June 2017

SAMUI

www.siamwininganddining.com

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

FREE COPY

JUNE 2017

Monday: Thai Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,200 Net Thursday: International Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,400 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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

Half Way Through!

It’s warm, sunny and idyllic as we gently coast into the second half of the year.

It only seems like yesterday, when we were celebrating not only our New Year, but the Chinese New Year and the Thai New Year as well! Unfortunately, time seems to fly past just as quickly on Samui as it does everywhere else. But in spite of this, our team at Wining & Dining are working steadily every day to bring you the latest news and info on the dining scene in these parts.

And it’s not just different kinds of Thai food! There are cuisines from just about every nation. And internationally renowned world-class chefs grace us with their presence.

Not only that, but there are specially imported ingredients from all over the world, too, ready for them to use. Not to mention the plethora of home produced items.

As well as the huge range of fresh seafood (we are an island after all!) you’ll also find French Fine de Claire oysters, Canadian lobster, New England clams and Swedish salmon, not to mention the be=st beef in the world from Japan and Australia.

And on the home front, there are now several places locally producing hydroponic and organic herbs and vegetables to go with all this. And what we can’t grow here, such as grapes, tomatoes, peas, potatoes and even strawberries, all come from the cooler parts in the north of Thailand.

All this, and much much more, is just for you! We now have some of the finest dining in the world, here on little Samui – and it lasts us all year round!

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

JUNE 2017

Monday: Thai Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,200 Net Thursday: International Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,400 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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

Half Way Through!

It’s warm, sunny and idyllic as we gently coast into the second half of the year.

It only seems like yesterday, when we were celebrating not only our New Year, but the Chinese New Year and the Thai New Year as well! Unfortunately, time seems to fly past just as quickly on Samui as it does everywhere else. But in spite of this, our team at Wining & Dining are working steadily every day to bring you the latest news and info on the dining scene in these parts.

And it’s not just different kinds of Thai food! There are cuisines from just about every nation. And internationally renowned world-class chefs grace us with their presence.

Not only that, but there are specially imported ingredients from all over the world, too, ready for them to use. Not to mention the plethora of home produced items.

As well as the huge range of fresh seafood (we are an island after all!) you’ll also find French Fine de Claire oysters, Canadian lobster, New England clams and Swedish salmon, not to mention the be=st beef in the world from Japan and Australia.

And on the home front, there are now several places locally producing hydroponic and organic herbs and vegetables to go with all this. And what we can’t grow here, such as grapes, tomatoes, peas, potatoes and even strawberries, all come from the cooler parts in the north of Thailand.

All this, and much much more, is just for you! We now have some of the finest dining in the world, here on little Samui – and it lasts us all year round!

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

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 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.

A Legend in the Baking Marzano Pizzeria at Malibu Koh Samui Resort & Beach Club ticks all the boxes when it comes to excellence.

If enjoying great food is all part and parcel of your holiday, you'll want to experience the truly amazing variety that Samui offers as a major gastronomic destination. With many of the world’s cuisines strongly represented, it comes as no surprise that Italian fare is to be found in every part of Samui. And since pizzas are undoubtedly the best loved of all Italian foods, the island’s restaurants bake hundreds upon hundreds every day.

But as we know, not all pizzas are created equal.

Pizza formulas look so easy. Read through a few, get out your rolling pin and you can turn out your own pizza at home, with varying results.

Maybe the dough will be a bit leathery and the toppings might be way too bland, but, yes, you’ll have a pizza to eat. Restaurants, of course, do

much better. But when it comes to a pizza that’s more than mouth-watering, very few places can offer quality that really excels. And with Asia hardly sounding much of a pizza destination, most people don’t even expect so much from a pizza here.

However, on Samui you can find dedicated pizzerias that go way beyond any usual standards, and which can safely be termed excellent – the pizzas really do match what you'd find in Italy. At Marzano Pizzeria, the number of repeat visitors testifies to the exceptional performance of the chef here. You'll find a select but highly appetizing menu of pizzas; each of the offerings ensures that all the boxes are ticked when it comes to extremely high-quality food.

For a start the food and beverage team have scoured not just Thailand but Italy itself for the best ingredients. Wherever possible, they're local, meaning from the island itself – Samui has been quietly upping its status as a supplier of organic foods, and you'll find that the produce is truly tasty.

Health-conscious diners are also glad to know that the pizzas come with plenty of herbs, often whole leaves of basil. And never mind the health aspect; they actually taste great, too. The pizzas at Marzano pay tribute to the best Italian traditions, those of the Neapolitans. Pizza, which at first was no more than a basic food for the poor, was given a complete makeover by the Neapolitans.

