September 2017

SAMUI

www.siamwininganddining.com

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

FREE COPY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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

In the Balance This is the perfect time to come to Samui – it’s quieter, and the weather is a tranquil mix of sunshine, clouds, and a shower or two at night!

This month marks what most people think of as the halfway point in Samui’s year. Christmas and the New Year starts with a bang, then Songkran pops up in April and the whole nation goes crazy. Then it gets hotter and hotter, and Samui gets really busy again half way through July.

But by September, all of Europe has gone back to school or work again and the weather is much more refreshing.

And our little island has gone back to its usual sleepy way of life!

This is the time to stroll around the old parts of Samui, discovering tiny fishing villages that have remained unchanged for decades. Samui really is a foodie’s heaven, and there’s every kind of fresh seafood you could ever want – plus lots of exotic imported items, too.

But the charm of Thailand, and of Samui, is that the old and the new sit side by side. You’ll see 5-star gourmet fine-dining restaurants just a stone’s throw from touring temple fairs; and the cultural contrast between Australian grain-fed tenderloin and sticky rice with mango wrapped in a banana leaf (or fried silkworm grubs!) has to be experienced to be believed!

And that’s not counting the diversity of all the other restaurants . . . if you dig round a little you’ll find cuisine here from all over the world.

So take your pick! Samui is a culinary balance of East and West, and right now, there’s a nice balance in the weather, too. What could be better?

"Delicious Destinations" Enjoy outstanding Thai and European cuisine from our highly experienced, award winning chef beside the golden sands of Chaweng beach.

Perfect for any occasion whether it be dinner with friends or family, or specially set up romantic dinner for two.

At Banana Fan Sea Resort

Chaweng Beach Road Tel: 0 7741 3483-6

E-mail: info@bananafansea.com

www.bananafansea.com

SAMUI

SAMUI

www.siamwininganddining.com

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

FREE COPY

SEPTEMBER 2017

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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

In the Balance This month marks what most people think of as the halfway point in Samui’s year. Christmas and the New Year starts with a bang, then Songkran pops up in April and the whole nation goes crazy. Then it gets hotter and hotter, and Samui gets really busy again half way through July.

But by September, all of Europe has gone back to school or work again and the weather is much more refreshing.

And our little island has gone back to its usual sleepy way of life!

This is the time to stroll around the old parts of Samui, discovering tiny fishing villages that have remained unchanged for decades. Samui really is a foodie’s heaven, and there’s every kind of fresh seafood you could ever want – plus lots of exotic imported items, too.

Full Moon Fun There’s a new party on the island at Coast, and it’s so cool you can even go with your wife and kids!

This is the perfect time to come to Samui – it’s quieter, and the weather is a tranquil mix of sunshine, clouds, and a shower or two at night!

But the charm of Thailand, and of Samui, is that the old and the new sit side by side. You’ll see 5-star gourmet fine-dining restaurants just a stone’s throw from touring temple fairs; and the cultural contrast between Australian grain-fed tenderloin and sticky rice with mango wrapped in a banana leaf (or fried silkworm grubs!) has to be experienced to be believed!

And that’s not counting the diversity of all the other restaurants . . . if you dig round a little you’ll find cuisine here from all over the world.

So take your pick! Samui is a culinary balance of East and West, and right now, there’s a nice balance in the weather, too. What could be better?

"Delicious Destinations" Enjoy outstanding Thai and European cuisine from our highly experienced, award winning chef beside the golden sands of Chaweng beach.

Perfect for any occasion whether it be dinner with friends or family, or specially set up romantic dinner for two.

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

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 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.

Everyone knows about the Full Moon parties.

They’re a legend worldwide. But, not to put too fine a point on it, most parents would die at the thought of their teenage kids going over there for the night. And in many ways, that’s a shame.

There’s nothing else like it for freedom, frolics and fun – except, sometimes, it’s the dangerous kind. But isn’t it a shame, though, that there’s nothing like it where grown-ups can let their hair down for a bit. Nothing where it’s oh-so safe for your kids to let rip. Except, now . . . there is.

Chaweng’s Centara Grand Beach Resort just has to be the very symbol of 5-star respectability.

Centara is no stranger to Samui, being one of the longest-established resorts on the island. This is also the company which recently gave us Central Festival Samui.

And so it comes as no real surprise that this same group spent two years thinking about and planning a top-end-yet-affordable open-air restaurant-cum-modern beach club as a part of their Samui location. They set it all up and it worked better than they could ever have hoped.

And it’s now hugely popular, particularly with the island’s residents – and it takes something special for that to happen. Its name is ‘Coast’.

And it’s now where everyone of any age on Samui can let it all hang out, regular as clockwork every month, at Samui’s very own Full Moon Party.

the very carefully thought-out layout. As you come in through its own entrance towards one side of the Centara estate, suddenly everything seems to expand. What appears to be a wooden deck with a very nice canopied dining area expands outwards and into a whole nest of different levels.

Of course, Coast has a lot more going for it than just this one monthly event – just take a look at their busy Facebook schedule to see what’s also going on (especially their superb Sunday Brunches). But a great deal of the appeal here is

The cool, clean, décor and styling is Mediterranean in feel, with lots of white stucco, scatter pillows, wooden decking, and steps up and down; very cool, comfy and laid-back.

They’ve even dug out great chunks of land at

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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the beachside of the resort, and then filled them with sand, somehow pulling the beach up and into this part of Coast, with big sand pits with humongous-cushions and rows of scooped womb-like daybeds. And there are also two separate air-conditioned dining rooms with walls of opening glass doors, if they’re required.

All these things in combination – the styling and the feel of the place – are just fabulous. It’s bright and airy in the daytime, and warm and mellow with night-time lighting. And that brings us back to the Full Moon parties again.

Guido Campigotto is the General Manager at Coast. “Our guests are our life blood,” he reflected. “But of equal importance are the people who live and work here. If you’re only with us for a week, then you’ll enjoy everything we have to offer. But with our residents we have to be more thoughtful. So not only have we made all our prices realistically affordable for everyone, but we are offering a very generous resident’s discount on top of that (in the form of a members’ program known as Coast Privilege Card). And this was the thinking that led to our Full Moon parties.”

“Every month,” Guido continued, “all the young gap-year kids and backpackers look forward to the biggest party on earth over on Koh Pha-Ngan. They talk to all their friends about it.

They make plans. They’re excited. It’s a huge happening. But there are hundreds of people living here with families and kids who love a good party but would never dream of crossing the water. And so we’ve created our own event.”

It’s generally themed as a ‘Full Moon White Party’ but, what the heck, anything goes. There are resident DJs kicking off at around 7:00 pm

with lounge music, and every now and then visiting name-DJs from abroad. The pace kicks-up as the evening progresses, and there is body and face painting, fire dancers and jugglers, plus the universally-known Bata on percussion.

The evening includes welcome cocktails at 7:00 pm and a ‘Mediterranean Ritual Dinner’ which runs until 10:00 pm, and this coincides with a dancing show. The atmosphere is really up and bouncy, with everyone letting it all hang loose –

plus little herds of happy teens doing their own cool thing in clusters here and there.

It’s terrific! It’s Coast at Centara. It’s every month.

And it’s total Full Moon fun!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 0500 Ext 595. www.coast-samui.com

Romantic views, soothing sounds and classic Italian fare with a modern approach combine to please the most discerning diner.

Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.

Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Villas Chaweng Beach.

Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500-8

www.siamwininganddining.com

3

Breakfast in Paradise Let’s get out and about and scan the sidewalks to see what Thai people do for breakfast!

Breakfast. The first meal of the new day. Or, if not actually a full meal, then certainly something to put in your stomach to get you started. For many it’s the most important meal. For others it’s nothing to shout about. But it’s different everywhere you go. And it’s not simply because different nations eat different things. It goes deeper than that. And to grasp what breakfast is all about, we have to look at lifestyle, too.

