December 2017

SAMUI An underground tunnel telling the story of Poppies and leading you to Samui’s most established restaurant

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net

www.siamwininganddining.com

FREE COPY

Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net

DECEMBER 2017

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

Festive Effect December’s the time for feasting.

December is high season, with 20,000 rooms mostly booked. Huge frolics planned – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. Suntans, beach fun, holiday backslaps, swimming and snorkelling – then partying. The island amazes and engages with its food, but when it comes to December, the bar is raised up even higher. Chefs get creative with Christmas plans – the fare might be traditional, but it’ll still wow, and there’ll be unexpected culinary notes you won’t find back at home. The big resorts will all have Christmas decorations outside their gates. From giant Christmas trees decorated with painted coconuts to yo-ho-ho sleighs tipped at the sky. It’s a good time to be here, unless you really do miss knee-deep snow. The climax to all of this will be on New Year’s Eve, which will see the biggest yearly celebrations of all.

Even if you have to leave well before Christmas starts, you're still in for a good time when it comes to eating and drinking. Samui has you covered for all your wants and needs. The island’s reputation isn’t just to do with the excellence of its beaches but its food, too – you'll be amazed at what’s on offer; both the variety and the quality. From the simplest of eateries, to the top dining addresses on the island, the idea is for you, the guest, to be completely satisfied, no matter what the time of year. So whether ‘tis the season or not – it’s time to be merry.

Y RR AS E M STM RI H C

2017

"Delicious Destinations"

Join us to celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday 24th December, from 18.00 – 23.00hrs.

Welcome cocktail reception followed by Christmas Buffet Dinner. Featuring Thai classical dance show, carol singing, live music and lucky draw prizes. 1,500 baht net for adults and 750 baht net for children. Please call or email for reservations.

At Banana Fan Sea Resort

Chaweng Beach Road Tel: 0 7741 3483-6

E-mail: info@bananafansea.com

www.bananafansea.com

SAMUI

SAMUI An underground tunnel telling the story of Poppies and leading you to Samui’s most established restaurant

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net

www.siamwininganddining.com

FREE COPY

Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net

DECEMBER 2017

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

Festive Effect December’s the time for feasting.

December is high season, with 20,000 rooms mostly booked. Huge frolics planned – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. Suntans, beach fun, holiday backslaps, swimming and snorkelling – then partying. The island amazes and engages with its food, but when it comes to December, the bar is raised up even higher. Chefs get creative with Christmas plans – the fare might be traditional, but it’ll still wow, and there’ll be unexpected culinary notes you won’t find back at home. The big resorts will all have Christmas decorations outside their gates. From giant Christmas trees decorated with painted coconuts to yo-ho-ho sleighs tipped at the sky. It’s a good time to be here, unless you really do miss knee-deep snow. The climax to all of this will be on New Year’s Eve, which will see the biggest yearly celebrations of all.

Even if you have to leave well before Christmas starts, you're still in for a good time when it comes to eating and drinking. Samui has you covered for all your wants and needs. The island’s reputation isn’t just to do with the excellence of its beaches but its food, too – you'll be amazed at what’s on offer; both the variety and the quality. From the simplest of eateries, to the top dining addresses on the island, the idea is for you, the guest, to be completely satisfied, no matter what the time of year. So whether ‘tis the season or not – it’s time to be merry.

Y S RR ME TMA RIS CH

2017

"Delicious Destinations"

Join us to celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday 24th December, from 18.00 – 23.00hrs.

Welcome cocktail reception followed by Christmas Buffet Dinner. Featuring Thai classical dance show, carol singing, live music and lucky draw prizes. 1,500 baht net for adults and 750 baht net for children. Please call or email for reservations.

At Banana Fan Sea Resort

Chaweng Beach Road Tel: 0 7741 3483-6

E-mail: info@bananafansea.com

www.bananafansea.com

Graeme Malley Editor

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

Karan Ladd Feature Writer

Nipawan Chuaysagul (Ning) Sales & Marketing Director ning@siammap.com Tel: 0 898 783 891

Henrik Bjørk Managing Director

Siam Map Company Ltd. 52/6, Samui Ring Road, Moo 3, Bo Phut, Samui, 84320 Thailand Tel: (66) 0 7742 2201 Fax: (66) 0 7741 3523 email: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com

Bee There!

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort is boosting its sustainability in some remarkable ways.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission from Siam Map Company Ltd. Whilst every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. c Siam Map Company Ltd. 2017

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

Reservation Center: 1771 Samui Chaweng Office: 0 7760 1300 www.bangkokair.com

Please recycle or pass on to a friend.

To go on holiday is to take in the beauty of the places we journey to. And these days, we need to think about protecting the environment in as many ways as we possibly can; that beauty that we so much appreciate is under threat.

Increasingly, hotels and resorts are participating in the preservation of the earth, and looking to see how they may cut down on their so-called carbon footprint. Guests themselves are concerned about choosing places to stay that are in keeping with environmental soundness, whether that means that the hotels are cutting down on food and power waste, using

small-scale farm-to-table food programs, or any one of a hundred ways that improve the quality of life. One resort that takes this seriously is Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, and in this article we outline what they are doing to keep matters green. General Manager, Lutz Mueller and the team members at the resort have been busy coming up with some things that are distinctly innovative.

Rather than using far flung suppliers, the resort tracks down prime ingredients from more local groups that they now have on board; Sloanes

farms, KU Beef and Sirin farms all ensure that quality food arrives at the table. Meanwhile, fresh fruit and vegetables arrive from Samui’s own farms, while the island’s waters supply many of the fish that diners love so much. Says Lutz, “We have done this to showcase the great ingredients that can be found in Thailand, as well as to prioritize sustainability. We’re constantly thinking of ways to be environmentally sound.”

However, Lutz has gone further yet when it comes to going local; some of the ingredients

Fresh local fish and seafood, cooked in authentic Thai way by the owner Supattra.

Great international wines!

Just a few tables in an open Thai sala style restaurant facing a mangrove forest.

Tel. 093 2828 777 Open 6:00 pm, closed Sunday & Monday www.facebook.com/supattrathaidining Seatran Ferry

Big Buddha Market

Airport

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come from the gardens of the resort itself. Not only does Anantara have a herb garden, but also something that is rare for a hotel anywhere in the world – their own bee-keeping facilities.

But why bees? The answer is as simple as it is frightening. “Bees are on the decline,” says Lutz.

“This is a worldwide scenario, and it’s a growing plight. Bees are important for our ecosystem.

Without them we will all perish as nothing will be able to pollinate our fruit and vegetables as well as bees can.”

Lutz says that guests will soon have a ‘Garden Guru’ to take them on a tour through the beautiful gardens with their lotus ponds, and they will also have a chance to see the hives and the bees, which are by the way, stingless. And very soon, too, diners will be able to partake of the results of the bee-keeping venture; the resort will create a signature dessert for Full Moon, their beachside restaurant, using the very honey that the bees make.

Sounds good? It’s bound to be as the recipe is in the hands of the resort’s very creative culinary

team. They too are much concerned with the environment, and have put together a new menu which includes what might be termed sustainable dishes; the ingredients are all locally found and incorporated in delicious recipes. For example, the chefs prepare a wonderful tuna carpaccio using local yellow fin tuna along with micro greens, preserved lemon, semidried tomatoes and infused kaffir lime olive oil. When it comes to meat, a favourite dish of guests is the ‘300g Lime & Herb Marinated Free Range Pork Cutlet’, which features green pea crushed potatoes, charred corn, squash spaghetti and

mushroom jus. There's also a very moreish free range chicken, stuffed with herbed brioche and accompanied by sautéed Asian greens and mushrooms with roast potatoes and chicken jus.

For something truly special guests can enjoy Full Moon’s signature dish, a 24-hour marinated spatchcock chicken, with all the trimmings. Says Lutz, “In the interests of sustainability guests can phone a day ahead to order it; if we made it every day the dish would go to waste if nobody at the restaurant decides to try it. After marinating the spatchcock, the chefs fire it in a

special tandoor, and then to give an extra smoky note, they smoke it again in apple wood before carving it directly at the table.”

