PRU Review: How this Michelin-Starred Restaurant Champions Community and Local Thai Ingredients

Phuket

A restaurant review of PRU. Images courtesy of PRU and Jasmin Woolf | CSP Times.

Over the years, Phuket’s fine dining scene has blossomed from a tropical playground known more for beachside grills and Pad Thai into a culinary destination where Michelin-starred ambition meets authentic Thai terroir – a transformation further advanced by PRU at Trisara Resort. This restaurant is Phuket's first and only Michelin starred and Green Michelin starred restaurant, known for its community to fork philosophy where Thai fishermen, farmers and artisans are incorporated and celebrated in every dish and detail.

Want to see what the PRU experience is like? Join us for our in-depth review, and a special chat with PRU’s Executive Chef and Co-Owner Jimmy Ophorst.

The Story

Jimmy first opened PRU back in December 2016 with the main goal to create a menu based on 100 per cent Thai and locally grown ingredients. “When we started, we wanted to be a real farm-to-table restaurant, bringing the freshest ingredients to be served at the restaurant. This was a very big challenge at the time, because not many people cared about Thai produce and agricultural practices mostly focused on what could be mass produced. Today, it has shifted dramatically where it's kind of weird if you don't use local ingredients. Meaning that there now is a lot of great produce out there across the country,” explains Jimmy.

He adds “Over the years, our philosophy has always stayed the same, but we have evolved into a community-to-fork restaurant where we try to take care of the whole community. This means going beyond the ingredients and farmers, and highlighting artisans and Thai craftsmanship throughout the space from the artwork to our chairs and fabrics. We also try to educate our guests by spotlighting the most unknown and rare ingredients and incorporate that into our cuisine. This brings a lot of interesting flavours.”

The Journey

Tucked away in the hillside with views stretching endlessly over the Andaman Ocean, there’s a certain magic to PRU that makes you feel like you’ve been let in on a secret when you dine here.

Upon arrival, you’re led to an air-conditioned lounge filled with comfortable armchairs, brown wooden tables, and colourful art on every wall. The floor to ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light and views of the surrounding nature. It’s intimate and sophisticated, it feels as if you’re in someone’s living room. It’s here you start the PRU experience, with a glass of champagne and a trio of amuse bouche that took us by surprise from the first bite.

First off, a flavour-packed corn tart elevated with the floral perfume of pink peppercorns, followed by a bite of what we thought was pork saucisson (a type of charcuterie similar to salami) but turned out to be fermented turnip! Last but not least, a sunchoke and umeboshi tart with an XO infused salad and a velvety crème

After our amuse-bouche, we’re led up into the main dining room, an airy 36-seater room with modern clean lines, warm woods, and those incredible ocean views. At the side is a private dining room with ten seats for an intimate dinner with colleagues or friends. The real showstopper? The open kitchen, where flames lick at mackerel heads and chefs move with the precision of a well-rehearsed orchestra. Before sitting down, we’re offered a walk through the kitchen by PRU's Restaurant General Manager Alberto, getting an up-close-and-personal look at the ingredients soon to be transformed into our dinner.

By this point, we were almost salivating in anticipation, so are led to our seats at the chef’s table overlooking the kitchen and soon presented with our first (and favourite) course: King of the Fruits.

Yes, it’s durian. But not as you know it. After being roasted for hours over a wood fire, the fruit’s notorious funk is transformed into something complex, smoky, addictive. The Hua Hin caviar on top adds a salty counterpoint to the sweet durian mousse that brings the whole dish together. When we compliment the bowl the durian is served in, we’re told all the dishware used at the restaurant are bespoke ceramics created by local artist Jirawong Wongtrangan from InClay Studio in Chiang Mai. Whenever Jimmy creates a new dish, he sends a photo of it to Jirawong, who custom designs the plate, bowl, or vessel specifically for the dish it carries, adding another layer of storytelling to the experience.

The second dish is a celebration of Thailand's beloved coconut tree, utilising every part of the coconut to create this ceviche-inspired dish. Marinated coconut meat is served in burned coconut juice infused with lemon juice, yellow chili, ginger, shallot, and coriander as a base, topped with coconut heart creme, toasted coconut heart, pickled young bamboo, dried smoked coconut heart, black peanut oil and coffee garum vinaigrette.

