hom Phuket – Fine-dining Restaurant
Words: Joanna Florento
Photos: Monica Tindall
Part laboratory, part temple of taste, hom Phuket challenges palates and perceptions with a fermentation-forward fine dining experience like no other.
Gleaming brightly like a gem set within InterContinental Phuket Resort’s pristine gardens, hom is at once imposing and alluring. Everything about it draws our eyes, from its multi-tiered ornate pavilion to its mirrored walkway sparkling with mirrors as far as the eye can see. Our journey to the entrance is a slow one as we pause to admire all the little details: tranquil ponds with lotus flowers, koi fish statues cast in bronze, and a stunning ivory-coloured pagoda that draws our gaze skyward. With an impressive reputation for presenting showstopping dishes curated through a process of careful fermentation, hom Phuket is no stranger to patience and intuition. Curiosity (and appetites) piqued, we take our time, ascend the steps, and enter.
hom Phuket
hom’s double doors open grandly to reveal its stunning interior, with high ceilings, clean lines, and beautifully patterned tiles depicting various scenes from Thai mythology. With varying shades of ivory and cream splashed throughout, we feel as if we’re entering a dreamscape set high in the clouds. hom’s name denotes a heavenly fragrance, giving the restaurant a transcendent quality that complements its steadfast focus on zero-waste and deliberate fermentation. However, hom Phuket stays grounded with an ethos underwritten by a deep connection to nature and a passion for showcasing local ingredients.
10-Moment Tasting Menu
Intrigued and enchanted, we take our seats to sample hom’s 10-Moment Tasting Menu, an experience carefully curated by Chef Ricardo Nuñez. We are greeted warmly by Watchara (Bird) Leelao, Manager and Sommelier, who presents us with personalised menus and guides us through our journey – not just dishes to be savoured, but moments to be remembered long after our visit. Bird was awarded Thailand’s Best Sommelier in 2018, and we lean into his expertise wholeheartedly.
Nature’s Rhythm
As we settle in, a recorded message through headphones immerses us in hom’s philosophy. It creates a multi-sensory experience that grounds us and enhances our appreciation of the moment. Then, servers swiftly clear the table, leaving only a small, artful vase of fresh white orchids. With the stage set, we begin our amuse-bouche.
We’re presented with a trio of options cleverly concealed on a small verdant platter abloom with fresh plants, flowers, and shells. We reach for a small bouquet with herbs wrapped around kanzuri jam, and okra leaves sorbet. It vanishes in a cold, slightly crispy and tangy bite. Next, we slip the small blood clams in our mouths and bite through the shells. With roasted mussel emulsion and blood clam garum, they’re pleasantly crunchy and surprisingly easy to consume. Finally, we enjoy the deliciously pungent fermented cabbage, served with buffalo tartare and brain emulsion. How such a wide range of flavours can be elegantly encompassed in a small dumpling, we’ll never know.
Chemins des Terroirs Champagne Grand Cru ‘Avize’
Bird presents us with a cold glass of Chemins des Terroirs Champagne Grand Cru ‘Avize’ to accompany the amuse-bouche. Bold and acidic, it complements our small bites with notes of lemon and grapefruit. Delicious.
Nam Kaeng Sai
Shortly after, Bird returns with a vintage ice machine in vibrant blue, and we know we are in for a treat. We are given a small bowl of Scallop Nam Kaeng Sai, featuring scallops mixed in a bed of salak (snake fruit), shaved ice, sesame seed miso, moromi, and finger lime. The shaved ice is incredibly refreshing and crafted from three components: salak (snake fruit), fermented coconut water, and bay leaf infusion. The moromi bursts with umami; a testament to hom’s dedication to fermentation. Drizzled with chilli and rose vinegar syrup, we are advised to mix everything together to ensure that every bite is representative of all components. Each spoonful is lusciously creamy and punctuated by the unique taste of snake fruit. The scallop within is very tender, and the spice level is adjusted for our palates. This tastes like a heavenly, savoury dessert.
S.C.O.B.Y.