All this is just the start. Soon vegan and vegetarian cooking classes are to be added to the already popular Thai cooking school.

Wellness packages will also reflect sustainability, with the island’s own crops of coconuts playing a greater part in treatments.

more innovations on the part of the very creative team here.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 8300. www.anantara.com

For Anantara Bophut the way forward is very clear; in future guests can look forward to even

Welcome to Olivio Italian Cuisine - sit back and enjoy the very best of Italian and Thai food in a relaxing atmosphere.

We’re renowned not just for our great tastes but our beautiful beachside setting too.

Olivio - Beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Villas Chaweng Beach. Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservations, please call : +66 77 332 950-7 Fax : +66 77 332 958 E-mail : booking@baanhaadngam.com www.baanhaadngam.com

www.siamwininganddining.com

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Thai Recipe Chu Chee Kung or Chu Chee Curried Prawns.

Chu chee curry is a wonderful Thai home style dish that packs in so much flavour that you'll wonder why it’s relatively unknown outside the country. Make it yourself and you'll see that it’s a relatively minimalist dish: it requires little in the way of pots, pans and utensils, but you will have to make your own curry paste to get the best taste. You may need to do this anyway if you're outside Thailand, as the ready-made paste may not be easy to track down.

A trip to the market is the crucial start when cooking this dish. See what's on offer, but thanks to the versatility of this curry, there are plenty of swaps possible, so you don’t have to hunt around for shrimp in particular. Something else may take your fancy, depending on what's looking fresh on the slab. You may also use a hearty combination of prawns and/or scallops in

this recipe. It’s also wonderful with fish, too. You can either cook filleted fish, cut into chunks in the spicy sauce (so long as the fish is the robust kind that won’t fall apart), or spoon the sauce and seasonings over grilled or poached fish. Just ensure that everything’s fresh, otherwise the taste will suffer.

Ingredients: for the curry paste: • 4 mild peppers, sliced and diced • 8 small dried red chillies, chopped after soaking for 30 minutes. (Use fewer for a milder heat!)

• A dozen cloves of garlic, finely chopped • A half dozen or so shallots, chopped • 1½ to 2 tsp shrimp paste Ingredients: for the seafood: • 500 grams large prawns, scallops, or fish

• 1 tsp salt • 1 cup coconut cream, or use coconut milk if you're happy with a more diluted taste • 2-3 tbsp. fish sauce (adjust according to taste) • 1½ - 3 tsp palm or coconut sugar (adjust according to taste) • Up to 10 small kaffir lime leaves, finely cut into slices • ¼ cup of coriander leaves Method: First, start by shelling the prawns, then butterfly and place in a bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt and half a cup of water. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain after carefully ensuring the salt has been washed away by rinsing under a tap.

For the paste, pound the peppers, the chillies, garlic and shallots in a mortar and add the

shrimp paste last. You can also puree them if you have a blender.

Take a spoonful of coconut cream or use the milk from the top of a carton of coconut milk and place in the wok or frying pan and heat over high heat. Once the cream has thickened, immediately stir in the chilli paste and stir-fry until the oil has separated from the cream. This is the sign it’s ready. Now add the fish sauce and palm sugar and reduce the mix so that it becomes very thick. Now you can add the prawns/ seafood along with the kaffir lime leaves and fold into the mixture.

Keep stir-frying until the prawns/seafood is nearly cooked. Now turn down the heat a little and fold in the chilli sauce. Stir until all the ingredients are well distributed in the wok or pan.

BEACHFRONT DINING & COCKTAILS RockPool at Kanda Residences is a spectacular beachfront restaurant and bar situated just five minutes from Chaweng For reservations or more information call +66 77 234 500 www.rockpoolsamui.com Facebook: rockpool.kohsamui Daily high tea from 12pm and happy hour with buy one get one free on selected drinks from 5pm until 7pm.

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Everything’s now ready and all you need to do is to place the mix on a serving dish and top with the coriander leaves. This dish is definitely one that needs to be served hot, so don’t let it stand around for more than a minute and ensure your guests are ready to eat.

This kind of curry goes extremely well with stir fried Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, or simple fried rice. It’s a very moreish dish and once you’ve tried it, you'll no doubt want to make it again and again.

Dimitri Waring

Precious Bubbles Celebrate the festive season in style at Beyond the Sea, Siamese Brasserie.

When it comes to celebrating, nothing quite compares to bubbles. Whether it’s sipping vintage champagne, sparkling wine or a bubbly cocktail, or even relaxing in a blissful bubble bath or blowing bubbles - it always creates a feeling of extravagance, fun and wellbeing.

December is a traditional month to celebrate.

Christmas with friends and family. Being on Koh Samui, our paradise island. The end of a great year, or even the end of a not so great year.

Whatever your celebration, there is no better place to be than Beyond the Sea, Siamese Brasserie. Nestled into a lush green tropical hillside that runs all the way down to the Gulf of Siam, this restaurant has spectacular views over the blue and shimmering ocean, and is part of the five-star ShaSa Resort and Residences. The word ShaSa originates from the African language, meaning precious or holy water. This links physically to a fountain that dominates the entrance to the resort, the water from it flowing continually down the hillside through a series of bubbling fishponds, past the three resort swimming pools and finally down to the sea.

Designed with the traditional Chinese concept of Feng Shui in mind, the continuous stream of water symbolises people living in continuous harmony with their surroundings, overcoming any hardships in life, just as the water does by simply flowing around any obstacles and continuing on its journey.

Set amongst these picturesque cascading pools and lush tropical landscape, Beyond the Sea is a

surprising gem of a place. The warm wooden interior tones and its vintage-style bar create a welcoming atmosphere, encouraging a sense of calm assurance and homely familiarity. It’s a casual scene, and perfect for enjoying bubbles inside with cool air-conditioning, or outside on the terrace enjoying tropical sea breezes and the contrasts of ‘east meets west’.

The restaurant menu presents the very best of traditional Thai dining, alongside a western menu bursting with all of your favourite Mediterranean influences, with a strong emphasis on fresh local island seafood as well as Australian sourced beef and lamb. Creative cocktails, including some innovative ‘Bubble Cocktails’ such as the Flirtini (pineapple, vodka, Cointreau and sparkling wine), a world-class wine list, fresh juices, smoothies and aromatic coffee, all complementing the menu perfectly. Service here is definitely ‘with a smile’. The friendly and welcoming staff facilitate a smooth and perfectly seamless dining experience.

The menu is extensive. Take your time to peruse it all and feel free to ask the staff for recommendations. Throughout December, there is an extra special additional lobster menu with many variations, but Thai style with curry sounds like a ‘must try’ opportunity! Regular menu delights include; Panaeng Nue Yang - grilled Australian Wagyu beef loin in a rich curry and coconut cream sauce, Pu Nim Pad Prik Thai Dam - stir-fried soft shell crab with black peppercorn and garlic sauce or the Pla Tod Samun Prai -

deep fried whole sea bass with crispy Thai herbs.

Make sure you are hungry; this dish comes with plenty of shallots, shredded ginger, cashew nuts and lemongrass along with a delicious sauce.

The western menu has everything your taste buds could possibly desire; soups, salads, pasta, risotto, pizza, burgers, sandwiches and many of your favourite main dishes such as Lamb Rack – marinated with crushed rosemary, raisin and red wine sauce or Herbal Tuna – herb crusted tuna, served with roast potatoes and vegetables.

In addition, there is an extensive Thai and western vegetarian menu. And if you still can’t find what you are looking for, then just ask the chef. The kitchen team are great at being flexible and love a challenge. Thai dishes are made authentically, so if you don’t like a lot of spice, mention it when you order. Satisfied customers make happy chefs!

If you still have room for dessert, more great choices await you. From the all-time Thai favourite Khao Neaw Mamuang – Mango and coconut sticky rice, to Crepe Suzette and Deep Fried Ice-Cream.

