PHUKET: True to last year's promise, Phuketwan judges have been noshing at excellent value for money restaurants in 2012, both on and off Phuket.

The judges admit, though, to slipping into a habit that improves their demeanor but doesn't deliver too many new reviews.

Yes, they've been going back to old favorites time and again, rather than delving into the delights that new Phuket restaurants continue to produce.

There have been some failures, though. Phuketwan tried a well-known west coast brand in the hope that good food at a decent price could finally be found there.

The steak rated an A, although it came at tourist-level prices. But the burger? It was pricey even though the beef patty tasted as if it had come straight out of a packet. Disappointing, really.

Incidentally, the best burger on Phuket can be found at Cudos at the Plaza Surin, a restaurant we keep trying to raise the money to go back to for a return visit.

The memory of their fabulous burger lives on, months after the first bite.

The best-value seafood in the region comes off Phuket, though, at Baan Bang Pat, Phang Nga. It's a 90-minute drive from Phuket but worth every millisecond.

You can even stay at very reasonable cost in the village and enjoy seafood three times a day.

This year's Phuketwan Best of Phuket 2012 restaurant? It was among last year's finalists.

The aptly named Suay can be found on Takuapa Rd in Phuket City, still home to the island's best-value restaurants for quality and price.

Look for the trimmed hedges, follow the garden path and make yourself comfortable at one of the white tables on Suay's large veranda.

Suay's cuisine is an innovative take on traditional Thai dishes. We know it's a sign of good things to come when just studying the menu is a highly enjoyable experience.

On our latest visit our selection includes massaman curry, grilled beef sirloin salad, and spicy salmon carpaccio, Suay style.

Each dish bursts with a different flavor, but the best one of all is the roti with chicken curry.

And just when we thought things couldn't get any better, it was time for dessert. It's worth saving some space for the mango sticky rice spring roll, accompanied by black sesame ice cream.

The presentation throughout the meal is exceptional, the service is slick and friendly, and the bill ends up a fraction of what you'd pay for the same experience in other parts of Phuket.

We are planning to start early in the New Year on selecting the Phuketwan Best of Phuket restaurant for 2013, so if you have a suggestion, please let us know.

Sophie Brown, a journalism masters student at the University of Hong Kong, is currently an intern at Phuketwan. She is a former communications officer at the anti-corruption organisation, Transparency International.