A Modern Peranakan Night – Phuket
Words: Han Sen Hau
Photos: Monica Tindall
We’re used to surprises. Rather, we like to think it comes with the job. Being part of a culture that continuously reinvents itself, it is not really surprising when a novel ingredient is tossed in, or a hotel room opens up to an unbelievable view. However, this affirmation does not diminish the pleasure indulged at every reveal we’ve experienced thus far.
It’s not so much the anticipation of a surprise at every destination—there’s almost, always something intriguing about each place we visit—but the nature of it and how that unravels before us. In other words, we embrace surprises much like a child would at a birthday party: there will probably be cake, presents, and lots of people, though the who, what, and how would continue to tickle our hearts until the actual unveiling. These are pleasant times.
Then, there’s the other kind of surprise. The kind that leaves us thanking our stars that we are properly dressed for the occasion and aren’t caught in our Sunday beach best. That was exactly what we got when we were chauffeured from our suite at Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay (which you can read more about here) to Zenmaya Oceanfront Phuket just across the street, which, in retrospect, should have been a tip-off on how the rest of our evening would progress.
This dear writer was simply thankful that he decided to ditch the idea of dressing simply (meaning tank top and shorts just in case dinner ended before the last shuttle for Patong Beach departed) for what he thought would have been a casual affair among familiar faces, or at least names, possibly at an al fresco area because we’re always obsessed with natural lighting. But the moment the doors opened to the Zeascape Wineroom at Zenmaya, and as we walked past the real housewives of Phuket to our table, we could hear and feel every sphincter in our body immediately contract.
Not only would dinner be served by Master Chef Kent Vatcharavee, a man who’s cooked for Thai royalty, but wine would also be poured into our glasses by the winner of Thailand’s Best Sommelier 2012, Chalong Songkroh. By sheer providence, we would also be dining directly in sight of the hotel’s owners. Were we in for a review, or were we being reviewed ourselves? Needless to say, we sat with our backs perfectly straight as if we were part of the Vienna Philharmonic while our “Modern Peranakan Night” commenced.
Quelle surprise!
A Modern Peranakan Night – Starters
Arriving just in time to quell our anxiety was a trio of delectable morsels from the sea, a Stewed Squid in Black Soy Sauce and Lime Juice with Fresh Chilli, Deep Fried Prawn with Southern Style Tamarind Sauce and Deep-fried Soft Shell Crab with Turmeric, Southern Style. As the focus of the evening was Peranakan cuisine prepared to Southern Thai palates … let’s just say Monica was in for a fiery feast, though Chef Kent was incredibly accommodating by reducing the heat for many of the dishes we savoured. The only other kindness that could top that consideration was the fact that he code-switched to English after explaining each dish eloquently in Thai for the sake of the only two non-natives in the room.
He’s made it very difficult for us to be truly objective about this dinner experience with that level of charisma.
Anyway, the squid was incredibly fresh with just the right amount of bite and chew, as much of the luscious flesh could be gulped down within a few bites, sans sinewy fibres. The black soy sauce was tinged with a hint of spice that flitted above the tongue, while the fried garlic filled the nose with a pleasurable aroma.
The cut of prawn concealed the crustacean’s meatiness; it was so tender, we’d believe the chef if he told us he caught them just before dinner. The accompanying tamarind sauce introduced a welcome acidity to the savoury batter coating the prawn, and it was one of the smoothest tamarind sauces relished as it did not overwhelm the meat with an astringent pungency.
Lastly, there’s the soft-shell crab crowned with edible flowers and sprouts and peppered with turmeric. The turmeric definitely added a spicy complexity to the crisp meat, and considering how this piece flourished with a persistent, spicy profile that burnt slowly and evenly, it went surprisingly well with the glass of 2021 Bottega Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie paired with the appetisers. The glistening white combatted the spice effectively with an appetising minerality and savouriness, offering a swift reset before our nostrils moistened and tear ducts activated. The wine’s jammy sweetness bubbled up when sipped immediately between bites, adding more layers of sheer bliss to an already strong start for dinner.
Heritage Salad
I gasped a little when the Peranakan Salad arrived on the table as I instantly recognised it as an incredibly luxurious variant of a popular dish back home: Rojak Pasembur! Prepared with crisp lettuce, trimmed bean sprouts, fried onions, boiled egg, dehydrated tofu crisps, and grilled prawns (an upgrade from the usual squid), the salad was an intensely satisfying melange of crisp textures, juicy crustaceans, and gooey coconut and tamarind sauce. While I would consider the peanut sauce an essential component of Rojak Pasembur, Chef Kent’s vision cast away all scepticism through the use of fragrant coconut and tangy tamarind that coated the dehydrated, fried tofu crisps so indulgently. More impressively, the bean sprouts have had their heads and tails snipped off, thus removing their distinct musky scent, which would have interfered with the salad’s overall appeal.
The same bottle of Pinot Grigio was paired with the Peranakan Salad, and the wine held its ground even in the face of a higher Scoville score. The same jammy sweetness made its presence known between sips again, and the wine doused the flames rather efficiently.