As the restaurant is part of ShaSa Resort, its open all day from 7:00 am until 11:00 pm and it’s very family friendly. A children’s menu has all the tried and tested favourites, and best of all, there is a free ‘kids club’, available all day from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm. Lots of scheduled and supervised activities to keep your little darlings happy, whilst you relax and enjoy the delights of

fine dining in an ambient and casual environment. You might even want to take advantage of the hydrotherapy pool and spa treatments, to pamper and revitalize your body and mind.

On Christmas Eve, there will be a special five-course Thai fusion set menu to astound all your senses. And then treat yourself by welcoming in the New Year in style; enjoy a buffet of all the best Thai and western dishes whilst being entertained by local Thai artists.

And of course, don’t forget the bubbles!

Beyond the Sea, Siamese Brasserie and ShaSa Resort & Residences are located in Laem Set, a quiet and secluded area in the south of the island. It’s a great spot for weddings or group celebrations of any kind. Follow signposts all the way to the Samui Aquarium and bear right, left

goes to the sea! Keep going up a narrow road about 1.5 kilometres and you will see the signpost to Shasa Resort on the left, just before Kamalaya. If that sounds too far or too tricky, then just call the resort. They offer a free pick up and return service to anywhere on the island for any number of people.

So, whatever you are celebrating this month, everyone can enjoy few glasses of ‘precious bubbles’ from ‘Beyond the Sea’, no driver required!

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 3888. www.shasahotels.com

Located in the beautiful Fisherman’s Village on Bophut Beach.

Our experienced chefs proudly present authentic Thai cuisine and Southern Thai dishes.

Fresh seafood is a must with great quality at reasonable prices.

Enjoy the tranquility of the beach, the twinkling stars and the whispering waves along with the beautiful music. A superb dining experience and great memories.

Fisherman’s Village l

Tel. 077 902 888, 077 430 030 l www.kruabophut.com

Free Parking available at the Wharf!! www.siamwininganddining.com 5

A Diamond on the Beach Spacious, elegant, relaxed, refined – we discover the delights of dining at Nora Beach Resort.

Nora Beach Resort & Spa is situated at the more-northern reach of Chaweng Beach Road, not so far from where all the development seems to stop, and the road goes increasingly uphill towards the turn-off for the airport. Unlike the rest of Chaweng, this is where the coastline starts to get hilly, and so the whole resort is layered very neatly down the hillside. You’ll need to ask at reception for a buggy to take you down to the beach and restaurant.

But that also means you’ll get to see the very attractive layout, and the way it’s all combined together. Just before you get to see the sea, you’ll be dropped off on a slope just a few metres above the pool, with the restaurant just over to the left. And this is when you’ll be introduced to Prasuthon.

Prasuthon is the name of the signature restaurant here. In true Thai style – and completely unlike the typical restaurants found in Europe – the restaurant here is made up of several areas, some of them roofed over and others open to the stars.

In fact Prasuthon consists of huge octagonal spaces, open-sided, made of rich dark wood, and with high Thai-style roofs supported by pillars all around. The whole restaurant is on several different levels, together with a part of the beach itself, with short decks between and steps up and down, cleverly breaking up the floor spaces into lots of cosy, smaller areas. It’s really lovely, and very romantic.

The excellent cuisine here is in the well-established International and Thai format.

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Nora Beach has the added benefit of their Executive Chef, Khun Sit (Khun Sitthichai Saephu), who previously ran several 5-star kitchens before he began working here, in 2004.

His Thai menu is extensive, and contains all the expected platters of starters and soups, curries, stir fries, noodle dishes and mains, but with a strong leaning towards seafood. And in addition to the individual dishes you’ll find the ‘Set Menus’. There are several options here, each of them consisting of four courses plus a starter.

The international side of things, thanks to the expertise of Chef Sit, is first-class, covering a range of pizzas, many pasta choices, and even several subtly-creative blends of East and West, such as the ‘Linguine in Oyster Sauce with Shrimp, Garlic and Sweet Basil’.

But with the popularity of seafood, it’s hardly surprising then that the most popular offering (and Prasuthon’s signature dish) ‘King of the Sea’, is a huge plate for two of mixed seafood that comes with salad, baby corn, mange-tout, and a mango sauce with chili balsamic. It stars a fillet of sea bass, together with prawns and scallops (and more, depending on what’s in season).

However, one of the best-known faces of Prasuthon and Nora Beach are the beach buffets they hold twice a week. Every Tuesday there’s ‘Thai Night’. And here there’s a sumptuous spread at the edge of the sand, with spotlight tables covered in snow-white cloths and an entire range of hot and cold dishes set out for your enjoyment. Plus there’s a Thai ‘Pong Lang’ dance

troupe with a live Thai orchestra supplying the music.

But it’s the Thursday ‘Hawaiian Night’ which tends to draw a following. This is when ‘East meets West’, with not only a huge range of meat, fish and seafood on offer, but also live cooking stations where your choices are cooked exactly to your liking; just pick out what you want and it’ll be delivered freshly-cooked to your table.

Plus there’s also the big attraction of the exciting fire dancers – a photo opportunity not to be missed!

The best thing to do is to turn up at happy hour (from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm) when most drinks are 2-for-1. Enjoy the sunset. Relax for a while.

Then turn your attention to the buffet and entertainment for the rest of the evening. But the best thing of all? The price.

Not only is this one of the best beach buffets on the island, but it is extremely affordable. You’ll need to make a booking; people travel to come here. But this is the real thing, a genuine diamond on the beach – Prasuthon, at Nora Beach Resort & Spa!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeachresort.com

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Fun-Packed Feasts Christmas Eve & New Year’s menus wow at Baitong Restaurant.

The year’s winding down and it’s time to celebrate again. Where to go and what to do?

There’s plenty on offer, but once again Baitong Restaurant at Banana Fan Sea Resort Koh Samui has you absolutely covered when it comes to both Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners. The culinary team here are used to putting on wonderful feasts and go the extra mile when it comes to pleasing their guests.

Whether you’re coming with friends or family, Banana Fan Sea is a great place to be. For a start it could hardly be more convenient; located on Chaweng Beach Road, slightly south of the epicentre of the town, this is a surprising idyll.

But at the same time, it’s very easy to go on from here to other venues in the town; many are within walking distance, meaning you won’t have to even think about a taxi.

One of the big surprises turns out to be the price. Some resorts and restaurants seem to charge the earth for festive dinners, but at Baitong there’s great quality and all of it is entirely affordable: no hefty price tags go with either the Christmas Eve or the New Year’s Eve dinners. You can sit back and relax, enjoy everything and not have to grit your teeth as your holiday budget goes belly up. The only thing you need to worry about, however faintly, is that you don't forget to make a reservation for these events!

When you come to eat at Baitong, you’ll first walk through the extensive gardens of the resort, and head down to the restaurant which is just a few metres from the sea. The Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners are set right by the pool.

Watch the sunset, drink in hand, while you gaze out over the sea and see the lights along the coast begin to come on. It’s very romantic. And thanks to the very attentive and friendly staff, it’s an easy-going kind of place where you’ll find it a cinch to relax. The staff, by the way, are great with children, and they too will are more than welcome here.

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With over 25 items on the Christmas Eve menu, this festive buffet could hardly be better. No matter how hungry you are, you won’t possibly be able to eat everything. You’ll find salad and appetizers such as Greek salad, beef carpaccio, tuna sesame with mango salsa, along with many other sides, dips and dressings. Chafing dishes are meanwhile filled with delights such as mini beef burgers, fillet of fish with lime sauce, roast duck with orange sauce. Then there are chefs on hand to serve roast turkey, leg of lamb, beef sirloin and tenderloin, along with sauces of your choice. Try the tropical fruits afterwards, but leave room for Christmas cake, pannettone, crème brulée and cupcakes.

dance show. You’ll also be entered into the lucky draw and may win prizes such as wine, a barbecue buffet, Thai cooking class, an around-the-island tour or even free accommodation.