The idea of a hearty breakfast to start the day is rooted in the collective consciousness of working people everywhere. But here we’re talking about physical work; farmers in the fields, constructions workers, window cleaners – any job where you are on the go and using lots of energy. Office workers and clerks have different needs. As do those of us who are very young or very old. And then, tangled up with this, there’s the cultural backdrop of different nations.

What this all boils down to is a jumbled confusion which draws partly on tradition, is influenced by age, and further clouded by lifestyle and culture.

And so, just for fun, in the blue corner we’ll pit the traditional English ‘Full Monty’ breakfast against the Thai equivalent in the red corner – but be prepared for some cultural clashes and astute sociological observations as the contest progresses!

The ‘Full English Breakfast’ is a cholesterol horror, being mostly fried. And the bacon, sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes, together with the fried eggs, runny baked beans on crispy brown toast that’s slathered with melted butter will cause a vegan to momentarily lose consciousness.

However, it not only crams a huge amount of calories into a working man’s body, but it actually tastes pretty good, too! But, then, the next meal will be after midday, and it’ll be a small one; sandwiches or a small take-away from a nearby café. This will then be followed by a substantial evening meal at home after the day’s work is done.

On the other hand (back in the red corner) the Thai nation has a far more laid-back approach to food. There aren’t the same rigid meal times over here. In fact it’s common everywhere to see shop workers (even bank staff) munching away happily at a polystyrene bowl of something under the counter as you walk in to get served. It’s been oft-noted that Thai people don’t really eat meals.

They ‘graze’ on and off during the day, quite often hitting something like a bowl of noodle soup, a small plate of curry or some meat skewers every two hours or so, supplied by the mobile carts which appear outside at regular intervals during the working day.

This happy-go-lucky attitude to eating food is threaded throughout the Thai nation, and therefore means that really there’s only one time every day that Thai people can get together for a family meal, and that’s in the evening. But it also means that tens of millions of hungry Thai people are on the move very early in the working day.

Many are away from home and family, particularly on a holiday island like Samui. But even those who aren’t are on their way to work via a breakfast from one of the many street stalls or food markets along their way – it’s just so much easier.

Without a doubt the most popular dish for a Thai breakfast is some kind of ‘jok’ (often spelled ‘joke’). You take rice and boil it until it goes mushy, like porridge. Then you crack an egg in the middle and add all sorts to it – minced pork or liver or fish – and garnish it with thin slices of ginger and cilantro. And then there’s jok’s little cousin, ‘khao tom’, but here, instead of the rice going mushy, it’s cooked into a soup with seafood or fish and then has vegetables added.

Another favourite is ‘khao kai jeow’, meaning just rice and an omelette, and there is a variety of added ingredients you can choose from including minced pork, onions, plus a selection of small vegetables. Once you make your selection, they’ll fry a fresh omelette, put it on a bed of rice, and serve it to you with mild chilli sauce on the side.

How about grappling with the western idea in the blue corner and getting your head around something more substantial, such as ‘khao neow moo ping’? Skewers of honey-glazed pork with generous helpings of sticky rice? The sweet greasy pork is a perfect match for the sticky rice.

Or if you want to level the field a little, face-off with a minimal and tie-breaking breakfast nibble, ‘khanom pang’. Sounds exotic, doesn’t it. But it’s actually the Thai for waffles! And it’s just great to eat while you’re on the go.

And then – my favourite – ‘khao rad gaeng’. This is a kind of ‘pick n mix’. You’ve seen those kind of scary (if you are in the blue corner) big steel pots filled with strange stuff which the street restaurants have several of in a row? Well you get your plate of rice and point and say “. . . a bit of this and some of that and just a touch of this one, please.” And then get it all in a mixed goo on your rice and tuck-in selectively.

You don’t always get what you want. But sometimes you find what you need – particularly when you’re exploring breakfast in paradise!

Rob De Wet

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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Beyond Sky and Sky Sea and Beyond the Sea Imagine a luxurious resort on a deserted tropical beach, miles away from the madding crowd – we look at the effortless tranquillity of Shasa!

Our little island has gone through a lot of changes. It’s moved from a secret hippie hideaway in the 70s, through to an embryonic tourist attraction when it added an airport in the late 80s, onto a top international holiday destination when the Thai baht devalued at the turn of the millennium, right through to where it is now.

And right now we’ve emerged onto the international stage, with perhaps 20 or so 5-star resorts and multinational hotel chains staking their exclusive claims around Samui. And along with this, there has been the domino effect of a plethora of smaller boutique resorts, and a property market that has exploded! But, because of Samui’s geography, it’s all happened in a unique way.

Unlike other destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya, Samui has remained low-rise and remains largely unspoiled and under-developed – it’s essentially a small mountain with flat bits around the edges. And, whereas the flat coastal circumference has started to fill in with tourist attractions, not only is everything still mostly rustic and charming, but almost the entire southern half of the island has remained unspoiled. Beaches with no jet skis or irritating

vendors. No trace of bars or beach clubs. No coaches with day-tripping tourists. Just a maze of little side roads and small beachside villages, where the same families have fished and tended their nets for generations.

And so it’s hardly surprising that one or two discerning developers have caught on to the appeal of this part of the island. Chaweng is party town, high octane, high-energy, and mostly filled with young and energetic people to match.

But the deep south of the island remains a getaway. It’s where the more mature and gentile of our visitors are drawn to. Especially now there are high-end and quietly-luxurious retreats such as Shasa Resort & Residences, right down on the most southerly tip of the island.

Shasa appeared in 2008. It has all the style of a 5-star beach resort, but also blends effortlessly into its lush green setting. The striking décor and styling – black glass, chrome, marble, scrubbed concrete – is softened by contrasting elements: cascading pools with murmuring waterways wend their way through the tropical gardens, and natural textures and fabrics abound.

There are 17 exclusive sea-view suites, and one sumptuous beachfront pool villa. There are three

swimming pools, all faced by a stunning seascape, with one of them having a specially-designed hydrotherapy spa pool. The health club has its own sauna, and is fitted with the latest state-of-the-art equipment. The spa offers pampering and re-vitalising treatments.

And the restaurant, Beyond the Sea Siamese Brassiere, is an essay in elegance all by itself, and features some of the best cuisine around.

Beyond the Sea is the right name for this restaurant. There’s an ethereal quality to it, both in the décor and the location; way up high with a cascading vista framed by the landscaping on either side. It’s truly idyllic. Inside it’s air-conditioned with a wall of glass facing the sea. The outer balcony is a shady haven, cool and peaceful. The décor is earthy and simple, the smooth wooden planks of the decking contrasting pleasingly with the vertical slabs of rough-hewn timber on the outer wall, the black glass walls and ceiling, and the floor-to-ceiling windows above which offset this, clad tastefully with Mediterranean-style wooden shutters.

The emphasis is on Thai cuisine – but with a creative slant. Firstly, nothing but the finest ingredients are used. Several of them (such as the Australian strip loin) are specially imported. And

if you’re already used to eating traditional Thai food, the difference in flavour and texture will really make an impression. All the seafood is fresher-than-fresh, and caught locally each day.

Then there is the fact that the chefs here have subtly tweaked some of the items, and included one or two unexpected ingredients to further enhance the flavour. You’ll see some authentic southern dishes which are hard to find: the ‘gang som pla’ (sour curry soup) not only features big chunks of prime sea bass, but is enhanced by a different balance of ingredients than usual – the special sauce is something of a secret! Likewise the signature Panang Beef Curry: the red coconut-cream-based sauce is utterly delicious, and it’s served in a shallow dish with halves of fresh mango. This menu is actually quite broad, and features dishes from all over the nation, not only the south. There are ever some typical Isaan items for you to savour if you like your food spicy, such as the Laab or the tangy and hot prawn-based Som Tam Goong.

But it’s not all Thai cuisine, there’s a complementary International menu, too, including pasta, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and fish and meat, all prepared western-style.

Although one really intriguing section boldly

twins the two cuisines – the pizzas! Here you’ll find six or seven offerings including massaman, tom yum, plus curry and stir-fry choices. And, happily, also a big vegetarian menu that runs to several pages, too. Plus another attraction – there’s a separate menu just for kiddies. There’s also a superb wine list, with hand-picked labels, both New World and classic, plus a good range of sparkling wines, and champagne by Krug, Dom Pérignon and Veuve Clicquot.

