Salvatore's Restaurant in Phuket Town has been on the island for over 27 years. Real authentic Italian flavours featuring local ingredients and an inviting yet sophisticated atmosphere makes Salvatore's one of the top places to eat in Phuket. A trip to Salvatore's Trattoria is a must while in Phuket, especially for lunch or dinner as mouthwatering Italian dishes make their way to your tables straight from Chef and Owner Salvatore Cossu's kitchen.

Homemade bread, extra virgin olive oil and basil mix perfectly well with sintillating meats, pastas and oven-baked dishes that will have you saying “mama mia!”.

In this video, Michael indulges in some of Salvatore's most well-known delights, such as the carpaccio di manzo – an appetizer made with fresh ingredients and parmesan cheese that creeps up to the senses and tickles the palate favourably. Anyone lucky enough to find themselves in Salvatore's will be able to discern the authenticity and love with which all the Italin dishes are tended to and cooked.

A large collection of wines, from several regions around Italy – including Sardinian wine - are paired with several of Salvatore's Italian dishes that make a great combination of flavours.

Fresh pasta is available all day long, including the ravioli stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and spinach – a delectable meal which mixes together flavours straight from Italy to Phuket.

Salvatore's Italian food in Phuket is one of the top restaurant in Southern Thailand – an authentic experience with mediterranean know-how that sings to the palate. Porcini mushrooms are usually difficult to find in Phuket, though Salvatore's intensely flavourful Sardinian dishes provide healthy portions of the coveted vegetable and adds amazing tastes to a number of staple Italian foods in this Phuket restaurant.

Other foods, like homemade limoncello and various Italian desserts and ice cream, such as gelatto and an assortment of Italian fruit sorbets, brings the right kind of ending to an authentically Italian meal in Phuket. 

Salvatore's award-winning Italian restaurant in the heart of Phuket is a must-visit whenever YOU are on the island!

Watch the video review... 

Photography is an art that does not get enough attention. We have documented some of the best from our own muddled perspectives here at think design in the past 49 issues. One that we have yet to give attention to is Alessio Cocchi a talented photographer from Italy who makes Phuket his second home.

Today in addition to his photography, he has created a photography café in Naiharn where you can go and enjoy that cross-pollination of art that we find so compelling here and pushes us to do events like our art dinners. 

Alessio Cocchi today is mainly based in Milan and is best known for his partnership with brands and magazines such as Gucci, Ferragamo and Vogue.  He born into a numerous and creative family that helped him become the creative force that he is today.  Tuscany where he lived as a child still inspires him and the colors and scents of the surrounding landscape became an inspirational source as he explored his own creative instincts that have led him to rise in the world of photography.

He started his career working as an assistant for a fashion and still-life photographer but immediately afterwards, decided to set up his own photo studio and thus launched his career as a professional photographer. At the age of 23, his images had already made their way into prestigious publications such as Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. Alessio's style is characterized by the unique and striking moods he creates through a meticulous study of lighting and its effects.  Today his work allows him to travel all over the world.

The café is a chance to bring some of this photographic inspiration to Phuket and to would be photographers in the future.  Here you can see his work and sample some of the food of his native Italy, letting one inspire the other. What could be better? While sitting at the café and tasting the food, you also can feel the moods he creates in his photography through hi study of light.

One of Alessio Cocchi’s projects is called symmetry. He explained interestingly that the idea of perfection has always been for him an enemy to fight against. It is difficult to be perfect and it is difficult even to come close to perfection and symmetry to him is a representation of this. In the past he was teased and ridiculed for his obsession with symmetry. He believed that by creating symmetry in his photography, he could make everything that I photograph become beautiful. He explains with the following “I am a photographer for passion, principle and fame. My nose is crooked, one of my eyes is slightly smaller than the other and one arm, the right one, a bit longer than the left. I am not symmetrical. No one is symmetrical just as no one is perfect. I know that syllogisms are not popular anymore but since they also are symmetrical, I use them very often. I began to see my photography as if it were a syllogism, a palindrome, seeking perfection. Then I came to the realization that perfection does not always mean beauty. Though not necessarily beautiful, perfection does make things interesting and strange.”  Head on down to the art café in Phuket and check out his work.