The Christmas Eve dinner starts at 6:00 pm on Sunday 24th December, and goes on until 11:00 pm, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the convivial atmosphere. There’s more than food on offer too. Live entertainment features big with an in-house acoustic show, a welcome cocktail reception, carol singing and a Thai classical

For the dinner, there will be another impressive line-up. Start off with appetizers such as papaya salad, Hawaiian chicken with pesto sauce, smoked salmon salad, green chicken satay and sushi and sashimi. You're bound to find many items that’ll take your fancy. Sides and soups include lobster bisque, spicy seafood soup, garlic

The New Year’s Eve entertainment program is similarly lavish to the one above, and features a welcome cocktail reception and lucky draw, but for the live entertainment there’s modern Thai dancing, a Polynesian show and fireworks. It starts at 6:30 pm and goes on and past the midnight countdown. By the time the evening ends you’ll be safely into January 2018, and already enjoying the New Year.

bread and fries, as well as a choice of five different cheeses. Chafing dishes offer both Thai and international treats, and then there are chefs cooking up orders of Alaskan king crab, New Zealand mussels, barracuda, lamb chops and steaks, along with sauces of your choice. Finish off with Thai desserts or western favourites that include tiramisu, cheese cake and a variety of ice-cream.

With food freshness a top priority, guaranteed yumminess and great prices, Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be well-spent at Baitong Restaurant. Enjoy the wonderful beachside setting, and relax while the very professional staff go all out to provide you with great memories.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7741 3483-6. www.bananafansea.com

TheLocals Secret

Casual, beachside Samui style dining at Krua Chao Baan Restaurant.

Krua Chao Baan restaurant has long been a local's favourite, in fact for the 19 years it has been open! This comfortably casual, Samui-family run restaurant is located right on Bang Ngam Jued Beach, in between Lamai and Hua Thanon, with spectacular views across a bay dotted with yachts and bordered by pristine silky sand.

The restaurant sits in three Thai style teak wooden houses with thatched roofs, rustic furniture and perfect sea breezes, all arranged around a central courtyard. But the best tables are beachside, where you can listen to the gentle lapping of the sea on the shore.

The Thai menu is big on local recipes, with ingredients particular to Samui. Dishes to look out for are; Hoy Jao Num Prik, small oysters prised from the rocks along the beach and served with seaweed and a spicy shrimp paste sauce. Hed

Lup, a sea vegetable nicknamed ‘The Flower of the Sea’, cooked with a delicious yellow curry.

Waii, is a long-tailed squid, it tastes fantastic with coconut cream and tamarind sauce, or fried with pineapple. The signature dish is Krua Chao Baan Omelet. It’s made with shrimp, squid, chicken and large mushrooms, and looks more like a cake than an omelette! It is very filling and very tasty.

Pla Ping Hup is local Samui style barbeque fish with turmeric, and you might be adventurous or even curious enough to try the Hormok Talay, steamed crab eggs in curry sauce or the Shrimp Cake with Salted Egg Yolk.

Our beautiful island of Samui is a great place for all types of seafood including crab, lobster, king prawns, oysters and mussels as well as a large variety of fish. Order it steamed, fried, baked or barbequed with Thai herbs or lemon, plum, garlic or soy sauce. All the regular Thai favourites are

also here; Tom Yum spicy soup, red, green and yellow curries, chicken with cashew nuts and five different types of somtam. This green papaya salad comes with fresh crab, crispy fish, king mackerel, mixed seafood or chicken. So much choice! So, go local, arrive with friends and order lots of different dishes to share.

Before the tourists began to arrive, Samui’s main source of income was from the export of coconuts and their related products. Creamy coconut sauces and curries feature heavily in their cooking. At Krua Chao Baan, all coconut recipes are made authentically by hand from local fresh coconuts and using family recipes handed down over generations.

There are also plenty of western favourites.

Soups, salads, burgers, pizza and pasta and a breakfast menu with all the usual offerings of

toast, eggs, bacon and sausages. But you would be missing out if you didn’t try some of their very special Samuian dishes. Don’t worry, you can ask for different levels of spiciness, or even no spice at all!

Even the presentation food here is very Thai.

Delicately carved vegetables accompany every dish, even the desserts. Choose the Mango and Sticky Rice, Banana Spring Roll or one of the many colourful ice cream sundaes with interesting names. So much choice to tempt you.

Don’t worry, if you eat too much, just take a snooze on the beach and then go and work it off with a paddle in their complimentary kayak.

Krua Chao Baan is open daily from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm. It’s a real deal, authentic family-run Thai eatery, that has adapted itself to help tourists enjoy the delights of local delicacies. In fact, it’s

so authentically Thai that it doesn’t yet have an English sign outside! If you don’t read Thai, you can recognise it from the very colourful Thai lettering outside on the wide frontage and parking area. Travelling from Lamai, continue past the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks (Hin Ya, Hin Tai), and Rocky’s Resort, slow down when you see Chill Inn Beach Club, as you only have another 100 meters to your destination. If you get to Flamingo Bay Resort, you have gone too far.

Krua Chao Baan means ‘local Thai kitchen’. If you want to try the real Samui food, then this is one local secret that must be shared.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7741 8589 or 0 7741 9889.

www.siamwininganddining.com 9

THE FRUITS OF THAILAND Some well-known, and others less so, but all delicious!

Thailand has such an abundance of fruit that you might think the entire country is one enormous orchard. Fruit is to be found everywhere, and often people have so much of it that they give it away to friends and neighbours.

The country’s hot climate and fertile soils, along with its cooler regions in the north, make the country ideal for fruit of many kinds. The supply’s always constant, with many popular fruits growing all year round.

If you're here in Thailand for the first time, many fruits may look decidedly strange, and some you may never have even seen before, let alone tasted. But if you experiment you're sure to find a few that you really like. Fruit is very cheap in Thailand, and the same goes for Samui too. You'll find it in abundance at any local market. It’s of course healthy too, as well as incredibly tasty. Chances are that you'll soon be won over by Thailand’s wonderful fruit.

We’ve put together a very brief guide to the main fruits that are to be found in Thailand:

Banana (Gluay) Bananas in Thailand come in an amazing variety, with over 20 to choose from, in many different sizes. In Thai, each has a different name, and there are many different ways to savour them. The Thais eat them raw, dried, boiled, fried or served as a dessert in coconut milk.

Custard Apple (Noina) The fruit doesn’t look much like an apple, but you can recognize it thanks to its knobbly exterior and light green appearance. It’s tennis-ball sized and is usually eaten with a spoon. And, yes, it really does taste like custard. It’s sweet and very satisfying.

Dragon Fruit (Gao Mung Gorn) It gets its name due to its exterior, which looks a lot like the scales of a dragon. The interior has soft flesh which is filled with tiny black seeds. Scoop out and eat the flesh and seeds with a spoon the way the Thais do.

Durian (Tu-Rian) The world’s most infamous fruit, it’s banned in many places in South-East Asia, and universally unwelcome in hotels, lifts and airplanes. With more spikes than a punk’s hair-do, durian stinks and puts most people off ever trying it. But the taste turns out to be a surprise; it’s sublime. It’s expensive compared to other Thai fruits, but is very versatile; it can be eaten raw, or as dried chips and is even enjoyed as ice-cream.

Guava (Farang) This fruit originally travelled to the tropics from its native Central America and the West Indies, and is now a definite Thai favourite, appreciated for its exotic taste.

People enjoy it year round, and it's often eaten before ripening along with chilli, sugar and salt. It can also be eaten ripe, and is extremely refreshing. You'll find guava jams and jellies in supermarkets, and it also appears in the form of ice-cream and drinks. Its Thai name, ‘farang’, is misleadingly a synonym for ‘foreigner’.

Jackfruit (Khanoon) With its succulent taste, jackfruit is always popular, but is only to be found on sale between January and May. It’s a very large fruit that’s equivalent in size to a melon.

The interior consists of many sections, each with delicious flesh that is covered in seeds. It’s most often eaten raw, although you can also find it battered and fried.

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Langsat (Lang-sard) This fruit actually comes from Thailand, and is incredibly popular. It’s only to be found between July and October, as it’s seasonal. It’s small and round, and is usually eaten raw. You'll need to persevere to pull off its skin, but the reward is worth it. Inside you'll find succulent flesh that has a slightly sour taste.