You won’t stumble across Shasa by accident – but that’s by design! It’s deliberately been tucked away, secluded and serene. However, because of this there’s a pick-up-and-return shuttle bus which will come and collect you from your resort or home. Whether you’re heading that way for wining, dining, or romance, you’ll experience an elegantly-bold world of style, on the hillside beyond the sea, at Shasa Resort & Residences!

Rob De Wet For reservations or to book your complimentary transport, 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

Gem in Chaweng Olivio Italian Cuisine at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Villas has just been revamped. Come and check out the new improvements.

In Samui’s fickle dining scene, it’s quite something if a restaurant can simply hold on to its reputation for a full decade. Olivio has remained popular since 2003, and has always been one of the prime destinations for its authentic Italian and Thai cuisine.

Over the years, the restaurant, situated in the north of Chaweng, has gone from strength to strength, constantly seeking to improve on its already good reputation. Diners return to it again and again, and each time there’ll have been some or other new grace note added. This time, though, they can expect a lot more: rather than a spruce-up, Olivio has been given an entire makeover. Major shifts have taken place, and the restaurant is all the better for them.

The first thing that’ll strike you is that the restaurant now has three distinct areas. It used to be entirely open-air, but now has a large air-con section. It’s ideal for the hottest of days (and evenings on Samui can be almost equally hot, too) and also when there’s rain. Simply opt to sit here and enjoy the relaxed feel of indoor dining, and thanks to enormous glass windows, views out to the lush little garden just outside and the sea beyond. The central part of the restaurant is still open-air as is the part nearer the sea, now with beautifully decorated, romantic canopied seating. No matter where you choose to be seated, Olivio’s definitely the kind of restaurant where it’s easy to simply sit back and relax.

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generous buffet along with an egg station where you can order a range of omelettes as well as fried and poached eggs. Olivio has everything a breakfaster could possibly want, including cheeses and cold cuts, different kinds of bread, and all the drinks to go with this amazing repast.

There are even slow-pressed juices to be had; simply select the fruits or vegetables that you'd like, feed them into the juicer, and you'll have a wonderfully healthy drink.

Lunch stretches out over most of the day, from 11:00 am until almost sundown, at 5:00 pm. A wide variety of dishes are produced seemingly effortlessly from the kitchen. Watch for a while and you'll see everything from pizzas, sandwiches and burgers through to Thai dishes such as green curries, pad Thai and fiery som tam. People come in off the beach, or maybe they’ll have wandered down from the main road in search of sustenance. Some come just for a coffee or a snack. Olivio is a welcoming place, and staff are very friendly, making this an ideal place to come and linger.

And just as good, you can come here at just about any time of day or night; Olivio being part of Baan Haad Ngam Resort means that it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with anything that patrons may care to eat in-between.

Check out the current promotions – there’s always something on offer at Olivio – but be sure to try one of the four signature drinks that Restaurant Manager, Khun Kim, has specially created. Served in tall glasses, opt for a tea or coffee that’s quite different from the usual offerings. For example, the ice-cubes may well be made from the drink itself, and then there's the addition of whipped cream, maraschino cherries and so on. There are incidentally two different happy hours. The first is from midday till 3:00 pm and the second from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. You can indulge in cocktails, beers and non-alcoholic drinks on a two-for-one basis.

Breakfast is sumptuous – and guests from outside are of course all welcome. It’s served from 6:30 am until 10:30 am and there’s a whole range of delicious possibilities, with both Asian and international dishes on offer. It’s basically a very

Dinner is from 6:00 pm until last food orders at 10:30 pm, with the restaurant finally closing at 11:00 pm. Evenings here are a real treat; watch the sunset over the bay of Chaweng and then feast on the plethora of Thai and Italian

creations. Enjoy Toscana-style lasagne or a traditional Thai curry. Or anything from risotto, pasta and pizza to Thai salads, soups and stir-fries.

A particular recommendation is the antipasto for two; it consists of a range of delicacies including smoked salmon with rocket salad; marinated and grilled tuna with Italian tomatoes, grilled soft shell crab in a crust of polenta. Flavours are created with balsamic honey dressing and fig compote, buffalo mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil and melon. It’s generously sized so you can also share with a small party of people, too.

Olivio also puts on their ‘Private Romantic Dinner’, where you can dine on the beach itself or by the swimming pool. A trio of menus makes this a truly special occasion, and the setting is extraordinarily beautiful. From your table, decorated with flowers and candles, you can look out to a maritime vista that encompasses the entire bay of Chaweng. Just remember to book a day in advance in order to avoid disappointment.

Thanks to its iconic blend of superior-quality Italian and Thai cuisine, friendly and efficient service and a beautiful setting, Olivio delights its many diners, and still manages to polish its performance. All of this, incidentally, doesn’t come at any big price tag. Despite all the great food, it’s all very reasonable, and you can still splurge without your conscience gnawing away at you. And if you're a diner returning some months after your last visit, you're bound to like the new look Olivio is now sporting.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information telephone 0 7733 2950-7. www.baanhaadngam.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Chilling in Paradise A look at what brought the new president of the Samui Culinary Circle to our lovely island.

Despite its small size, Samui is now a very busy island indeed. But it wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, it was quiet and sleepy; a tropical get-away where gnarled fishermen mended their nets, and hippies swung lazily in hammocks in the shade. But then more people came. Then the airport. Then even more people. And then problems stared to arise.

People needed to eat. And little local restaurants weren’t enough. As even more hotels and resorts appeared, they needed to cater for a much more discerning audience. People wanted quality food.

They wanted fresh vegetables to go with their fresh seafood. They expected potatoes, carrots, peas, and coleslaw too. Bratwurst, pizzas, and pasta dishes. They expected cheese at the end of their meal. They enjoyed good coffee in the morning. But the problem was that most of these things were not to be found – not easily, anyway.

Some of the more ambitious resorts were importing their own items, sometimes simply from the temperate northern regions of the country. Or they discovered suppliers hidden away in the dockside warehouses of Bangkok. Or sometimes they even shipped things in from abroad. But there was a very real downside to this. You needed to bring in a whole crate-load of

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these items, only to have most of them wasted.

What wasn’t consumed in a day or so couldn’t be kept. Well, not unless they were shared around amongst other chefs and restaurants, anyway.

Which is exactly what started to happen. And, in the fullness of time, 1997 to be precise, the group of people who had banded together to pool and share these foodstuffs gave themselves a title – it was the ‘Samui Culinary Circle’, or simply, SCC as it soon became known.

Twenty years later, things have changed. The SCC no longer acts as a loose cooperative, pooling and sharing its supplies. Now there are plenty of specialist food suppliers who have stocks of just about everything, and can quickly source the items that are rare or hard to find. But, in fact, the SCC is probably stronger now than it’s ever been.

It’s not only busy thinking about and actively working at improving Samui’s overall quality of culinary service, including staff and management issues and training, but also acts as a very effective networking system, too.

Like all such organisations it has a president and a secretary. And in April of this year, the previous president, Reuben Kimber, stood down due to family and business obligations. And the new man in his place is the youthfully-energetic and

very personable Frenchman, Cyril Nahon. The last two presidents had both been chefs. But Cyril is seriously into ice-cream!

“I’ve always loved food,” he smiled, “helping to prepare and make it, and particularly eating it.

But I never was drawn to a career as a chef. It seemed to me that you first had to spend years peeling potatoes and being ordered around by all those above you, before you finally got to the top of the chain and could decide on the menu and run the kitchen. Really, when I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. The only thing that I really liked was the time I spent working in the Jadis et Gourmande chocolate factory in my home town of Paris.”

Cyril was absorbed by this – the way the cocoa beans were processed, then converted to chocolate, and then all the different things that came out at the end. “We made chocolate books,” he recounted, “shoes and toys, all from chocolate.