Next up, PRU’s take on southern Thai orange curry. A chilled lobster head curry broth that's been infused with passionfruit and tamarind is poured over the lobster meat, and suddenly it's a dish that defies categorisation. The lobster, cured in fermented tea leaves, has this remarkable texture that's somehow both silky and substantial, while the pumpkin seed oil and coffee powder dusted on top adding an earthy depth.

Onto the hot courses, and starting with king mackerel sourced straight from the Andaman Sea prepared two ways. The base of this dish is a 100-day-dry aged king mackerel dashi served tableside where the fishtail is marinated in mirin and soy sauce, then hot smoked and dried to bring the flavours together. At the center of it all is a cured, hot smoked and hot coal-roasted mackerel loin, marinated with makwean oil, toasted makwean and fresh calamansi zest. On the side is a cauliflower dish, roasted then blended into a silky crème, and topped with crispy ants for a delicate crunch.

If there was ever a dish to convert vegetable sceptics, this is it. The lotus root is glazed with a caramelised mushroom reduction then topped with an XO shrimp paste for that salty umami. The macadamia nuts add crunch, while pickled water lily stems provide this delightful sour counterpoint.

We’ve had a lot of good duck dishes, but PRU's version is something else entirely, and we quickly understand why it’s one of Jimmy’s signature dishes. Sourced from Khao Yai, the duck is meticulously brined in honey and lemongrass, dry-aged and then slow-roasted over an open fire to perfection. Served with a sweet tamarind crème, roasted burdock root from northern Thailand and topped with a medley of the famed red, black and white Trang peppercorns. The crowning touch is a rich sauce crafted from a reduction of duck bones infused with star anise, enhancing the dish with depth and intensity.

Just when you think PRU can't surprise you anymore, along comes two desserts featuring caramelized shallot sorbet and kimchi ice cream. Yes, shallot and kimchi. And somehow, it works brilliantly. The Phuket pineapple and vibrant Marian plum chutney from Chanthaburi provides enough sweetness to balance the savoury notes of the shallot sorbet. Finished with citrus gel, pineapple semifreddo, and smoked mackerel garum caramel — it’s a sophisticated twist on a beloved PRU classic.

The cashew fruit kimchi ice cream alone is worth the trip - it's this combination of creamy, funky, and sweet that I've never encountered anywhere else, and it pairs perfectly with eggfruit prepared in three different textures (a silky crème, a light cake, and a crisp tuile). The black sesame crumble adds a touch of bitterness, while the jasmine tea jelly provides these lovely floral notes.

At this point, we’re guided back down to the lounge for a nightcap. We didn’t think we couldn't possibly eat another bite, but then along comes the petit four. This quartet of small bites packed big flavour: the Ceylon Oak mousse is velvety and pleasantly sour from the use of Ta-Ko, a sour orange berry, balanced with the nougat made with black peanuts and the delicate sablé. The chocolate truffles sourced from a small local farm in Phuket are smooth and tasty. But it's the choux puff with cashew nut that I can’t stop thinking about - a tiny bite sized pastry filled with a smooth velvety cream and served warm, making it dangerously addictive.

What’s Next

Looking ahead, Jimmy has big plans for PRU. “Next year is our 10-year anniversary. This is a unique milestone for the restaurant. It has been a hell of a journey so far and we can't wait to see what the coming 10 years will bring,” Jimmy shares. “We are working on a little renovation to create an even more unique experience in our private dining room, but also the after-dinner experience. Together with our 10-year anniversary, we want to create a week of celebrations highlighting Phuket and Thailand talents that will have the chance to participate in either a 4 or 6 hands dinner at PRU and more. This will be a week of exciting events at PRU.”

The Verdict

From the moment you step into the restaurant to the final petit four, PRU delivers on its community-to-fork concept. Each bite of food and every piece of art on the wall tells a story of Thai craftsmanship, of hyper-local ingredients treated with the reverence it deserves. Add this establishment to your restaurant bucket list and come try chef Jimmy’s unique and delicious take on Thai fine dining.

Our top tip? Add the wine or non-alcoholic drink pairing to your dinner, curated by PRU’s head sommelier Chalong Songkroh.

Address: 60/1 Moo 6, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket, Thailand |

Website: Prurestaurant.com/pru | Phone: +66 (0) 76 683344 | Email: reservations@prurestaurant.com |

Instagram: @Prurestaurant | Facebook: @PruRestaurant