Longan (Lam-Yai) Related to both the lychee and the rambutan, this fruit is found in the Chiang Mai region in the north of Thailand.

It’s seasonal and tends to be found only between June and August. The flavour is deliciously sweet and delicate. Use a fingernail to first open the fruit and then squeeze out the flesh using your thumb and finger.

Lychee (Linjee) This well-known fruit is popular everywhere, and has a wonderfully delicate taste. It’s protected by a rough, reddish rind which can quite easily be removed, revealing the flesh inside, which is a translucent white.

You'll also have to remove the single seed inside, as this is inedible. The lychee is available from July to October only. It’s eaten raw but you'll also find it in desserts and drinks.

Mango (Ma-Muang) The mango is one of Thailand’s most consumed fruits, and there are many varieties to be found. Always refreshing, when it’s ripe it can be eaten raw by simply halving it and eating with a spoon. It’s part of various desserts and very popular along with sticky rice and coconut milk. When it’s still not ripe, it can be eaten dipped in sugar.

Pineapple (Sapparod) You'll find pineapples in abundance on Samui as they grow best in sandy soil close to the sea. Thailand is a world producer of the fruit. Pineapples are always to be found in abundance at markets as they grow all year round. The flesh is eaten raw, but is also often to be found in desserts, sweet and sour dishes, and drinks.

Papaya (Ma-La-Kon) Very popular, this fruit is found all year round in Thailand though is best between March and June.

Unripened, it forms the base for the tangy salad, known as somtam, which is eaten throughout Thailand. Papaya is a longish fruit that is best halved lengthways so that the line of seeds in its centre can be easily removed.

Then it’s cut into slices. The flesh is orange-coloured and deliciously succulent and soft when ripe.

Mangosteen (Mang-Kut) Highly popular in Thailand yet barely known outside, this odd-looking fruit has amazingly tasty white flesh that conveniently comes in sections. The number of sections actually matches the number of each fruit’s petals, which are to be found on its base. The fruit is small and a deep purple colour and you'll find it piled high at markets. It’s eaten raw but is equally wonderful as a refreshing juice.

Pomelo (Som-O) This is the Thai equivalent to the grapefruit and looks and tastes almost the same, with a flavour half way between sweet and sour. You'll find it at the markets throughout the year, with many variations in skin colour that range from yellow to red.

Rambutan (Ngor) Its name in English comes from the Malay word for hair, ‘rambut’, which pretty much sums up the appearance of this fruit – it looks like it’s sprouting very thick hair. The skin beneath is quite firm and is yellow and red. Inside you'll find pearly white flesh, which you will need to peel away from the seed inside. Sweet and delicious, it’s extremely popular with the Thais.

Rose Apple (Chom-Poo) You'll often find this fruit eaten Thai-style with pinches of sugar and salt which bring out its crisp, refreshing taste. It looks very like a pear and it has a shiny skin which can be either green or pink.

Sapodilla (La-Mut) This fruit looks fairly ugly, but its dullish skin hides the delicious surprise inside, a soft interior that is reminiscent of honey. Do as the Thais do and peel off the skin with a knife to get to the succulent flesh within.

You'll also often find sapodilla used as food decoration as it can be carved into precise shapes.

Watermelon (Tangmo) Thailand is a watermelon paradise, with the rich soil giving the fruit a particularly delicious taste. You'll find both red and yellow watermelons and they're stocked at every market. To eat them, just cut in half and then cut away the rind and cut into slices. Watermelons are ideal for blenders and make delicious, refreshing drinks to cool you down on hot days.

www.siamwininganddining.com 11

At Thai Tables

What to do (and what not to do) when it’s time to eat!

For many it comes as a shock. If it’s your first time here, you’ll be surprised. Even if you’ve been coming here a while, it keeps on happening. The thing is – Thailand seems to be so very normal on first sight. There are huge tower blocks, skyscrapers, and busy eight-lane highways congested with shiny new cars.

Everyone’s texting on their smartphones or watching TV. But then you start to see the differences.

It might be that the Thais are deeply religious – quite the opposite to most Western nations. Or that there’s a hundred little social rules over here that you don’t have back home. Many of these you might never get to know about. But the one that you just can’t avoid is the way the Thai people eat their food.

This is actually a complex issue, with all sorts of social and historical causes and effects – it’s not merely a different attitude, although that’s the way it might seem at first. For example, due to Thailand having had very little contact with the

West, spoons and forks never made it to the dining table until relatively recent years. And, for similar reasons, nor did the ‘normal’ Western idea of each person having their own plate of food, or the concept of a progression of different courses.

In fact, to an observer from outer space, it would probably seem that eating meals in Western nations is all about possession and selfishness, with each person protecting his own plate of food – yet in Thailand the food is placed in the centre of the table for everyone to share and eat at their own pace.

But what’s not generally realised is that that same alien, looking down on an affluent 18th century European household would have seen a very different picture. For many centuries it had been customary to present at least three different ‘courses’ at a dinner. But at that time a course consisted of anything between five and twenty-five dishes on the table at the same time.

In one course, soups, meat or fish dishes, side dishes and pastries might be placed on the table

all at once. Unfortunately this meant that by the time the guests finished their soup the other food had to be eaten cold. And so gradually, over the years, this approach was slimmed down until it reached the one-course-one-dish that we know today.

Typically, a Thai meal consists of a combination of what is considered a harmonious balance; elements that are salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.

And it’s generally in the cooler part of the day, in the evening after the work has finished, that a family, or a group of friends, will come together around a table to eat. This is the time when you’ll really notice the differences in cultural style. One big bowl of rice will appear on the table for all to use. Then there’ll be a variety of supplementary dishes to go with this, usually a variation on the theme of meat and/or fish dishes, plus vegetables, a noodle dish, and probably also soup. And all of these dishes will be placed together, centrally, for all to share.

Over the centuries, particularly with the Chinese

influence, Thai food traditionally has been cut and diced into small pieces before it’s cooked and served to the table. That’s the reason you’ll never see a knife on a Thai dinner table; there’s just no need for one. And, for the odd occasion where something needs to be divided up (pieces of fish, for instance) then the side of a spoon serves just as well.

It seems quite straight forward, doesn’t it? But, as with every culture everywhere, there’s a particular creed that goes with this, and in particular with the process of sharing. Rice will be the first item served, and it’s traditional for the youngest person present to take the bowl and serve a couple of spoonsful to each person, before serving themselves last. (If there are a lot of people at the table, then pass the bowl to the next young person to continue serving.)

Then, when the rest of the dishes arrive, always make sure that after you take what you want, you then offer the dish to the people on either side of you before putting it back on the table.

And, while you’re at it, always use the serving spoon that’s supplied with each main dish, not your own personal spoon – and remember to only take food from the side of the plate, never plunge the spoon into the middle!

It goes on! Never monopolise just one dish, even if it’s your favourite. And don’t stir a dish around to pick out the good bits for yourself. Certainly don’t pile your plate high: take just a couple of spoonsful of any one dish, and never more than three different selections on your plate at once.

There are dozens of other rules here, (whole books have been written about it!) but these are certainly some of the main ones. Of course, if you’re dining with a group of Western friends, it won’t really matter. But if you’ve been invited out

by Thai friends, then you really should be aware of what to do – at Thai tables!

Rob De Wet

Fine Beachside Dining with Spectacular Sunsets

THE SIAM RESIDENCE B o u t i q u e

R e s o r t

Thai & International cuisine in Lipa Noi / Koh Samui Phone: +66 (0) 77 420 008 | samui@siamresidence.com | www.siamresidence.com

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3-in-1at RockPool Not only Christmas and New Year extravagance, but an exceptional Christmas Day Brunch, too!

For a long time now, RockPool has been a Samui favourite. It’s not generally a name you’ll hear spoken in tourist circles, although that’s a shame. Because not only does it offer some of the finest and most creative dining around, but the setting and outlook are superb, too. And then the reason it’s been a favourite with the locals for so long – the prices here are notably better than many of its more-glitzy competitors.