It was fascinating. But I still hadn’t found anything that really grabbed me.” And then came the day that Cyril got a phone call from his father, who was working in Thailand. He needed help.

And so, in 2010, Cyril packed his bags and set off to Samui, where his father owned and ran the ‘Rossini Ice Cream’ factory in Lamai

“I really took a liking to Samui,” Cyril continued, “and what’s more, I found myself really getting involved with the whole ice-cream process. There was so much to learn, and my father stayed with me, training me for two years before he handed the whole thing over to me. Today we now make over 150 different kinds of ice-creams and sorbets. It’s constant fun, creating new ones like Green Papaya with Fish Sauce, or Chocolate with Peanut Butter and Rum. And I’ve been keen to draw on local business and resources, too – the rum comes from the nearby Magic Alambic Distillery, and I buy as many local ingredients and fruits as possible.”

“All our business comes from local restaurants, and in particular those which are attached to the resorts . . . names such as Conrad, Four Seasons, Vana Belle and Intercontinental spring to mind.

Every day our refrigerated van delivers between 50 and 100 kilos of ice-cream to our regular customers – which is hard work for our staff of just four. But they’ve been with us a long time; it’s like a family.”

And, not surprisingly, what better way to meet, greet and circulate with all the food and beverage staff on Samui, than to subscribe to the SCC. Cyril was initially introduced by his father. And several

years later he took over the spot of secretary. And now, he’s taken over as president.

“It’s enjoyable,” he told me. “I meet colleagues and business associates in a different context, one where we can relax and have a few beers and some fun together. It’s part of my job to arrange the regular showcase dinners that we hold, to liaise with a guest chef (or the in-house chef if it’s at a resort) and to notify our members of times, dates and costs. We’re not a profit-making group,” Cyril added. “But we always raise funds to support one of the needy local causes. I love it!

And I love being here on Samui, even though I’m kept so busy!”

And on the one day a week he isn’t slaving away over a cold stove, you’ll see Cyril walking his dog on the beach, exploring a new restaurant or simply meeting up with friends – generally just ‘chilling in paradise’, in fact!

Rob De Wet

The Real Thing Real Thai food? You might be in for a surprise when you head to Krua Chao Baan seafood restaurant in Lamai!

Here’s an interesting fact for you – something like 20% of visitors to Thailand don’t like Thai food.

Which to me is a little bit crazy – like going to America but not liking hamburgers. But it appears to be a fact. And the German, Italian and English-style eateries in Chaweng that are full every night seem to bear this out. Personally one of the reasons I came here in the first place was because of the wonderful Thai cuisine. But that doesn’t apply to everyone, or so it would seem!

But, then, here’s a thought for you. You’ve got Thai restaurants in your home town, yes? And you’ve no doubt enjoyed eating there; Thai food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world, after all. And so what did you think of the Thai food when you came over here? Was it the same?

Better? Worse? Different?

My point is this: Thai restaurants all over the world change the food they sell to match what they think people want. In European (and American) restaurants you’ll usually find carrots and peas mixed in with the Thai food. One very popular Thai restaurant in New York, Ngam, sets the tables with chopsticks – even though Thais don’t use chopsticks (except for noodle soup) – simply because it’s what their customers expect.

And, so, when you come over here and experience ‘genuine’ Thai food, it can come as a surprise. But then we have to decide on what exactly ‘genuine’ means. So let’s just say it’s what the Thai people themselves eat. And that’s where the element of surprise comes in. Thais add sugar to everything. They frequently use MSG. Their ‘sour’ dishes are very sour indeed. They expect their beef or pork to be chewy, or their chicken to have bits of gristle in it. And you only have to look on TripAdvisor to see this surprise reflected in the comments!

However, for those of you who are seriously after ‘the real thing’, who genuinely want to experience the true taste of Thailand in an unspoiled environment, where there are many unusual and truly southern Thai dishes and the prices are not inflated, then head to Lamai. And drop in to Krua Chao Baan.

This unspoiled little eatery is so genuinely Thai that you’ll drive past it because it doesn’t have any sign in English outside! (But it’s big and has a wide frontage with lots of parking space.) Going out of Lamai past the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks, you’ll see the prominent frontage of Rocky’s Boutique Resort. Just past there is Chill-In Beach Club. And after another hundred metres you’ll see Flamingo Bay Resort – at which point you will have just passed Krua Chao Baan, which is directly between these two.

If we go back to 15 years ago, then you really would have been ‘going Thai’ because this was the first beachside seafood restaurant in this area, and both the menu and the staff would have been 100% Thai. But today they have ramped-up their interface, and the menu is in Thai and English and most of the staff speak some English too.

It’s pretty! The restaurant is traditional Thai-style, with a wood construction and thatched roofs, forming a U-shape around a central grassed area with a water feature with decorative lighting. It’s in a small cove, right against the sand, but built above the water line with one of the main decks elevated – the restaurant can seat perhaps 100, but it’s big enough to not make things feel crowded. And in traditional Thai-style each of the tables (they can be quickly re-arranged to suit a larger group) has a trolley next to it for the drinks - the waiters will circulate and top-up your glass as you eat.

And in true Samui style, it’s a family affair, with the owner, Khun Jack, coming from an old and important Samui family, which includes some of the staff, and also the fishermen who bring in and supply the seafood fresh each day.

The menu is extensive, with a great many dishes being featured, and a lot of these are in typical southern-style with creamy sauces, and curries being made with the plentiful coconut milk that typifies dishes from this region. There is a big range of soups, and more than ten sorts of papaya salad (you know from this alone that this is a truly Thai restaurant!). Plus a great many

interesting dishes – such as the ‘Krua Chao Baan Omelette’, which is more like a curious egg-cake.

Or the ‘Waii Krua’ – a chopped squid dish in gravy. Or the fascinating ‘Hor Muk’ – a curry-custard seafood dish served on a banana leaf.

Even though the menu is divided into European style sections (starters, soups, main dishes etc.), the way to do this is to forget about such conventions and go Thai-style to start with.

Decide in advance that you are going to have maybe a soup, a noodle dish, a stir-fry, a curry (the ‘Thick and Creamy Southern-style’ curries are superb!) a whole fish (deep fried, steamed or with garlic and pepper), a selection of king prawns or a crab dish (try the ‘Fried Blue Swimming Crab with Coconut Cream’) and some sides, then get them all on the table in the middle and keep picking a little bit from each to go with your rice.

Yes, they do breakfasts too (open at 10:00 am, close at 10:00 pm), with all the usual suspects such as toast, eggs (lots of different styles), bacon and sausage combos. (Pasta and spaghetti dishes, too.) But don’t be surprised to get chipolatas or Thai-style toast – warm white bread! And there are sandwiches and burgers, too if that’s what you’re after.

But you can get these things anywhere. What’s special about Krua Chao Baan is that the name means ‘local Thai kitchen’. And that’s exactly what you’ll find – if you’re genuinely after ‘the real thing’, that is!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7741 8589 or 0 7741 9889.

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Oodles of Noodles Did you realise just how many totally delicious noodle dishes there are, if you just know what to ask for?

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There you are, out on a hot date with the person of your fancy. You want to impress them maybe just a little bit. So off you go to a Thai restaurant downtown. The menu arrives and you suggest pad Thai. Now pad Thai is certainly a big favourite, but you’ll get so much more street cred if you ask for ‘pad mee Korat’ (pad Thai’s rustic, provincial cousin). Or ‘kuay tio phat poo’ – perhaps throwing it casually into the conversation that this is the first time you’ve seen this dish (rice noodles fried with crab) outside of its birthplace in Chanthaburi. Or even simply ‘mee krob’ (crispy noodles) just to show how aware you are that they are often eaten as a side dish like rice.

You see, pad Thai might be well-known, but what’s not so well known is that Thailand has a lot of different kinds of noodles. And there are also many delicious (and different) noodle dishes being enjoyed every day by millions of Thai people. Some have their origins in the northern farming regions of the nation. Others have been influenced by the cross-border interchange with Laos in the north-east. Others have evolved in the cosmopolitan melting pot that is Bangkok. And then there’s the influence of coconut milk and seafood in the southern part of the nation.