Next, we dip our spoons into a bowl of S.C.O.B.Y. with oysters, tamarillo, garcinia nata, cha muang kombucha, and pickled coriander seeds. The tamarillo complements the kombucha, providing a tartness that contrasts nicely. At the same time, the oysters add an element of minerality reminiscent of the sea. Keeping in line with hom Phuket’s spotlight on local ingredients, the oysters are sourced from the nearby Surat Thani province. The kombucha is infused with jasmine flowers and sprinkled with preserved coriander seeds.
Sant Antoine Vieilles Vignes Chablis 2022
Our first two moments are paired with a glass of Sant Antoine Vieilles Vignes Chablis (2022), a dry Chardonnay from Burgundy. Its acidity is achieved by eschewing the oak aging process. This particular wine has an almost creamy flavour that cleverly shape-shifts in profile between its pairing with the first moment, showcasing more notes of vanilla, and the second, with a slightly more tart and bitter finish. It’s another excellent choice.
Sa-Tor
We are then presented with a medley of Thai stink beans, berries, red curry shio koji, lightly fermented strawberry vinaigrette, and ant eggs. The ant eggs appear milky but pack a surprising vinegary punch. The stink beans’ slight bitterness melds smoothly with the tartness of the fresh berries and vinaigrette. The shio koji adds a dash of salty umami that expertly balances out the hint of spice. Every spoonful we enjoy increases the depth and complexity of this deceptively simple creation.
Butterfly
As luck would have it, a butterfly alights on our table mid-meal. However, this is no ordinary butterfly. It’s made of ma euk (hairy-fruited eggplant), bee pollen amazake (fermented rice liquid), pickled beetroot, mushroom garum and macadamia nuts. It’s served perched on flowering plants jutting from a small decorative vase. Its body is made from shredded macadamia and given structure by ma-euk, while its wings are crafted from edible flowers. We take small nibbles, admiring its crispy texture and herbaceous taste, while notes of caviar linger after every bite.
Kirizan Junmai Daiginjo Sake
In between these two moments, we take small sips of Kirizan Junmai Daiginjo Sake from Niigata prefecture in Japan. It’s light and dry, with ample umami and a long finish. Its dryness pairs well with the strong flavours of the sa-tor, ma-euk and caviar. It’s a nice detour.
Snail
Served directly in their shells, our apple sea snails from Rawai market in the south of Phuket are as fresh as they can possibly be. Featuring smoked corn custard, corn mirin, fermented shrimp, red pepper tamari, and chicken wing garum, the snails are delicacies that call for slow and deliberate enjoyment. The sea snail meat has been slow-cooked in marigold oil and dressed with dried shrimp and red pepper vinaigrette, infusing it with maximum flavour. We start from the innermost part of the shell and sample the custard made from smoky corn dashi. We take care to catch some bits of snail with every bite. It’s rich, creamy, and bursting with umami.
Starfish
Beautifully plated on a bed of red algae, the starfish dazzles and delights. Cleverly constructed from isobeyaki (pan-fried rice cake) and brushed with a thin coat of kapi (shrimp paste), the starfish has a chewy texture grounded in the familiar flavours of fish roe. The caramelised crab garum brushed across the bottom adds a slight crunch and hint of sweetness.
Sato Devanom
A cool glass of Sato Devanom arrives to ground these two moments. In between sips, we learn that sato is a fermented Thai rice wine made from glutinous rice, traditionally enjoyed in northern Thailand. By turns fruity and sweet, it reminds Bird fondly of his childhood as his grandfather enjoyed this type of drink. It’s interesting to sample, but a few sips are enough.
Deep-fried Cheese
Just when we believe we’re encountering a moment that feels more familiar, hom Phuket compels us to think again. Served in a small woven basket with stalks of barley, the koji resembles bread but surprises us with its composition of fermented cooked grains inoculated with a specific mould. hom uses koji with 90% of their dishes, and one bite tells us why – it’s incredibly flavourful and surprising in its texture. The fried cheese is cow cheese from Chiang Rai, and the lacto mushrooms and blackened pickled figs add a depth that pleasantly subverts our expectations.
