Phuket is famous for a lot of things. Food hasn’t always been one of them—but that’s all changing. From Chef Jimmy’s sustainably delectable Michelin-star fare at Pru to outdoor markets with an eye for ingredients in Phuket Town, this travel haven on the Andaman is getting tastier. 

 

One of the latest in the fine dining additions has been Hom at the Intercontinental Phuket who hit the scene last year and garnered attention for its focus on locavorism and seasonal ingredients found on Phuket. Now, the hit restaurant has launched its new tasting menu, featuring “10 Moments” (B3,750).

 

 

Bangkok foodies might remember the Chef de Cuisine Ricardo Nunes as the sous chef at the Michelin-starred Potong in Chinatown. Famed for their methods and clever ingredients, it’s no surprise to see fermentation and clever ingredients on the menu at Hom. Also from our very own Bangkok is restaurant manager Peter Lucas from Baan Tepa and Savelberg. 

 

From the dishes to the drinks, fermentation plays a big role in most items found on the menu at Hom; they even boast their very own fermentation expert in resident Spanish zymologist Mateo Polanco. 

 

On the new tasting menu, guests can expect dishes like the coconut and smoked caviar, which is served with macadamia sauce and preserved palm seeds inside a young coconut for an otherworldly, almost smokey taste mingling with the freshness of the fruit. 

 

Also of note is the yeast butter cooked Baby Squid served with fermented hmaing and squid broth, and the Wild Boar, fermented and served in a paste of barley koji and black durian. 

 

If you’re going to Hom for the Insta, the dessert dish you’ve been waiting for is the Sunflower Amazake, which will arrive at your table as the fresh face of a sunflower, inside featuring sunflower seed amazake parfait and a crust of bee pollen. While guests can opt for a wine pairing with the 10 Moments tasting menu, Hom is also on hand with the fermented drinks. 

 

Another important facet of Phuket’s latest fine dining offering is the setting. This is, of course, a five-star hotel on Kamala beach, so you can expect vim in the surroundings. However, the grand, bright white Sawan Pavilion really sets the stage for what is an elegant, careful dining experience. 

 

Photo: Hom sunflower amazake / Intercontinental Phuket Resort

 

Should diners be staying at the hotel and its 221 rooms and villas, note that there are plenty of other drinking and dining options to explore, including the fine dining at Jaras, Pinto, pool bites and cocktails at Pine, and Japanese at Tengoku.

 

Fine dining is by no means a new concept on Phuket, but this new offering from Hom puts a focus on local ingredients from local farms in a way few in this area care to do. Don't just go to Phuket. Eat it.