Watch the video review... 

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Sweetdreamers Charters believe there is a yacht for everyone! For couples on a romantic getaway there are cabin charter cruises for 6 to 10 days and they have more options for individual travelers, families and friends groups.

SweetDreamers Yacht Charters
9/85 Moo 9, Chaofa Rd, Chalong, Muang, Phuket 83130, Thailand
Tel: 087 277 7395
Email: delphine@sweetdreamers.info
www.sailingtourphuket.com

From the limestone cliffs of Krabi, Phi Phi, and Phang Nga Bay to beautiful isolated beaches on Phuket's West Coast. Whether you wish to snorkel, sun-bathe or just relax, Limestone Adventures will get you there with style.

Sunshine Charter Ltd.
Phuket Boat Lagoon, 20/16 Moo 2
Thepkrasattri Road, Koh Kaew
Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Tel: +66 76 273 328
Fax: +66 76 239 559
Email: phuket@limestoneadventures.com
Website: www.limestoneadventures.com

With over eight years of providing sailing and motor boat charters around the islands and beaches of Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Phang Nga Bay and The Similan Islands, Epic Charters continue to exceed clients’ expectations.

Epic Charters Co., Ltd.
Ao Chalong, Phuket, Thailand.
T: +66 (0) 89 852 9142
E: info@epic-charters.com
Website: www.epic-charters.com

Asia Marine offers a comprehensive range of charter options including bareboats, crewed boats and luxury yachts in one of the most exciting, memorable, gorgeous and friendly corners of the world.

If you are looking for a yacht charter, Phuket is a stunning destination that offers the best of Thailand. Asia Marine offers a comprehensive range of charter options including bareboats, crewed boats and luxury yachts.

Asia Marine is pleased to offer you a large range of bare boats as monohulls and catamarans, for all budgets. See also our exclusive yachts: only at Asia Marine, in Phuket.

Our extensive fleet of crewed boats are standing by to cater to your every need. We have a range of crewed yachts from standard to luxury and power boats, suitable for a couple, a family, a group of friends or more...

Asia Marine Ltd.
Park Plaza A, Boat Lagoon Soi 6, Thepkasattri Road, T. Koh Kaew Phuket 83000 Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 76 239 111, Fax: +66 (0) 76 238 974
Website: www.asia-marine.net

This is a subject that can be debated all day long. of course we like to debate and we welcome your suggestions.

Phuket is blessed with hundreds of great pools from which to watch the sunset, get cooled off and have a nice drink. Here are 5 that we like, nicely spread around the island so one of these is always close to you. We chose pools that can be accessed by the general public so feel  free to show up and don’t forget to order a drink!

The Hyatt in Kamala

The point by Como in Cape Yamu

The Westin at Siray Island

The Naka

Kata Rocks

This beach club is part of the Laguna complex and regularly gets internationally know DJs in for special evenings. Another good place to drink and dance near the sea.

With its stunning location, 35 metre pool, state of the art sound system and cocktail and food menus to die for, XANA, Phuket’s most stylish beach club, is the ultimate venue to enjoy the island at its best – day or night.

The brainchild of the renowned Singapore club Attica, XANA beach club was launched in Laguna Beach Resort, Bang Tao, in 2012. It is an entertainment led venue that offers a lot more than just beautiful surroundings, delicious food and perfectly mixed drinks. As a leading event company put it, ‘XANA is Phuket’s first REAL beach club’.

With a picture-perfect backdrop by the sea, XANA features beach loungers, poolside day beds and VIP cabanas to accommodate up to 10 people. It also lends itself perfectly for events of all kinds from private gatherings to launches and weddings, with the added bonus of onsite accommodation at Angsana Laguna Phuket Hotel.