Fermented Cherries
My personal favourite, the fermented cherries moment, features confit grouper served alongside blackened egg fruit and pine nut miso. The grouper is tender, while the mussel miso foam expertly plays on the tartness of the fermented cherry sauce. If I could, I would eat this daily. If only…
Savoury Cocktail
The hom Phuket Savoury arrives with a splash to accompany these two moments. Inspired by Tom Kha Gai, the hom Savoury cocktail showcases Thai rum infused with Thai herbs, ginger, lemongrass, coriander oil, and clarified full-fat milk. It’s cold, smooth, and the perfect backdrop for enjoying our adventurous moments. We love this!
Tongue
The next melt-in-our-mouths moment is thin slices of dry-aged beef tongue, bathed in spiced butter and brushed with a complex blend of tucupi made from rose apple, seaweed paste, umeboshi, beef garum and dried chilli. On the side, a curious touch: delicate deer antlers, not just for show but for function—used to dip each slice reverently into the sauce, like a carnivorous tea ceremony. The beef is tender and buttery, its richness lifted by the tangy kick of umeboshi and a flicker of heat from the chilli.
Blackened Apple
The next course is all about apples in various stages of enlightenment. Chef Ricardo Nuñez handpicks fruit between the fourth and tenth day of ripeness—a sweet spot (literally) where freshness flirts with fermentation. The apples are slow-cooked with fermented tamarind at precisely 60°C, then plated alongside rich duck feijoada, torched ginger, duck garum, and whisper-thin oyster bushi. Golden pão de queijo sit off to the side, innocently puffed and inviting. Our forks glide through the dish with almost suspicious ease, and we can’t resist a playful prod of the cheesy bread before succumbing to its warm, pillowy embrace.
Niepoort Dialogo Douro, 2021
Bird presents us with a glass of Niepoort Dialogo Douro (2021), a rich and full-bodied red wine from the Douro Valley, Portugal. With notes of black cherry, plum, and raspberry, it’s the perfect companion for these two rich moments. Portuguese wines are incredible value for money, and this rings true for this beautiful drop.
Dessert – Fruit, Sunflower & Tarts
We bookend the evening on a sweet—and slightly theatrical—note with slices of fresh pineapple baked in a shimmering sugar crust, topped with airy Chantilly cream. Then comes the curveball: each guest is handed a sunflower charmingly wrapped in recycled newsprint. It’s not just a token—this bloom hides an edible surprise at its centre. Crack through the middle, and we find sunflower corn husk ice cream, sunflower jam, and a delicate black garcinia tuile. It’s a playful, zero-waste flourish with roots (quite literally) in the restaurant’s ethos—every leftover is composted to nourish hom’s own garden. The final bite? Portuguese egg tarts with gloriously caramelised tops—crisp, golden, and unapologetically nostalgic.
Godaian Rose Umeshu & homincello
Our beverage pairings wind down with Godaian Rose Umeshu from Wakayama, Japan and homemade homincello, constructed from Thai spirits distilled from sticky rice. The umeshu is comfortingly sweet with a hint of rose, while the homincello dazzles with notes of lemon, orange, pomelo, nutmeg, and star anise.
hom Phuket Review
We’ve had an exquisite experience at hom, and we’re not sure we want it to end. Luckily, Bird and his team manage to draw out a few more magical moments by presenting us with a lovely, personalised gift containing a few notes for posterity, a postcard, a small guide with instructions for at-home fermentation, and a bottle of homemade corn hot sauce. As always, the attention to detail is superb, and it’s a sweet sendoff to a truly magical evening.
Reasons to visit hom Phuket: A gorgeously ethereal setting, meticulous attention to detail, a steadfast commitment to fermentation and showcasing local ingredients, beautiful presentation, and delightfully informative and comprehensive seven and 10-moment tasting menus.
hom Phuket, InterContinental Resort Phuket
333, 333/3 Moo 3, Kathu District,
Phuket 83150, Thailand
Link to hom Phuket on Google Maps
+6676629956
@homrestaurant phuket.intercontinental.com/dining/hom
hom Phuket Hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 6 pm to midnight
Sunday & Monday: Closed
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