Shopping for Phuket Specialities
Lor Rong Market is a small food market in Phuket Town where locals come for traditional Phuket dishes you won’t find anywhere else. Also known as Chamcha Market, it’s on Ranong Road past the local bus station and the famous Jui Tui Shrine. I drove past this market for years without stopping. It looked like any other roadside food stall. That was a mistake. Once you know what to look for, Lor Rong becomes one of the most interesting food spots in Phuket Town.
The market isn’t big. Just a covered area with maybe a dozen vendors. But the food here is special. These are old Phuket recipes passed down through generations, dishes with Chinese-Hokkien roots that you won’t find in tourist restaurants or even in Bangkok. The vendors are proud of what they make, and they’re always happy when visitors come to try.
What Makes It Special
The first thing you notice is the flower stall at the entrance. Bright orange marigolds, roses in every colour, orchids, and chrysanthemums. Locals buy these for temple offerings or home shrines. It’s a good sign. When a market sells temple flowers, you know you’re in a real neighbourhood spot.
Then there’s the food. Vendors prepare everything fresh, right in front of you. One lady wraps fried noodles in banana leaves. Another deep-fries snacks in a big wok. Someone else grills satay skewers over charcoal. The smell alone is worth the visit.
Where is the Market?
Lor Rong Market is located past the local bus station, after the famous Jui Tui Shrine. If you have your transportation, it is fairly easy to find. So you should stop over to sample some of these Phuket specialities. If you really can’t make it to this area, some of these dishes can also be found in the middle of town at Loktien Restaurant, but it is always more fun to go off the beaten path and sit among locals.
Some Sweets to Try
Kao Maow Tod
Banana is deep-fried with a special coating of young rice crumbs. It is very nice but certainly not diet-friendly!
Kanom Krok Phuket Style
Small sweets made with coconut milk and rice flour, cooked in this fun-looking pan with little clay lids. Phuket people eat it with sugar.
O Eow
Jelly is made from bananas with shaved ice and syrup.
Salty Dishes
Poh Pia Phuket Style
Fresh spring rolls served with a sweet brown sauce, stuffed with red pork or shrimp, crispy pork, a bit of lettuce and turnip.
Mee Hoon Kradook Moo
Fried vermicelli topped with fried shallots and spring onion, served with a clear soup and pork ribs. Excellent.
Mee Thai
Same as above but fried with brown sugar and coconut milk, topped with sliced omelette and served without soup. Try it; this is the only place where you can get it!
Loba
Deep-fried pork giblets: intestines, ears, and fat belly. They are also served with sweet brown sauce and cucumber.
Lor Rong Photos
Lor Rong Market Map
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