Xana Beach Club With Attica:
Angsana Laguna Phuket
10 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay,
Thalang Phuket 83110, Thailand

XANA’s private parking available on BangTao Bay (In Laguna Phuket)
Tel: 66 (0)76 324 101, Fax: 66 (0)76 324 108
Website: www.xanabeachclub.com

Blow is the VIP club of Seduction, an open air lounge where you will get up close and personal with some of the island’s best DJs. Starts late and ends very late or early....

The 1st Floor of Seduction Disco, 70/3 Bangla Rd., Kathu, Patong, Phuket
Tel: 076-343173-5
www.blowvip.com

Aussie Bar in Kamala has plenty of long term ex-pats sitting at the bar and these colorful characters will tell you about island life better than anyone.

This Kamala bar has plenty of long term ex-pats sitting at the bar and these colourful characters will tell you about island life better than anyone.

Aussie Bar
Bangla Road, Ban Patong, Phuket, Thailand 83150
Website: www.aussiebarphuket.com

Breeze is located at the entrance of the Cape Yamu complex and has a lovely, open facility. Their menu combines local flavours with international cooking styles into an unforgettable experience…

Breeze is located at the entrance of the Cape Yamu complex and has a lovely, open and well organized facility, one that instantly makes the visitor feel at ease. There are pieces of art hanging here and there, large comfortable tables that allow small and large groups spread out. The staff is well trained, attentive and very friendly so you can expect to be well taken care of. I would describe the ambiance as outdoor classy, tropical allowing a casual meal without feeling buttoned up. Through the glass viewing window of the large kitchen, we could see the chefs scurrying around and it certainly added to our anticipation of what was about to come.Cheryl, the head chef as well as the rest of the team, are culinary magicians so simply ask her about specials and cocktails that come directly from the kitchen to get the evening rolling. The menu combines local flavors with international cooking styles into an unforgettable experience. There is plenty for all to choose from and the overall experience will be fantastic. We are happy to recommend it.

breeze at cape yamu
Cape Yamu, Phuket
Telephone: +66 (0) 81 271 2320
Email: breeze@capeyamu.com
Website: www.breezecapeyamu.com

We have had our eye on Paresa for a long time. We had reviewed the restaurant years ago and then see it have an up and down ride as kitchen personnel changed quickly over time. We were looking forward to giving it a good look again and we had found the right time. As usual the reviews bring the hope is that you, the reader, will find some common ground with our opinions and use them to your dining benefit as many of you already do and as always, we try to cover the gamut of food tastes and give an honest and diverse assessment of the restaurants that we review.

Dawid, the new general manager at Paresa who really knows his wines, genuinely appears to care whether people like what they’re drinking. This being Phuket, prices at the low end of the long list aren’t cheap but they are a well thought out grouping and add dramatically to the dining experience.  We began by sipping prosecco while enjoying the views which from Paresa are absolutely spectacular. You can hear the waves crashing on the rocks below; this is truly one of the most spectacular spots in Phuket. The terrace is magically built into the trees and one large amazing old growth tree dominates the terrace with lanterns hung from it.

We began with a little starter selection of three, guacamole with crab, burreta cheese with aged balsamico and ricotta with black truffle. All three of these were delicious and a wonderful way to start a lovely evening of food and company. The diverse flavors were perfectly balanced We continued with a selection of smoked fish, tataki of tuna, red snapper Carpaccio and sea bass tartar which were delicately prepared and perfect. Try this dish, you will be glad you did and for our group, we could not help but linger on this. While we ate this, we combined it with a glass of sake, which was an inspired combination. Next, we had a risotto with grilled lobster that was also lovely. The wine pairings were perfect and guided by Dawid himself.

Next we devoured a Pan seared cod with crispy skin and calamata olive mash crispy capers and fennel which came with a lovely rose. Again this dish was fantastic, fresh and perfectly cooked with the crunchy skin providing magical texture. Finally, we worked on a Beef Rossini dish made from beef cheeks with a truffle and madera wine sauce. This was paired with a lovely California cabernet. Everyone also loved this, heavy yet intense in flavor and a perfect conclusion to the main dishes.

