The restaurant is inside the Trisara luxury resort, nestled among the hills of northwestern Phuket, in a tranquil environment away from tourist hotspots.

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PRU refers to the establishment’s philosophy of “plant, raise and understand” its ingredients, similar to the minimalist, ingredient-focused approach to food that put acclaimed Copenhagen restaurant Noma on the map. The spotlight at PRU extends beyond Thai ingredients to the produce, and finding out about and tasting items such as cheese from Chiang Mai. This opened our eyes to the wonderful food landscape in the Land of Smiles.

Each dish on the menu showcased ingredients from different parts of Thailand which whetted our appetite and curiosity. For 4,500 baht (US$150) we opted for the six-course signature menu. For an additional 850 baht you can secure Wagyu beef raised in Nakhon Phanom in the northeast of the country.

Highlights of the evening included the pickle salted egg from the southern Chai Ya district in Surat Thani province, that was served with abalone from Phuket island. The yolk was poached to a gooey consistency where it’s not as salty as Chinese salted egg. When paired with the abalone, it provided a lighter and brighter version of its counterpart in Chinese cuisine.

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Carrots, cooked in the soil they grew in, blow your mind with their simplicity. The dish consisted of numerous textures and flavours, and it is difficult to believe it was just made from the humble root vegetable. It would be a vegan’s delight.

The star of the show was the aged duck and Thai cherries, called Roaming in the mountains of Petchabun, from a central province in the country. Dry-ageing duck is not new, but the texture was smooth and succulent with a delicate crispy skin. Combined with luscious, juicy black cherries, it made the perfect match. We wonder whether this would have been our favourite dish if we weren’t so impressed that all the ingredients on the plate had such a small carbon footprint.

A delightful surprise that wasn’t on the menu was the gorgeous cheese board, a lot of which was made in Chiang Mai. The soft cheese was a clear winner with its creamy texture but as niche cheesemakers, some of the punchy and gamy flavours in varieties such as goat’s cheese could be stronger.

For dessert, the beetroot moose paired with blackberries was such an interesting combination that we ended the meal on a high note. The slight acidity of the vegetable brought out the aromas of the fruit and we loved the creativity of chef Ophorst.

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We were impressed with the cooperation between the restaurant and the hotel. Phuket is a popular family destination and while children must be 12 years old to eat at the restaurant, guests at Trisara receive complimentary babysitting.

The philosophy behind the restaurant and the operations are extremely mindful of the diners, the ingredients they put on the plates and the environment as a whole by sourcing its ingredients within the country. Our minds were opened to the range of ingredients Thailand has to offer and we look forward to great culinary things not only from chef Ophorst and the country.

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