It had that bright lift and tangy kick, and strangely reminded me of PUTIEN’s chilli sauce in some way.
I added the Kaya Toast (THB 49), because when there is kaya toast on a breakfast menu, it is hard for a Singaporean to act uninterested.
This was just okay for me. The toast was warm and crisp enough, with coconut custard and butter inside, but it did not quite have the fragrance or buttery satisfaction I was hoping for.
Maybe I am too used to our local kaya toast style.
Khao Tom Dibuk is the sort of place you visit for a warm bowl, a few familiar ingredients, and that comforting feeling of breakfast.
Don’t arrive too late though, as it does get quite crowded.
Khao Tom Dibuk
185/11 Phang Nga Road, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Opening Hours: 6am – 1pm (Mon – Sun)
Google Maps – Khao Tom Dibuk
🇹🇭 Click HERE for other PHUKET Food Entries
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