We rested for a bit, finished our wine and soaked in the atmosphere and appreciated the sea air. We finished with a deconstructed tiramisu which was famously paired with a glass of lemoncello which of course we had several of. If you have ever wondered what our reviews are like you can go to youtube-thinkmediahq to see this review. You might be amused. We are very happy to recommend Diavolo at Paresa Resort to all our readers. It is truly a magical dining experience.

The food, the service and the design atmosphere all add up to a truly fantastic experience here at Nahmyaa at the Como Hotel, so visiting it is a must for all lovers of high-end Thai cuisine and good wine.

Hi-end Thai restaurants are a tricky thing. This is not at all a fair statement to put it mildly but many of us consider sitting at the edge of a Soi with heavy foot traffic passing by as the only way to enjoy Thai food, that being cheap and interesting. In this issue we have reviewed two excellent restaurants that break this mold and do truly remarkable food in a gracious setting while providing history, culture and the best gastronomy that Thailand has to offer. I certainly feel fortunate to have known both just as they opened so I am not missing any opportunities to enjoy these wonderful flavors and unique dishes and presentation- I repeat this initial paragraph in both for clarity.The Como Hotel is beautifully designed as mentioned in a previous story. We were here for the food so got right to it after a quick cocktail. I had already heard great things about Nahmyaa so I was determined to find out if this was hyperbole or it really was groundbreaking.

After perusing the menu, we got started right away. We began with 2 salads that were part traditional and also part modern. First, we tried the marinated black kingfish with lemongrass, mint and chili. Next came the coconut poached chicken, fern tip, and wing beans with toasted coconut. Both salads were tremendous dishes, there was something modern gastronomic about them, combining flavors and textures perfectly. Our group highly recommended both and I still have wonderful memories of them, days later. We continued with a Southern Thai spiced wagyu oxtail soup with baby potatoes, tomatoes and fried shallots which also made everyone happy and made for great discussion.We continued with a couple of different curries and I wondered what spin executive Chef Daniel Moran would be putting on these dishes.  He certainly has a way of mixing local flavors with international ideas and gastronomic principles, something we certainly appreciated that night and a few times since. The curries are presented with a variety of rice options from brown to red to jasmine. Who would just get white rice with all those options? We soon found what Daniel could invent in a curry as we deliciously tested a blue crab in rich coconut curry a dish seasoned wonderfully with turmeric, young ginger and black pepper. Simply fantastic.

The second curry that we tried was the Massaman lamb curry which is pretty common in Thailand but not like this.  The dish was presented with sweet potato cucumber and papaya pickle and the flavors made this the most unusual and wonderful preparation of the dish. Everything was as good as we could have hoped and the food was living up to the hype. We discussed, enjoyed some wine and continued with the stir fried local spinach with garlic and coconut milk, so simple yet so delicious. We then finished expanding our waistlines with the beef rib with smoky tomato and tamarind sauce. The meat was perfectly cooked and for those looking for something less experimental, this dish will do the trick. It also showed another side to the food, a simpler but still unique offering. The wine list is ample and the service is very attentive. We tried a couple of inventive desserts next. We had the Jasmine scented noodles with seasonal fruit and shaved ice and the dish reminded me of something that Ferran Adria might prepare, simple yet somehow complex. We finished the night with a tapioca and black bean pudding with poached bananas and salted coconut, another inventive dish that had us all impressed.The food, the service and the design atmosphere all add up to a fantastic experience you must try and one we certainly recommend Nahmyaa to all our readers.

Nahmyaa Thai Restaurant 

POINT YAMU BY COMO, PHUKET 

225 Moo 7, Paklok, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand 

Tel +66 (0) 76 360100 

Email pointyamu@comohotels.com

The owners of Royale Nom Tok, Corry and Marc, moved to Phuket a few years ago and opened this unique restaurant: their living room during the day becomes the dining room in the evening.

This sports bar on the northern tip is the place to watch a game, get some pub food and drink some pints in an international setting in Mai Khao beach.

Bill Bentley Pub

Open Every Day  11:00 am 'til Midnight

889 Moo 3, Turtle Village, Mai Khao, Phuket, Thailand

Call +66 7631 4818

Website: www.billbentleypub.com