I wanted to try at least one MICHELIN-listed restaurant while in Phuket, and Restaurant ROYD seemed like the one to go for.
For one, it was in Phuket Old Town, not too far from where I was already exploring (some of the others like Pru seemed too far away).
Also, I was curious to see how Southern Thai flavours would be presented in a more refined tasting menu.
ROYD is located along Dibuk Road in a rust-red shophouse that stands out quite quietly among the pastel buildings nearby.
Inside, the mood is more intimate, with counter seats, table seating, soft lighting and a slower rhythm to the meal.
The restaurant focuses on Southern Thai cuisine, with its tasting menu presented as a journey through the south, shaped by the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, local produce, monsoon weather, seafood, herbs and regional cooking traditions.
I had the 8-course menu, priced at THB 3,950++ at the time of visit.
There is also a 5-course menu at THB 3,290++, while pork-free and pescatarian menus are available upon request.
The meal started with small bites that were pretty, but not just pretty.
The Tofu Skin Tart with Smoked Pig Head, Chayote Pickle and Spiced Tamarind Sauce was fatty, smoky, sweet and sour, all compressed into one neat mouthful.
The pork was braised with Chinese five-spice and smoked over charcoal, then balanced with tamarind jelly, chayote pickle and peanut powder. This had a Thai-Chinese character that felt familiar in flavour, but more refined in form.
I enjoyed the Bitter Bean and Shrimp Paste with Homemade Bread more than I expected.
Bitter bean and shrimp paste can sound quite ‘fierce’ together, but the warm brioche-style bread shaped like a canelé helped soften the edges.
Served with sticky chilli crab meat and pickled shallot, it felt almost like ROYD’s Southern Thai version of bread and butter, except with more funk, heat and personality.
Brightness returned with the Andaman Squid with Phuket Pineapple and Southern Thai Sour Curry.
I liked that it did not taste like a Western tasting menu borrowing Thai flavours for decoration. The Southern Thai sourness was still there, just more controlled.
For the Malindjo with Ranong Thai Krill Shrimp and Smoked Hua Hin Caviar, I needed the explanation to appreciate it more.
The staff described Malindjo leaf as a simple Southern Thai ingredient, often stir-fried with egg or white sauce as a side dish, but ROYD presented it in different forms, including pickled, dehydrated and powdered.
At one point, it almost looked like a green matcha-style sauce, though the flavour was earthier and more savoury.
The Krabi Fish Curry with Frog Leg and Homemade Rice Noodle was one of the stronger savoury courses for me.
The curry was spicy, creamy and thick, made with sun-dried fish, soy sauce, lemongrass, chilli and a little coconut milk.
The frog leg was not there just to sound adventurous; it added a gentle meatiness, and the whole dish made me wish the portion was slightly bigger.
The meal returned to rice with the Phatthalung Tubtim Organic Rice with Klong Phai Farm Organic Duck and Kolae Sauce, which I appreciated after many small composed plates.
The staff explained that the rice had been prepared with coconut crumbs, which explained why it had more fragrance than expected.
Dessert moved into something lighter with the Phuket Pineapple Sorbet with Pineapple Chip, which helped refresh the palate after the richer savoury courses.
Then came Banana Nananana, which used banana in several forms, including banana leaf oil, sun-dried banana, banana cake, banana ice cream, banana chips and banana skin powder.
With a name like that, the dish clearly had a bit of humour, but it did not feel gimmicky.
The Petit Four also ended the meal with some personality.
There was grass jelly with red bean flavour, a crispy roti bite with goat milk buttercream, and even a lucky number element because, according to the staff, Thailand loves playing the lottery.
While I did not love every course equally, ROYD showed how Southern Thai flavours could be refined without losing too much of their bite.
It may not have a MICHELIN Star now, being listed under MICHELIN Selected instead, but based on this meal, I would not be surprised if it gets there one day.
Restaurant ROYD Phuket
95/1 Dibuk Road, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Opening Hours: Lunch seating 12pm – 2pm (Sat – Sun),
Dinner seatings 5pm / 8:15pm (Mon, Thurs – Sun), Closed Tues, Wed
Google Maps – Restaurant ROYD Phuket
🇹🇭 Click HERE for other PHUKET Food Entries
Other Related Entries
Roti Taew Nam (Phuket)
Go Benz (Phuket)
A Pong Mae Sunee (Phuket)
Campus Coffee Roasters (Phuket)
Ta Tuay (Phuket)
* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
