Review

Aja opened on Boat Avenue late last year, a newcomer to Phuket’s burgeoning dining landscape, with Chef Jamie Wakeford, a veteran of Thailand’s culinary scene, making a welcome return with this modern stylish restaurant. He has curated a menu packed full of trademark Western classics, given an updated twist. Begin with snacks, including tasty fried chalkidiki olives stuffed with whipped cream cheese, or velveteen chicken liver parfait on toasted brioche. Prawn toast is layered with prawn farce, garlic, and ginger; the stuff of legends. Starters include hand-cut Angus fillet tartare with a shiny egg yolk on top. French onion soup offers comforting broth with beef cheek and cheese foam finished off with crunchy croûtons. Mains include classic fish and chips of local grouper in crispy beer batter, homemade tartare sauce, with a flavourful pea and bacon mix or fish pie with local shrimps and chunks of sea bass smothered in white wine and cream sauce, dotted with leeks, the crust a buttery mashed potato layer of joy. Sole fish with burnt butter sauce, lemon and capers is stellar, as is hearty chicken schnitzel, topped with a fried egg alongside spring onion mash. Premium steaks are available, with fries and punchy peppercorn sauce. Desserts are sinfully good, the go-to is Phuket mess. An eclectic wine list includes classics and natural options.