RockPool is just a very short way out of Chaweng, heading north towards neighbouring Choeng Mon. It’s actually the signature restaurant of Kanda Residences, a privately-owned and run collection of lovely pool villas. The frontage is striking and impossible to miss. But just ask for a buggy to take you down the hill to RockPool – through the twisting lanes between the tropical greenery.

You’ll arrive outside a small arch which expands into the upper floor of the restaurant – a large canopied space opening out in the middle, a bar at one side and comfy seating around. There’s the hi-tech open kitchen on the right – and a view that goes on forever! But the essence of RockPool is what’s hidden below. There’s a

series of descending decks which come down from alongside the swimming pool and terrace above, with the top deck fitted out with daybeds and recliners, under the partial shade of one of the biggest trees around.

The executive chef here is the well-known Lisa Lang. And she’s put together a triple delight for this month – because very many of you who are reading this will soon be enjoying the festivities of both the Christmas and the New Year celebrations. And if you’ve got any choice in the matter, then a visit to RockPool ought to be high on your list of where to be on these dates.

So right away to the Christmas Eve Set Dinner, held on the evening of the 24th December. Lisa has the rare talent of being able to put dishes in front of you that look just terrific – then make your eyebrows rise with appreciation because they taste even better than they look.

There’s a five-course spread in store for you here, beginning with an opener of assorted canapés before you get to the starter – Crispy Hen’s Egg with Sausage and Walnut. Yes, I told you she was original and innovative, and it just

gets better! The butternut soup is super, and the cherry and kirsch sorbet will slide you into the main course where you can choose between the ‘Roasted Quail with Black Trumpet Mushroom Risotto and Red Wine Jus’ – or the equally mouth-watering ‘Grilled Butterfish with Lemon’.

Lisa’s desserts are legendary, and you’ll want to put this one up on your Facebook page – ‘Pistachio and Apple Crumble with Crème Anglaise and French Vanilla Ice-cream’.

The following day, Christmas Day, RockPool is celebrating with one of the brunches for which it is famous. Every Sunday throughout the year, there’s a brunch here (spread lazily over and across those inviting decks) which is the envy of other restaurants on the island. But, once a year, on Christmas day, this normally superb brunch becomes definitive.

I’m not going to list all the courses and options, because I’m not here to get you to read menus.

But I’ll take a deep breath and say . . . French Fin de Claire oysters, mussels, prawns, salmon, sea bass, turkey, duck and pork. Lots of exotic cold cuts. Tomato and shallot salad, green bean and pesto salad, Caprese salad. Greek salad,

potato salad. Home-made breads. Soup. Side dishes, fruit and sweet things. Roast beef, crispy pork loin – and the star of the show – a giant leg of lamb which has been slow-cooked for 12 hours.

The price, as expected, is exceptional, as Samui residents have already come to know. Not only that but children under six are free, and those between six and 12 years are half price. And there’s also a 15% discount for Samui residents.

There are live à la minute cooking stations: eggs, absolutely any way you want; waffles with so many toppings; fresh pasta, meats and different sauces, and a whole range of cooked-to-your preference BBQ items. This isn’t just a brunch.

This is a gourmet Christmas Day mega-feast of a brunch!

Did I say “3-in-1 at RockPool”? Well they are doing a New Year extravaganza, too, with a view of the fireworks across the whole of Chaweng Bay. If you’ve now become a fan of RockPool after reading this, then better make a booking for all or any of them now (including New Year’s Eve!). There are only 24 shopping days to Christmas, after all!

And I’m not finished yet. You can come here and eat. Or you can come here and eat and drink. And, naturally, that’s catered for, too.

There’s a choice of two added ‘specials’ which include free-flow drinks for two hours. The first is just to tempt you, as it includes unlimited fruit juices, soft drinks, teas or coffees. But the other one leaps to its feet and shouts: free-flow sake iced-tea, mojitos, mai tais, local beers, ciders, daiquiris and Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. Oh – plus juices, teas and coffees, too. And there’s a live band, North Wind, playing blues-jazz.

Rob De Wet For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 4500. www.kandaresidences.com

MUST TRY THAI CUISINE FOR A TRULY AUTHENTIC GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

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Going Native Joining the locals at Phumchai Gai Yang.

Sawn-off drums filled with smoking charcoal and grilling chicken catch the eye along the lake road in Chaweng. As you drive by you'll see an enormous barbecue, turning out an astonishing variety of chicken treats at very affordable prices.

This is Phumchai Gai Yang, which for many islanders is their favourite place to go. Most people come for takeaway and park their cars along the road or up the lane by Bees Knees Brewpub, which is just a few metres away on the other side of the road.

It's the brainchild of Khun Phumchai and his wife Khun May who set up the restaurant some four years ago. They work in tandem, along with two helpers, and manage to speedily get their customers’ orders wrapped and ready to go. To say the restaurant has been doing well is a bit of an understatement; it normally sells about 60 chickens per day, but can sell up to 200 on big holidays, such as Songkran.

Khun Phumchai used to work in a local resort, but decided to set up on his own. Obviously he and his wife knew that selling grilled chicken anywhere in Thailand would mean facing some fairly stiff competition. It wasn’t a decision that they took lightly, but went ahead all the same.

They knew they’d need to be not just good, but excellent, if they wanted to beat the odds and come out victorious. How did they manage? For a start, they were very picky about the chickens themselves; they had to be ideal for grilling and as tasty as possible. They found the right suppliers and for a long while stayed with them.

Maenam Bophut Nathon

Chaweng

Samui

Lamai

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www.drfrogs.com

Later, quality began to decline, so they went in search of a new supplier. Today they're very happy to be using chicken that comes from Khanom, just over the water on the mainland.

Chicken is incredibly versatile, and with the right ideas and preparation can morph into a very delectable item. So Khun Phumchai and Khun May spent time ensuring that the chicken had the best possible preparation, with a medley of ingredients that are rubbed into them before they even come into contact with the grill. This takes time.

The recipe used for preparing the chicken stays true to its roots, and not surprisingly ‘gai yang’ (the term translates very simply as ‘grilled chicken’) has become popular the world over in Thai restaurants. There are many variations on the theme of gai yang, and recipes vary up and down the country, but most versions will have lemongrass in them as well as fish sauce. At Phumchai, they naturally have their own version, and it’s so good that you'll find yourself eating more than you intended.

The couple gets up at 3:00 am every work day and first take delivery of the chickens before carefully preparing them. Six hours later the restaurant is open, and the first batch of chicken is ready. It’s slow work until the customers arrive and then it’s all speed.

You can order anything from a whole chicken to a simple small skewer – there’s a whole range to choose from, and many people also opt for one

of the accompaniments, the most popular being spicy papaya or cucumber salad and sticky rice.

Space is limited if you choose to eat here, there are just a few tables, but you're sure of a warm welcome. Everything’s brought to your table by one of the staff. Since the space that this little restaurant occupies is basically a narrow strip by the roadside, staff actually have to walk along the pavement.

The restaurant’s open daily, except Mondays, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. As an option you can also order by telephone and the staff will prepare for you to collect at your convenience.

Requests come in from far and wide, and even in one instance, from Bangkok. The takeaway in this case went via plane to the customers, who are big fans of Phumchai.

Phumchai Gai Yang is definitely proof you can make exceptional food with basic ingredients as long as you put in the effort to get everything just right. The team of four make it all look easy.

Few people though, even other professional chefs, can beat the great taste that's provided by this small roadside eatery.

Dimitri Waring

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Tropical Pick A closer look at the sugar apple.

They look just like small hand grenades, but they can be useful if you’re hysterical, or if you faint a lot. Some countries use them to destroy agricultural pests. In Mexico, you’ll often find them in hen’s nests. And the chances are that in Thailand, you’ll never even notice one – not unless you tread on it, that is. But if you stay here for more than a few days, you’ll probably eat some of them of them without even knowing about it.

The sugar apple (annona squamosa) is actually a long-established favourite throughout the tropical world. It hates low temperatures, and is thus found basking in the sunshine of India, Asia, South America, Egypt and Central Africa. In Northern Australia, it runs wild and grows in ditches and along the sides of the roads.