Put it this way – noodles are like sausages. You can try Cumberland pork sausages, different kinds of German wurst, or the spicy chorizo from Mexico, the Cajun andouille, black pudding, chipolatas, saveloy or salami – the list goes on.

Each one is a different type of sausage. But to feel that you’ve experienced sausages after eating hot dogs, is much like feeling in-the-know after eating a plate of pad Thai. But whereas that list of sausages is international, the variety of different noodle dishes in Thailand alone could probably fill a cookery book, and no doubt already has done.

So let’s start off with something you can find just about everywhere; the universal Thai noodle-soup stall. There’s basically a choice of five types of noodles. The yellow stringy ones that look a bit like spaghetti are known as ‘mee leuang’, with the yellow colour coming from the use of egg. The broad, flat ones are ‘sen yai’ and the smaller version, ‘sen lek’. The ones that are actually the very thin rice vermicelli are ‘sen mee’.

And then there are the glass noodles made from mung beans, ‘wun sen’. And these different noodles crop up again and again in different dishes.

But, as well as this, there are many deliciously-unusual Thai dishes which feature noodles. Starting off with one that won’t challenge your spice buds, take a look at ‘kuay tio khua kai’. At first glance it looks like an omelette. But then you’ll realise that it’s filled with chicken and wide egg noodles, preserved squid, green onions, and soy sauce, all served on a bed of lettuce.

Another similarly-mild and tasty offering is ‘mee kati’. This combines thin rice vermicelli noodles and a rich, slightly sweet, coconut milk-based dressing. In restaurants the noodles are usually topped with an omelette cut into strips and the dressing served on the side, often with minced pork and tofu. But on the street or at markets, mee kati usually has the dressing and noodles fried together in advance. Both versions are served with a variety of bitter-tasting sides such as chives, pork blood and lime.

Already mentioned, ‘pad mee Korat’ is the signature dish of the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat. It takes the form of dried flat rice noodles fried with slightly fatty slices of pork and often an egg, then generously seasoned

with palm sugar, tamarind pulp, soy sauce and a touch of chilli, then supplemented with bean sprouts and garlic.

It’s hard to escape the Chinese influence with most of these Thai noodle offerings. And one that has really caught on is ‘koi see mee’. With wheat-and-egg noodles that are fried pancake-style until smoky and crispy, it’s topped with a broth that combines chicken, mushrooms and crunchy bamboo, then served with condiments that usually include soy sauce, sliced mild chillies in vinegar and ground white pepper.

Originating further south, from around Chanthaburi and reflecting this with its seafood bias, there’s ‘sen jan phat poo’. It has a distinctive orange-yellow appearance due to the flat, thin rice noodles used, combined with crab and fried in a slightly sweet curry-like dressing, and it’s served with sides of bean sprouts, garlic chives, cucumber plus a slice of lime for squeezing.

A dish with its roots in and around Bangkok is the ‘mee krob’, referred to earlier. This is unusual in that, unlike the others, it isn’t seen as a main dish and is usually served like rice, as a side dish.

It’s fabulously crunchy, just a bit sweet and sticky, and is usually combined with chicken, shrimp, pickled garlic or cashews, and often garnished with garlic chives.

And to round things off, what could be better than the famous ‘kuay tio pad kee mao’? This is the Thai equivalent of ‘bubble and squeak’, and history tells us that it originated as a drunken fry-up (just Google the words to realise that ‘drunken noodles’ is a very lose translation!).

Somewhere along the way the mix of meat and fish plus whatever else was spare in the fridge had ‘sen yai’ added. But today, just about any old noodles will do, with good old spaghetti now coming in as the international ‘noodle’ of choice.

See? It’s easy. So the next time you’re out, why not give pad Thai a miss. Because, after all, there’s simply oodles of other noodle dishes to choose from!

Rob De Wet

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Thailand’s Greatest Recipes Make it yourself: yellow curry with beef.

Making Thai food may not always be simple, but it’s almost always fun. For some the fun is more in the shopping and getting the ingredients together, while for others it’s in the actual cooking. And Thai cuisine being very much up to the individual, we have a lot of leeway; things never get boring as we know we don’t have to stick to the recipe.

ready-made curry paste?’ We’re being encouraged to do the dirty, to cheat.

Some of us even take delight in cutting a few corners. We make some nifty and sometimes wayward decisions when we don’t have the requisite time or the items, and particularly when we have neither. When it comes to Thai curries, there’s even more temptation, as we all know we can resort to packets. They do, after all, save time and many of us reach for them because we suspect they might well outclass all our best efforts anyway.

So here we come to the crunch: make your very own yellow curry paste. It’ll take you almost an hour, but a lot of it is downtime, so time to grab a book and relax. And what’s even better, you'll end up with not one but four batches of the paste. You can freeze three in bags for later.

Once you get into making your own curry pastes, you won’t want to stop!

Are we even faintly to blame when recipe books themselves encourage us to resort to packets?

How often do we read through a recipe that looks wonderful only to find half way down something like ‘now add two tablespoons of

Aficionados of the authentic take umbrage. Why make everything from scratch? How hard can it be? They're right. Persevere and you'll become a dab hand at real Thai cuisine rather than just someone who can cobble together packets.

Ingredients: for the curry paste: 4 large shallots 4 large heads of garlic 1 6-inch piece of fresh ginger 5-20 whole dried small Thai chilli peppers according to fieriness desired. Five will be exceptionally mild, whereas 20 will be extremely

full-on. Most Thais won’t be using more than 20 chillies!

1½ tablespoons salt 2-3 tablespoons turmeric 2-3 tablespoons mild curry powder 2 teaspoons roasted ground coriander 3 tablespoons lemongrass paste. Pound lemon grass together in a mortar till smooth, adding a little water. ¼ cup packed coriander leaves and stems.

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350F. First prepare the chillies by pouring boiling water over them and let them soak for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the aromatics: take the shallots and wrap in tinfoil after rubbing with oil.

Slice the ginger, oil and again wrap in tinfoil.

Similarly wrap the garlic heads after cutting off their tops and rubbing oil into them.

Place all the ingredients in the oven, apart from the chillies. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the ginger and boost the temperature to

400F, while the remaining ingredients roast until they're golden brown.

towards the end of the cooking period. When the meat’s ready, set aside and let cool down.

Put the chillies and all the ingredients into a blender and process until the yellow curry paste reaches a thick consistency. You should have about two full cups of paste.

In a second deep pot, heat coconut cream until it starts to bubble. When it begins to thicken add a third of a cup of curry paste, stir in and simmer for a few minutes. Now add the shallots and, using a slotted spoon, the beef and up to a cup of the coconut milk from the pot that held the beef. Pour in 3 cups of water, slowly stir and then let simmer for up to 45 minutes. Finally, add the sugar, fish sauce and coriander. The dish is best served over jasmine rice.

Ingredients: for the curry: 2 lbs. beef, which you should cut into bite-size cubes 4 cups light coconut milk 4 cups water, divided 2 cups coconut cream 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon fish sauce ½ cup chopped coriander leaves.

Instructions: First, start with the beef. Use a large, deep pot for the cooking and begin by heating the coconut milk. Then add the cubed beef and simmer for up to an hour, adding a cup of water

Keep tasting at intervals and if your curry isn’t hot enough, simply add a bit more paste, but make sure that you do so cautiously. If you decide to use coconut milk instead of coconut cream, you'll need to reduce the amount of paste to about a half cup in order to get the same degree of spiciness, which is mild to medium hot.

Dimitri Waring

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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Sublime Sundays

Come to Kanda Residences Koh Samui and enjoy RockPool restaurant’s Sunday Brunch.

It’s the perfect way to chill out in the most beautiful surroundings.

