Phuket

Telling a good Thai restaurant from an average one comes down to a few things that actually matter. Fresh herbs should taste like they arrived that morning, not like they've been sitting in a walk-in for a week. Chilli heat should be balanced with acid and sweetness rather than just punching you. The cook needs to understand how to adjust seasoning on the fly, and sourcing consistency matters—using the same supplier for paste, fish sauce, and lemongrass so flavours don't shift week to week. Phuket's ability to maintain that standard in a competitive Durban market tells you something about how seriously they approach the work. These details separate places worth returning to from places you'll forget by next month.