It’s easy to suppose how it got its name, as it’s about the same size as a large apple, and the tree it grows on is a similar size and shape to the apple trees we’re used to back home. It’s one of the members of the Annonaceae family, and is often misnamed after its brother, the custard apple. But, unlike its sibling, the sugar apple is much sweeter, and a much nicer guy all round.

Except that it’s a lot lumpier, too, with lots of

little segments standing out all over its surface.

You’ll find that the sugar apple is grown all over Thailand – mostly the trees are hidden away on farms and plantations in the northern regions.

But on Samui, you’ll often come across them growing ‘wild’ – they’ll grow in any soil, including sand. So if one day you’re walking back from the beach and something wet and sticky squelches up between your toes – it’s (hopefully) a sugar apple.

Exactly where the sugar apple calls ‘home’ is lost in the mists of time. But what is known is that the Spanish traders carried the seeds to the New World in the 16th century, and that the Portuguese introduced it to India at around the same time. It was growing in Indonesia not so long after – and by the next century had spread to Egypt, Africa, Palestine, Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico and Southern America. And so it’s not surprising that the knobby little sugar apple has more international names than the entire Chelsea football team.

Throughout South America it’s called anon … something. So in Cuba and Panama it’s anon azucar and in Dominica and Honduras it’s anon

de castilla. And then you’ll also find anon domestica, anon blanca plus a whole lot more.

Perhaps some of you might be more familiar with ‘sweetsop’, as they call it in the Bahamas.

But in India (just to confuse matters) it’s also called the custard apple. (I wonder what they call the real custard apple!)

fruit becomes squishy and shapeless once you’ve got rid of the seed. And that’s why you won’t find it in a fruit salad or a dessert. But anytime you eat a (traditional) Thai ice cream, the chances are that the deliciously sweet (and fragrant) flavour has been produced by…guess what? Correct. Noi na.

But you’re not out there - you’re here, on Samui.

And this little fruit is delicious – so go and ask for it with its Thai name – noi na. When it’s unripe, it’s a pale green colour, with a faint and varied blue-ish sheen on the segments – and these are more compacted than with the ripe fruit. As it ripens, they begin to stand out more from the surface – to open up a bit – and the colour changes to a variegated orangey-brown, with the surface of the ‘lumps’ turning darker.

It’s quite delectable – moist, sweet and delicious.

But there’s a lot more to the sugar apple than just sucking on the fruit. Take the seeds, for example. They’re not edible – so don’t try. In fact, they’re poisonous, and contain an alkaloid called anondine. You could dry them and crush them, though – and then use a paste made from this to cure…erm…‘head infestations’, like they do in India. And as I’ve already hinted at – if you’re a Mexican farmer, you’ll find this paste handy for keeping unwanted insects away from your nesting hens.

To enjoy one – just break it in two. The inside is actually very pretty – with dozens of mushy pale-orange packets radiating away from a central core. And each of these contains a sturdy, shiny black seed. Spoon out the segments and enjoy them – but spit out the seeds.

Unlike many Thai fruits (which are firm and can be cleanly cut or chopped) the sugar apple’s

In a world of technology, mass-production, hospitals, and over-the-counter drugs and medicines, it’s sometimes hard to believe that life is quite different in many other countries. So you might be surprised to discover that the crushed leaves of the sugar apple tree give off a pungent aroma that overcomes faintness and nausea. In

India, they make a concoction from them that helps counteract rheumatic pain. In many parts of South America, it’s common to find that extracts from the astringent roots and bark are used to offset dysentery. And if you’re ever in the wilds of Egypt with toothache, you might eventually find that scrapings from the tree-roots are being poulticed onto your gums to relieve the pain.

One of the attractions of staying on Samui is that it’s still largely unspoiled. The markets and street-stalls have very much a taste of the real Thailand. And everywhere, on street corners, on the backs of trucks, in front of closed shops – you’ll find the local people selling fruit. There’s a riot of colours, textures and smells – not all of them fragrant! But if you’re looking for a sweet taste of Thailand, then you just can’t go wrong.

All of the fruit is delicious – but not least of all, the sugar apple.

Rob De Wet

GENUINE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA

ON CHAWENG BEACH, OPPOSITE CENTRAL FESTIVAL

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Over the Bridge, Across the Bay Enjoy the bijou tranquillity of Olivio Italian restaurant.

Olivio first saw the light of day back in 2003, and has gone from strength to strength as the years have passed. One of the reasons is that it was set up by an internationally-renowned Italian chef.

And, still today, the restaurant imports unique original delicacies that you just can’t get over here – such things as herbs, spices, sun-dried tomatoes, St. Peter’s fish, authentic Italian black truffles, ricotta, and several cheeses, along with various sorts of cold cooked meats.

Another reason for its continued success is its location. Everyone likes the ambiance of a beachside restaurant. To be honest, very few of these have an interesting outlook. But Olivio is right at the furthest northern tip of the curve of Chaweng Bay. And the view is super, particularly at night with the vista of all of Chaweng’s lights glimmering across the water – it’s really romantic.

And again, going into Olivio at night is just like finding yourself in a little cobbled alley in the back streets of Naples. Tall whitewashed buildings all around, an almost-secret entrance

into a wall of dense under-lit greenery, a winding path through the bushes that passes over a tiny wooden bridge and twists between the tropical plants and little white cottages . . . and then the cool and modern glass-sided restaurant that’s at the edge of the sea.

which is elevated above the totally smooth, swept white sand, and is complete with cosy canopied seating against one wall. There are nine tables out on this terrace, and it’s popular, making booking a necessity if this is where you want to be.

I have to say that by far the best time to come here is at night. That’s when, visually, this restaurant really shines. But because Olivio is the signature restaurant of the equally-delightful Baan Haad Ngam Resort, it’s open all day. You are most welcome to drop in any time, enjoy a snack or a drink, catch up on your email or update your Facebook page (free Wi-Fi). Find out where it is, check it out, look through the menu, then come back later for a memorable Italian dinner!

As already hinted at, the menu is broad in scope, not only covering daytime snacking but also allowing the kids in your group the option of burgers, sandwiches or fries if you come at night – there’s a good selection of salads and other lite-bites, too. And there’s also a Thai menu that covers all the most popular dishes, with an emphasis on seafood.

The restaurant layout has created three sections, which all seem to blend into one. The back end is air-conditioned and has walls of glass. This runs into a similar central section, but with open sides. And then there’s the outer dining terrace

But it’s not until you look through the extensive Italian choices that the menu really sings. One of the most popular options here is the pizzas – real, crispy thin-crust Italian-style pizzas, a whole page to pick from – but take care; these are big 30-cm disks and just one will fill you; it needs to be shared!

The antipasto for two is one of the stars – it consists of a huge plate with grilled tuna, smoked salmon, soft shell crab in a crust of polenta, rocket salad, Italian tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil and melon, with a balsamic honey dressing and fig compote.

There are lots of pasta dishes (ravioli, fettuccine, penne, lasagne, spaghetti) and a full page of risottos. The seafood options (squid, mussels, prawns) are outstanding.

But it’s really only when you’re faced with the mains that you realise just how carefully you need to plan your meal – maybe it’s best to do it Thai-style and order several assorted dishes from across the menu, then put them all in the middle and dig in! The main dishes are superb and feature such delicacies as Norwegian salmon, sea bass, Australian lamb (the lamb rack is to die for), rib eye and tenderloin – all presented in true southern-Italian style.

Just a word . . . check out the unsung variety of vegetables that come with the dishes. They’ve all

been cooked individually. The potato, carrots, asparagus, aubergine and beans are all perfect.

And you can’t get that with them all in one big pan. It’s a measure of the culinary attention to detail at Olivio.

There happy hour is from 12 noon to 6:00 pm, so get here for the sunset and enjoy discounted cocktails before dining. There’s a good selection of quality wine by the bottle and the glass, the desserts are excellent and the service is first-class.