The appeal of brunch isn’t to be under-estimated; even though this meal hasn’t been with us so long in historical terms – British aristocrats in the late 19th century were the first to tuck into brunches before they became all the rage in the United States in the 1930s. Since then, the lure of brunch has smitten many other parts of the world, and is now popular just about everywhere. Samui, it has to be admitted, is a bit of a newcomer to brunch, but it’s catching up rapidly with the rest of the world. Ideal for holidaymakers and residents alike, brunch-goers on the island have the added bonus of some very beautiful settings and great weather.

On Samui’s north coast, just a few minutes’ drive north out of Chaweng, there’s a wild and undisturbed patch of coast that’s home to RockPool, a prime spot for wining and dining of all kinds. It’s sported a string of talented chefs since it first opened, and thanks to their creativity have you covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and everything in between, which naturally includes RockPool’s very successful Sunday Brunch.

RockPool is located at Kanda Pool Villa, a resort that has something of a Mediterranean vibe about it, and the same charming appeal. Once you arrive at the lobby, a buggy will soon be whisking you

down towards the restaurant along flowery paths with stone walls that seem to have stepped out of Southern France or Greece. The restaurant itself is open-air, yet part covered, with the brunch taking place on split-level decking that steps down towards the sea. The backdrop is just right for any meal; you can enjoy the panoramic view of the sea, along with Chaweng to the south, a duo of rocky headlands just to the north and the enigmatic off-island of Koh Matlang close by.

There’s plenty of breeze coming off the sea, and as often as not the distant sound of waves breaking on the rocks beneath, while there’s plenty of shade provided by a large tree that’s centre stage here as well as awnings and parasols.

Seating and ambience are both relaxed whilst being highly contemporary. And no matter which part of the restaurant you choose to sit, it’s a wonderfully romantic place to bring your partner.

Meanwhile, every Sunday a long line of temptations awaits diners, all prepared by executive chef, Lisa Lang. She's from South Africa, but has previously worked in England, and is now in her seventh year as a chef in Thailand. She's passionate about everything to do with food, but especially seafood and desserts. For the brunch she’s put together an impressive array of favourites, mostly from Europe but also from Asia.

The ensemble is a special buffet with live cooking stations and highlights her Mediterranean and Italian influences on classic brunch fare. Lisa looks to best quality local ingredients to keep her cuisine at the highest level.

Since RockPool is known for its seafood, you'll find plenty on offer, and it’s recommended that you try the excellent Fine-de-Claire oysters before you do anything else; they've been specially flown in from France. The brunch varies according to what’s best and freshest, so the fare can vary depending on the season. There are a trio of cooking stations; for pasta, for eggs, and for salad.

At each station there’s a choice of dishes on offer (they’re different every Sunday), but generally speaking you can always expect favourites such as spaghetti carbonara, a Caesar salad and omelette – or something similar. The various salads are refreshing and crisp, offering a sophisticated combination of flavours and textures. Whatever’s on offer, you can count on it to be yummy. Then there are breads to accompany the dishes or to nibble alongside the various cold cuts and grilled vegetables on display.

Diners aren’t just limited to Mediterranean fare.

You'll also find South-American style ceviche and Japanese sushi, complete with wasabi, pickled

ginger and exactly the right soy sauce for dipping.

There's always a curry too, something that’ll provide sustenance for those who like things a little spicy.

Dessert decadently comes in the form of shot glasses filled with mixes of fruit, fondant chocolate and cream, or perfectly made fruit tartlets. You'll find it hard to hold back on them, but of course you can come back for as many more as you want. Alternatively, you can feast on fresh tropical fruits to your heart’s content.

The Sunday Brunch is a deliciously long, languid affair – from midday to 4:00 pm. During that time there’s live guitar and singing from a talented duo, ‘The North Wind’ who provide the most laid-back mood music with softly-sung, easy-listening versions of classics and so on.

Many guests bring their children with them, and the brunch is free for children under six years of age, and half price if between six and twelve.

There’s also a Kids’ Club at Kanda, providing daily activities. Then there are the nearby swimming pools which children and adults alike are allowed to use. For residents who live on Samui, an extra draw exists: they receive a generous 15% discount.

When it comes to drinks there are also two options. You can choose two hours free-flow of chilled fruit juices, soft drinks and tea and coffee.

Alternatively, you may wish to opt for two hours of free flow sake iced tea, sake mojito or RockPool’s very own mai tai. This latter option also includes local beers, sparkling wine, red and white wine from Australia, and tea and coffee.

No matter if you miss out on brunch, you can come to RockPool for lunch, dinner or every day happy hours from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, and you'll be sure to enjoy the wonderful choice of signature cocktails and dishes.

A lot of care and attention has gone into everything in the restaurant in order for guests to experience complete delight. With a cachet for excellent fine dining and beautiful views, a visit to this contemporary restaurant is highly recommended.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 4500 or 0 7795 3161. www.samuirockpool.com

MUST TRY THAI CUISINE FOR A TRULY AUTHENTIC GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

www.siamwininganddining.com 13

Weddings that Wow The Siam Residence Boutique Resort is one of the best island getaways to head for when it comes to weddings.

There are almost as many ways to get to a wedding destination as there are weddings themselves. Couple variously jet in to Samui, take an overnight train, boat or bus. And they may have come directly from their home countries or gone by some convoluted route that’s taken them half way around the world. One couple who came from Europe, took the Trans-Siberian Express, basically ‘turned right somewhere in Siberia’ and headed south through China, arriving a few weeks later in Thailand. People can afford to take their time and indulge their senses when it comes to destination weddings, because someone else is looking after the special day for them. They can sit back and relax.

On Samui all wedding planners know how important it is to guarantee their brides and grooms a stress-free time. It’s been many years now since the first wedding here – nobody can even be certain when the first holidaymakers tied the knot on one of the island’s beaches. Samui has grown used to them, and it’s a mini-industry in itself. All of the weddings here are hallmarked by the same palpable absence of stress. It’s one thing that they all have in common. This might lead you to think that all weddings here are the same, but that’s definitely not the case. For each beach and each resort, there’ll be variations.

That’s why it’s a task in itself to establish exactly where on the island to go for your wedding. In general, couples look for a spot that’s going to

offer privacy, beauty and a range of services that will help them fulfil their wishes and needs.

Chaweng and the east coast seem to be in the limelight when it comes to weddings – many take place here. The beach is wonderful, and celebrations of every kind are de rigueur in this part of the island. But there are many alternatives, and they come with their own advantages.

Located just south of the island’s sleepy capital, Nathon, you'll find Siam Residence, a quietly chic and understated resort that is increasingly popular for weddings. There are many draws here. For a start, the entire area has a remote and bucolic feel to it. Relatively few people live here as it’s never been developed. Evenings, you can still see buffaloes being led along the water’s edge, and when night comes a hush fills the air.

It’s all more in keeping with the way that Samui used to be.

The resort itself is tucked down a lane, a stone’s throw from a peaceful temple, and fronts onto the bay itself. Despite advertising itself as ‘de-luxe’, it’s very reasonably priced. Cheerful, friendly staff conjure a homely vibe, clean and extremely spacious rooms await in the form of villas – each boasts modern, well-thought out amenities, and it’s more boutique than you’d expect. It’s under Swiss-Austrian ownership and management, and the entire staff do a great job

to provide visitors, whether they're staying guests or not, with fantastic quality. As such, many guests return again and again – it’s home from home. This is particularly so when it comes to children who are always made welcome here (they even get their own menu at the resort’s restaurant).

The resort certainly doesn’t lack excellence, but as any discerning bride or groom well knows, that doesn’t necessarily translate into a good wedding venue. However, Siam Residence carries its successes through to its weddings without skipping a beat. That’s partly to do with the setting. The beach is part of a five-kilometre stretch and is decidedly beautiful. Were it anywhere else, it would be a lot busier, but since this is one of the quietest parts of Samui, anyone swimming – or getting married – has it more or less to themselves. No rubberneckers, therefore.

Siam Residence’s frontage also sports casuarina trees, which make a great backdrop for photographs and allow for shade on the hottest of days. The setting, as undisturbed as it is picturesque, is just what a lot of people look for when they plan a tropical wedding.