Heritage Soup
The subsequent Heritage Soup was an interesting juxtaposition of heavy flavours and light mouthfeel. Lovers of shellfish and the sea would clamour over this briny broth as Chef Kent was incredibly generous with the amount of clams and mussels tossed into it. The broth was prepared as a Tom Kha, so a little bit of that coconut milk did wonders to bind the saltiness with a splash of sweetness. Diced green chilli could be found swimming in the soup, though they were notably less spicy than the previous Heritage Salad.
A 2021 Santa Barbara Stefano Antonucci “Animale Celeste” Sauvignon Blanc was poured to accompany the broth, which was an idiosyncratic choice by the sommelier because we’d normally expect a lighter, brighter, perhaps fruitier white to gently wash away the lingering saltiness of the clams. However, we had to remind ourselves that dinner this evening extolled the virtues of Southern Thai cuisine with a Peranakan twist, meaning very strong flavours ahead. Thus, in that regard, the pairing worked because the Sauvignon Blanc allowed the flavours from the soup to grip onto the tongue just a little longer. On that note, this particular bottle was a departure from the usual Antipodean varieties, which would be fruitier and sweeter.
After that potent third act, we were all given a scoop of Yuzu Sorbet as a palate cleanser before we moved on to the mains. Food for thought: yuzu has been the reigning champion for best palate cleanser for so long that we wondered if that crown could be passed on to a more local (read: Southeast Asia) fruit, such as wax apples or guava. We have such a wealth of different fruits here that it would be a shame if they weren’t expressed and explored in different forms.
Main Dish 1 – Phuket Vermicelli with Crab Meat
The first main of the evening packed a serious punch, and it did so with the silkiest, softest, and smoothest rice vermicelli drenched in yellow curry. I have never been happier to witness such a common and often overlooked ingredient being served at an exclusive event. The dish was essentially a very well made Kanom Jeen, a local staple that’s elevated with the use of the plumpest crab meat, though the rice vermicelli remained the highlight of the dish as it worked overtime to soak up the yellow curry, enriching each bite with a burst of flavour that brought tears to our eyes. Yes, it was that spicy, but it was worth incinerating our tongues.
Fortunately, we were still able to enjoy the 2021 Kellerei St. Pauls Chardonnay Alto Adige DOC served with this as the curry elicited a barley-like sweetness from the Chardonnay. A familiar name and a vineyard we visited six years ago, Kellerei St. Pauls reawakened our senses with a caramel-y entry, persisting acidity, and yellow apple finish when enjoyed on its own.
Main Dish 2 – Stewed Beef Cheek Massaman
The second and final main was an equally powerful contender in the form of a Stewed Beef Cheek Massaman. Being Malaysian, I am obligated to love the rendang curry that’s worshipped in my neck of the woods, though I confess I have committed treason as I personally prefer the smoother and creamier massaman curry, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with Chef Kent’s uniquely deconstructed massaman paste that formed the base of this dish. The beef itself was sinfully fatty, even though it’s been dry aged for 65 days, but the highlight of the dish was the Venn diagram of overlapping massaman curry paste and mashed potato puree that was so addictive with every bite of the beef cheek.
The formidable main was matched with a robust 2020 Masseria Li Veli Passamante Negroamaro Salice Salentino DOC. With a heady bouquet that filled the nose with dark chocolates, the full-bodied Negroamaro coated the tongue with a velvety texture and fruity finish. The wine was a fitting pair to the beef and managed to retain its own distinct personality after every bite by introducing a subtle confection to electrify the taste buds.
Heritage Dessert
Finally, dessert arrived in the form of a bite-sized Banana Crêpes Suzette served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Popped Rice. The light pastry owed its colour to fragrant pandan, while the popped rice was a delight as it offered a break in texture and mouthfeel against the creamy banana filling and vanilla ice cream.
Like the previous Heritage Soup, which brandished the flavours of the sea with a savoury Sauvignon Blanc, the sweetness of the crêpes was further enhanced with an effervescent 2021 Saracco Moscato d’Asti DOP.
A Modern Peranakan Night – Final Thoughts
Now, of course, this piece cannot be read strictly as a conventional review, for it chronicled a once-in-a-lifetime experience and menu that only existed for a weekend in Phuket. However, it was a testament to the level of quality that Zenmaya Oceanfront Phuket (and, by that extension, Wyndham Grand) espouses in their approach to cuisine. Need we remind you who they invited to pour wine and serve dinner?
We also found out later that the price to attend “A Modern Peranakan Night” was jaw-droppingly inexpensive, considering the cast of characters, at only 1,950 baht per person (an additional 500 baht for the wine pairing). For comparison, it costs about 300 baht for a 15-minute taxi ride from the hotel to Patong Beach.
What a deal. And what a story.
Many thanks to Dominic Egger once more for making our stay at Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay ever so eventful, and we also cannot forget Nutticha for accommodating us. We imagine she was equally surprised to see us, just as we were stunned to have our plates filled by Chef Kent and glasses full by Chalong. It may have been just a modern Peranakan night to everyone else, but it truly was a night to remember for The Yum List.
- Dinner was served at the Zeascape Wineroom located within Zenmaya Oceanfront Phuket. The wine selection was curated by Texica Wine.
Zenmaya Oceanfront Phuket
6/181 Kamala, Kathu District
Phuket 83150, Thailand
+66 76 336 888
Find more gourmet travel recommendations for Phuket here and stay up-to-date with the latest gourmet and travel happenings in Malaysia and globally here and here.