What else is there to say? Get yourself up the road to Olivio, over the bridge outside and across the bay. It’s one of the best Italian restaurants on the island!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7733 2950-7. www.baanhaadngam.com

Beachside Dining at its Best

餐厅-歡迎中國貴賓

Romantic Dinner I Seafood Basket with Lobster For reservations, please call 077 956 055 www.siamwininganddining.com 17

Thai Brewsi

The curious and still-evolving story of beer in Thailand.

In the larger scheme of things, Thailand is not a beer-drinking nation. And by that I mean beer has never been a part of the nation’s cultural heritage.

Whereas there are ancient orders of monks tucked away in the mountains of Austria (such as Weihanstephan Abbey in Bavaria) who have been famous for their beer for the last 1,000 years, the same can’t be said of Thailand. Even America’s oldest brewery (the Yeungling Brewery) has been at it since 1829. But Thailand only began brewing beer a few years before the outbreak of World War Two.

The Thai nation loves everything American, thus it occurred to one Thai entrepreneur that with the right sort of marketing, beer (that trendy and affordable fall-back of American males everywhere) might just be successful in Thailand.

And in order to do this, Khun Boonrawd Sreshthaputra interestingly turned towards Europe, spending several years living in Germany and Denmark while learning the techniques of beer making. The result was the appearance in 1933 of the Boon Rawd Brewery, and the famous lion of ‘Singha Beer’.

On the other hand, Thailand’s staple food is rice.

So it has come about that many alcoholic tipples over here have been rice-based. Beer (the Thai for this is ‘bia’) was a suspicious foreign thing, fizzy and sour, and an expensive imported luxury beyond the reach of all but the upper classes – but then they preferred the status of drinking costly imports like Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels, anyway.

It took many years (this was pre-television and mass-media marketing) to get the idea to take hold, but the campaigns were initially aggressively pitched at Thai working men as a novel and affordable alternative to the traditional ‘lao khao’ (rice wine – although hardly ‘wine’ at around 40% proof!). And everything was working out fine until suddenly a competitor knocked Boon Rawd back on its heels, in 1995. The competitor was the now-very-unhappy ThaiBev group, which had

been enjoying years of uninterrupted sunshine, selling all the nation’s spirits (rice wine, whisky, brandy) under a monopoly deal with the Thai government which made them the sole producers in Thailand. Out of the blue, suddenly, they jumped on the beer wagon with ‘Chang’ (elephant) beer.

And to make the whole thing more interesting, within a few months both Heineken and Carlsberg were granted government licences and opened their own breweries here. Suddenly Thailand had four beers. (Actually it was five as, in retaliation, Boon Rawd took over two breweries in Germany and began a huge marketing campaign with ‘Singha Gold’.)

But here’s the interesting thing. All of this beer was the blonde and gassy European kind that’s often referred to as ‘lager’. It was certainly the kind of beer that most of the rest of the world was drinking. And, in keeping with the new trend of supping straight from the bottle, it was only

available bottled or, later, in cans. But that was hardly surprising. Bottles and cans, when sealed, don’t need the quality control or maintenance which beer on tap does, and they also have a long shelf life. And, remember, 20 years ago, 95% of beer the world over was being produced by a comparatively small number of big national and international breweries.

But in Europe and America this all began to change in the first decade of the 21st century. The general feeling was that beer had now become bland, all very much the same, at best indistinguishable from other brands and at worst, tasteless. In towns and cities, here, there and everywhere, small independent brewers (often working in garages and back rooms to begin with) began to appear. And the demand for the products of these new ‘micro-breweries’ was huge.

so than ever when it comes to foreign businesses operating on Thai soil. Thus the idea of small, independent microbreweries, and their unusual and often startlingly-invigorating beers, took a long time to get off the ground. Bangkok led the way, with a non-stop succession of small, illegal, mini-breweries appearing, being fined and closed, then opening again under different names. And from this small beginning, everything grew.

Times have changed. The antique lions and elephants of Thai beer are now retreating in the face of very much more-cosmopolitan and complex brands, images and brews – ales, stouts, browns, porters, malts, wheats, India pales – and long may it continue!

Rob De Wet

Thailand, however, is a nation which is famed for its rules, regulations and endless red tape, more

Sabienglae restaurants offer traditional fresh seafood and cuisine in an authentic southern Thai style.

Come and enjoy our unique dishes, many of which you won’t find elsewhere on the island, in a relaxing atmosphere. An experience to truly complete your holiday.

Sabienglae Restaurant

The Wharf Samui, Fishermans’s Village For reservation please call 077 332 651

18 www.siamwininganddining.com

Hin Ta Hin Yai, Samui Ring Road For reservation please call 077 233 082-3

Wimaan Buri Resort, Chaweng Ring Road For reservation please call 077 962 333

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort presents a wide range of restaurants and bars featuring a variety of cuisines to suit all tastes.

Premium cocktails and selected wines are also available in each outlet.

STAR

A stunning rooftop bar where you can sip our signature cocktails and enjoy some snacks while watching the sunset or gazing at the stars above.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs.

The Height

Sun Deck

Wine and Cigar Lounge

Oering an extensive menu of delightful Thai cuisine, the restaurant has both air-conditioned and open air seating options, all with stunning views of the surrounding sea.

Open: 17.00-22.30hrs.

Exclusive dining on the deck with breathtaking views.Enjoy International delights in a romantic setting with your loved one. Please reserve in advance.

Refreshments, cocktails and snacks with a selection of premium wines and cigars to enjoy the breathtaking view.

Open:18.00-22.30hrs.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort 208/66 Moo4, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84310 Thailand Tel: (+66) 077 960 555 Fax: (+66) 077 960 055 www. Silavadeeresort.com www.siamwininganddining.com 19

Rice Barge &

Terrace

Fine Beachside Dining at the Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY Candlelight Set Dinner for 2 persons at Rice Barge Thai Cuisine and The Barge TUESDAY - GRILLED NIGHT Chef Special Thai or Western set menu for 2 persons at Rice Barge and The Barge WEDNESDAY - HAWAIIAN STYLE Hawaiian Seafood Buffet THB 1,290/person Children 6-12 half price (Special price for advance reservations) Entertainment: The Barge Band and Polynesian show.

Free Management Cocktail & Canapes 6-7 pm THURSDAY Thai or Western set menu for 2 persons at Rice Barge Thai Cuisine and The Barge EVERY DAY Thai Cooking Class - Reservation in advance Bartender Master Class - Reservation in advance Happy Hours: Swimming Pool: Hillside 1pm-2pm. Beachside 2pm-3pm Lobby Lounge 6pm-8pm, Rice Barge 6pm-7pm The Barge 6pm-7pm Private Dinner THB 3,500, 7,000, 8,500, 11,000 net Reservation in advance SATURDAY - WEEKEND DAY Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine Chef Signature Set Menu THB 3,000 for 2 persons SUNDAY - FAMILY DAY The Barge Western Cuisine & Seafood Chef Signature Set Menu THB 3,000 for 2 persons

Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

It’s all happening at Nora Beach Resort & Spa Tuesday Night- Around Asia Night. We invite you to experience a variety of traditional Thai dishes.

Price THB 850 per person. Entertainment: Ponglang & Pink 8 Duo Band.

Thursday Night - Hawaiian Night. Enjoy our chef’s special buffet creations. Price THB 950 net per person. Children 6-12 years old half price. Entertainment: Fire Show & Pink 8 Duo Band.

Thai Cooking Class Learn how to cook 3 authentic Thai dishes with our Thai Chef.

Inclusive of chef hat, apron, certificate and recipe.

Fruit Carving Class Inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate.

Daily Happy Hours Pool Bar 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm & 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm. Prasuthon Restaurant 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm.

Lobby Bar 7.00 pm - 8.00 pm & 10.00 pm - 11.00 pm.

Romantic Private Dining Dining on the beach with private chef and waiter/waitress.

Set menu THB 4,000 for couple.

Thai menu THB 6,000 per couple.

International menu THB 8,000 per couple.

Advance reservation required

For further information please telephone 0 7742 9400 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com 20 www.siamwininganddining.com