Next comes the wedding ‘architecture’. Not every gazebo or arch is created equal – an observation that holds good wherever you go in the world.

Some seem plainly skeletal, and the flowers that go on them may be withering by the time they

go up. Others are a riot of colour – but not quite the colours that the couple wanted. Siam Residence has its own team of gardeners who know how to arrange all the floral compositions that the bride and groom require. They put everything up with great care and expertise, and make sure that everything’s correctly aligned for the best photography. Incidentally, the beach faces directly west, so is one of the best spots for sunset photos.

Food and drink all come under the aegis of a devoted executive chef, Khun Lamyai, who’s been with Siam Residence since the day it opened some two decades ago – literally. As such, she’s well versed in dealing with all her guests’ requirements. She’s also completely open-minded about accommodating people’s wishes, including putting on a barbecue featuring the freshest of seafood. It’s really up to the individual wedding party what they want, but there are basically two kinds of menu. The first option is with served food but with the main course being a buffet, and the second, where the entire dinner is individually served.

While it’s always helpful to offer packages – and Siam Residence does so – it’s always more satisfying if guests can know they can have an entirely bespoke wedding and reception. The resort prides itself on offering guests the widest variety of possibilities. This applies whether it’s

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simply an elopement or an extremely large gathering. The team is happy to arrange details that for many other wedding suppliers would be way too finicky.

Because Siam Residence has a small number of villas set on large grounds, rather than opting for a dense population of guests, you can book the entire property for your wedding. It’s surprisingly affordable to do so. For a minimum of 22 people or just under, it’s possible to do this, and no worries if your party is a lot bigger either. It makes a lot of sense with prices working out to guests’ advantage, and just as good, it means that friends and family can all be together, undisturbed, for the entire period.

Considering the location and quality, it’s hard to beat Siam Residence for sheer value. And the luxury treatment doesn’t end when you walk back down the aisle.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information telephone 0 7742 0008. www.siamresidence.com

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A Songbird in Paradise We dip into the life of Tasha Daugul and discover what brought her to Samui.

It’s a completely different perspective. You come to Samui and stay for a while. You go out. You explore. You dine well, and then you take a taxi to see a live band, a show or some authentic Thai dancing. You get to know the staff at your resort, and then take home souvenirs and fond memories of your time in Thailand. But for the people who live here and work here, whether Thai nationals or from elsewhere, their view of what you’ve been experiencing is quite different.

Someone once described this to me as “. . . like being underwater and looking up at the boats on the surface”. Meaning that it’s a whole different world for people who live here. But that’s what a holiday is all about, though, isn’t it? Having nothing much to think about, and being taken care of while you have a well-earned break.

But the people who live here are forever distracted by the maze of continually-changing immigration laws. They need to learn how to pay their electricity bills in a society where cheque books aren’t commonly used and internet banking is still emerging, or find their way through the baffling tangles of paperwork to buy a motorbike. Plus a thousand other things – while all the time having to cope with the

ever-present language barrier. It’s a whole different view of Samui. And that also includes coming into contact with you, even though you might not have been aware of it!

musicians, though, have stumbled across Samui, as many do, almost by accident, fallen in love with our island, and stayed. And one just such as this is Tasha Daugul.

You’re at one of the island’s top resorts, and while you’re enjoying a very gentile dinner, you’re being entertained by an equally discreet jazz trio. The food is fabulous and the music is mellow. Everything’s just perfect. But the trio of musicians, playing unobtrusively to one side, are each seeing you as if they are underwater, looking up. You’re enjoying their music. But you’ll be gone next week and they won’t!

Tasha is one of those rare people with no pretensions at all. She has no lust for money. She only lives to be able to express herself by singing – it’s as if she loses herself in this and moves to a purer place, where the hassles of life and earning a living are out of sight and mind. She’s been here a while now, and has already firmly established herself within the island community.

Like all holiday resorts, Samui has a solid core of people who live and work here. And a surprisingly large number of them are musicians.

There are a large number of performers from the Philippines – music is in their blood, and they take their covers of love songs and popular ballads all over the world. But there are also some world-class musicians here, too. There are more than a few, now in semi-or full-time retirement, who have their names on record labels with chart hits from the 60s and 70s. Some have played with the biggest names in the business as session musicians. Other excellent

She was born in Moscow, which comes as an initial surprise when you talk to her as her accent is shaped by a kind of mid-Atlantic tonality. And right from way back as early as she can recall, she’s always loved to sing – mainly in the house or along with music on the radio or stereo. And then, one time at summer camp, when she was 12 years-old, there came a turning point; she was press-ganged (she’s almost shy and not competitive at all) into a talent competition which she won.

She left school and began working at a nightclub, singing over backing tracks and the

DJ’s choice of music. But this was commercial stuff and wasn’t fulfilling. A few years later, she broke free and took off to visit friends in Thailand for a short break – and stayed for six years.

Initially, she was involved with a wedding planning company run by a friend, Alexander Daugul. “I did all sorts,” she recounted, “from the creative decorations to singing at the parties and receptions. But it wasn’t really until about 2016, that I began to devote more time to my singing. I had already met up with some of Samui’s jazz musicians and sat-in on a few of their gigs. And now I was being offered the opportunity to team up with a couple of them with on-going contracts at venues around the island.”

She’s a gentle soul. And when you see her on stage there’s nothing showy or flamboyant about it at all. She doesn’t move much. But as soon as she begins to sing she takes on a kind of faraway glow, completely given to the music and lost in song. Her voice isn’t powerful or particularly dynamic. But it’s utterly pure. You won’t hear her belting out Billy Holiday covers. But just listen to her version of ‘The girl from Ipanema’, or ‘Fly me to the moon’. Every note is silver and she has the

graceful ability to move effortlessly from a minor 5th to a 7th that raises the hairs on the back of your arms.

Today, she’s singing more or less full time. One of the most laid-back places you can see her is in Bangrak, at The Secret Garden’s Sunday Sessions, every Sunday afternoon. Or if you’re planning an evening dinner, consider the Samui Royal Beach Resort, in Lamai. Otherwise look out for Tasha at one of the island’s regular jazz festivals; she’s appeared before with the legendary Bobby Parrs on guitar and the inimitable Norman King on Sax – two more of the island’s mainstay jazz musicians.

Failing that, just do a Facebook or YouTube search for her name – Tasha Daugul – the songbird on the island paradise of Samui!

Rob De Wet

GENUINE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA

ON CHAWENG BEACH, OPPOSITE CENTRAL FESTIVAL

16 www.siamwininganddining.com

Cuisine Kickstarter

Taking Thai cooking class at Nora Beach Resort & Spa gives you the impetus to begin your own culinary journey.

It’s been said that if you never try the food of the country you're visiting, then you can’t really expect to know it. A bit like learning the language no doubt – once you're fluent, then your experience of the place, its people and its culture will be so much more complete. It obviously takes decades to really know any country, but its food is an easier place to start than its language.

Many visitors come to Thailand and love the tastes of the cuisine, sampling it as much as possible. To delve into the food a little more means donning an apron, sharpening a knife and getting started. The only trouble is that following recipes from a cook book can be, well, a tad boring, with the usual dubious results. But when it comes to Thai food, exact weights and measures aren’t necessarily going to result in great tastes.

That’s why Nora Beach Resort runs cooking classes. It’s better to watch and emulate a cook at work rather than work your way through venerable tomes on cooking. Besides, it’s definitely more fun. The Thais, never the ones for jealously guarding their kitchen secrets, love nothing better to impart their culinary savvy, and at Nora Beach the teacher is well-qualified and knows cooking inside out. Many guests at the class don’t start off with the intention of learning to cook, but so enjoy eating Thai food at the resort’s restaurant, Prasuthon, that they enquire if they can follow a class. Running the cooking class at Nora is part and parcel of the restaurant’s many facets. Prasuthon, with its traditional roof and teak interior, is obviously just the kind of place that prides itself on its Thainess. The food mirrors this and the classes are extremely popular.

Classes are held daily, and run from 1:00 pm and last about an hour, by which time you'll have

prepared a delightful Thai three-course meal, which you can then eat. Costs for the class are 1,700 baht per person, but if you book as a couple, then it’s 1,500 baht each.

Book in advance – just give a day’s notice – and then head for Nora Beach (it’s just north of Chaweng) on the day you've chosen. Once you've reached the lobby, you'll be escorted down to Prasuthon. It’d be hard to think of a better setting, so bring your camera. There are views out to sea and the islet of Koh Matlang, just off-shore.

The class takes place in a sala, and everyone gets their own gas burner and all the utensils that will be used. A series of covered bowls also awaits you – the ingredients you’ll need for the dishes.

Everything’s cut up, ready for use. This ensures that no time’s wasted in the class. What you won’t find – though nobody’s complained – is a total absence of processed products that can be added to the recipes; instead everything’s made from scratch. This means that the tastes will be inordinately good.

The classes have been designed by Executive Chef, Khun Sitthichai Saephu, and are usually run by expert chef and teacher Khun Walai Tubtavee, more usually known as Khun Paula.

She’s speaks good English, and is both efficient and friendly. Although this is a group class, she helps each student and shows them how to get the best results. She’s been at Nora Beach for over a decade now, and is one of their most trusted chefs, who’ll help you make the simplest of dishes taste excellent. One of the main ways in which she helps is to get all her students to balance the tastes until they're satisfied with them. One person may like his or her dish to be more fiery; another less so. She’s able to accommodate everyone. The essential secret to Thai cooking is to make sure the tastes and

textures are all as they should be, so there’s a lot of tasting that goes on. It’s a fun and convivial experience.

At Nora Beach, the policy is to keep groups small, with roughly six people at any one time.

However, no matter if there’s just one person, the class can go ahead. There's a cooking class menu that’s roughly adhered to, with a different set of recipes for each day of the week, but Khun Paula is certainly happy to make exceptions when it’s possible. Whatever happens, the idea is to cook an entire meal during the class: an appetizer, a soup and a main course. The appetizer could be salmon with mango salad, chicken satay, or the highly popular Golden Three (a fried starter of scallops prawns and crab). For soups you might cook chicken in coconut or a spicy prawn tom yum. And for mains, there are favourites such as massaman or penang curry or maybe a delicious pad Thai. At the end of your course, you’ll receive handouts containing all the ingredients and methods of preparation and you'll be presented with a chef’s hat, certificate and wooden spoon.

Thanks to these cooking classes, many visitors to Samui are going back home knowing how to make some of Thailand’s best loved dishes, replete with tastes that are usually found only in restaurants. It’s the best kind of holiday souvenir you could hope for: a skill that you've learned and which will stand you in good stead with friends and family. Nora Beach Resort shows you just how to become a kitchen star!

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeachresort.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 077 230 222 www.siamwininganddining.com 17

Café Culture Forget the pub – today it’s more likely we’ll be popping out for a quiet coffee!

Things have been changing. A couple of years ago it was all about the local pub. In smaller towns and villages there wasn’t so much choice.

In the cities, pubs were everywhere. But, whatever the case, several times a week, just for an hour or so at night, you’d pop out to the pub.

It wasn’t about the alcohol; that was incidental. It was because this was your community centre. It was the place to nod at people, look out for folks you needed a word with, catch up with the local gossip and generally feel a part of what was going on locally. But things have been changing, particularly in the cities.

Pub culture is declining – and coffee-shop-culture is on the up. Certainly there are a lot of quite complex social reasons for this, not the least being the unpredictable and shifting nature of city-based communities, particularly when it’s linked to the increase in aggression and violence at night – people want to have a an enjoyable time as far away as possible from belligerent drunks.

But, whatever the reason, an average of 20 pubs a week are closing in Britain at the moment. And, at the same time, coffee shops have not only grown ten-fold in number since 1996, but last year increased by a further 8.5%. There are now 16,000 coffee shops in the UK, and these represent a €10

billion industry. But this is really nothing new; rather it’s a resurgence of a gentler era, and way of life that’s been dormant for a long while.

Although ‘the café’ had been very much a part of European society for hundreds of years (and effectively served the same function as ‘pubs’ came to do much later), the ‘coffee shop’ was something different. It emerged in America in the era of Prohibition, as a sneaky way of sidestepping this with shots of liquor under the table. But these in turn evolved, eventually taking on such personas as Starbucks, and thus giving rise a whole new generation of American coffee drinkers.

Britain had never absorbed the café culture of its neighbours in France. But with the upsurge in popularity of, firstly Starbucks, then a whole host of other names, the nation gave way, albeit to a different kind of ethos. And although there are those establishments which cater to the urban ‘grab-it-and-go’ crowd on their way to work, there are also other cafes where people congregate at leisure, or even retreat to work. Only today, it’s far more likely to be someone like J. K. Rowling in Edinburgh’s ‘The Elephant House’ (where she wrote the first Harry Potter book) asking for the internet password, than it would be Ernest

Hemmingway in Paris’s ‘Les Deux Magots’, inquiring about a refill for his fountain pen.

However, most people come to Samui to get away from work, not so they can bury themselves in it!

Thus the ethos of Samui’s café culture is undeniably laid-back and island-style. There are now quite a few such cafes and, following the trend elsewhere, their numbers are increasing noticeably. As you’d probably expect in such a multi-cultural society, they vary in décor, purpose and ethos quite dramatically. Although it has to be said that, on Samui, there are a number of established restaurants which seem to serve the same kind of function. But when it comes to the new breed of cafes, there are several worthy of mention.

One of the best pedigrees comes with The Coffee Club, sitting prominently in the main entrance to Central Festival shopping centre, right in the midst of Chaweng. This is part of an Australian-based chain with more than 200 outlets. They blend their own coffee and there’s a great daytime menu, but the evening dining is special, with imported Australian Angus beef and New Zealand lamb chops – there’s even an Angus beef burger (with bacon and cheese). Plus a wide choice of veggie dishes, and even a kiddies’ menu.

Not so far away, across the beach road you’ll see Cream Café Samui. Capturing (quite deservedly) a big slice of the tourist trade, this is very much one of the new generation of coffee shops, ‘boutique’ in style and enticingly light and bright in feel.

Although they offer snacks and breakfasts, this place is sweet-tooth-heaven, with a large and mouth-watering range of pastries and homemade cakes; macaroons, tiramisu, mango cheesecake, brownies, and ice-creams.

It’s significant that all these privately-owned coffee shops are appearing: they’re filling a social niche, I think. This is certainly true of June’s Art Café, in Samui Town Center on the ring-road in Chaweng, close to Makro and Big C. This is very much a magnet for the local residents, having not only a fully vegetarian menu, but also offering a range of healthy smoothies and shakes. It’s all very laid-back and friendly, and with the name coming from the décor; the walls are covered with arts, crafts, posters and paintings of all sorts.

Another enticing and quirky shop – La Fabrique – actually started life as a French bakery in Lamai in 2001, but has now opened another branch in Chaweng, on the ring-road at the traffic lights just a little bit south of Tesco Lotus. There’s an interesting menu here; it’s all been printed on

retro-style sheets and is not only covering each of the tables but it’s also been used as wallpaper, too! Within the warm and friendly atmosphere, you can enjoy an intriguing range of their own pastries and breads – but people send postcards home about their amazing breakfasts. And there’s also a range of pizzas, sandwiches and mueslis.

And moving on to one of the most-visited spots on Samui, we come to Bar Baguette (at The Wharf in Fisherman’s Village) which has actually become a firm favourite with the residents as well as the passing tourists. The visitors love the beachside ambiance; all very Mediterranean in feel. And the locals keep coming back because the food is varied, exotic and superb – ‘Poached Pear in Red Wine, Granola and Fresh Berries’ for breakfast?

There’s a super menu and a wide range of cakes, pastries and snacks. Oh – and they also sell coffee . . . and the word on the street is that it’s probably some of the best around!

Rob De Wet

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 Hour Beverages Special offer 50% off (Except wine, Corona beer, all spirits by the bottle) 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