The results impressed Queen Margherita, who endorsed the dish that now bears her name. The

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

2

www.siamwininganddining.com

recipe that she approved of calls for red San Marzano tomatoes along with mozzarella and basil. Marzano continues the tradition, using the same Neapolitan-style preparations. It’s even named after the famed tomatoes.

The pizzas are so fresh from the oven that the chef has to take care not to burn his fingers on them. He adroitly flips them onto a plate and brings them straight to your table. You can see the pizza oven on display as it’s really part of the dining room. Check out its fiery interior – it’s kept to just the right heat so that each pizza can be perfectly cooked.

You'll find the vibe here at Marzano to be perfectly friendly; it’s definitely one of those places where people come to chill out. (No need

to buy any food, by the way, just come for a cocktail or a long drink.) There are stools by a long table that fronts the beach just a step away they make a great place for people watching. The main dining room is extremely spacious and has a slight retro-industrial feel to it whilst being extremely comfortable.

restaurant – while others seek it out. Whatever, it’s really conveniently located, being opposite Starbucks in Central Festival.

Upstairs you'll find further seating, with more of a lounge feel, and a balcony that looks over the sea. It’s the perfect place to hold a party or event of more or less any kind. Access is separate; the upper floor has its own staircase, allowing the venue to be turned into a very private affair, should you need it to be.

If you walk through from Central Festival (you can park your car for free here), you'll find a lane that takes you down to the resort itself, and then you're in a completely unexpected world. Giant trees, perhaps a hundred years old, festooned with creepers, greenery everywhere and a path that meanders down to the sea and to Marzano. It definitely feels like a place to relax. The restaurant’s open all day, with a single menu covering lunch, dinner and everything in between.

Some people wander into Marzano as they're already on the beach – they just step up into the

The tomato, cheese and basil trio at Marzano is extremely vibrant, and certainly good enough to

change all your perceptions about what makes a great pizza. The dough that forms the base is a simple mix, but like everything here, it’s done exactly right; no single ingredient predominates at the expense of any other. It’s masterfully thought out and executed, and you'll wonder how the chef did it.

Try the signature Pizza Margherita. It comes with plenty of rocket leaves. Both crisp and moist at the same time, it’s a delight to eat. If you'd like something spicier, opt for the Diavola, which has strips of chunky spicy salami. These are just two of the possibilities, but what all the pizzas have in common is that they're lighter on the stomach than they would normally be, yet with no loss of flavour. However, there are a couple of items on the menu that have definitely been thought up

for the hungry among you: Marzano also offers the delicious Tronchetto, which is a rolled pizza, filled with different cheeses and then there’s the Montanara, where the pizza is actually deep-fried before the topping gets added.

Needless to say, Marzano stocks some great and affordable wines to go with the food. You'll not be disappointed.

Last but not least, if you've finished your main course and still want more pizza, then you can have one as a dessert. This one, however, is completely different: it’s coated with lashings of Nutella and then dusted with icing sugar. Then there are the maraschino cherries. Definitely to be shared, this pizza really hits all the right spots.

If this is not for you, then no worries at all, as the

menu contains traditional temptations such as tiramisu and panna cotta.

Not surprisingly Marzano is getting top billing as a place to go when you're after pizza. With its relaxed atmosphere – guests always seem to be lingering as there’s never the slightest rush to move on – and delicious food, you'll be hard put to limit yourself to just one pizza. And the nice surprise at the end is that it’s all surprisingly affordable.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7733 2855. www.malibukohsamui.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

Thailand’s Greatest Recipes Make it yourself: Tod man pla or Thai fish cakes.

Ever read Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’? The novelist starts the first paragraph saying how the name slides off the tongue in three easy syllables: Lo-lee-ta.

Same with this month’s recipe. Those triple syllables (and they never seem to be combined into a single word) are just as easy to say, though they sound bulky rather than honeyed.

But once heard, always remembered. And in the case of tod man pla, the dish itself, the sheer taste of it is even more memorable. The English translation, fish cakes, sounds utterly boring; something you’d eat if nothing else was to hand.

Don’t trust a translation. Thai fish cakes are definitely not the stuff of seaside boarding houses in the 19th century. Trust instead that you may well be coming back for more of the Thai version.

No need to take my word for it. Look around at markets of all kinds, at carts you see on the street, cheap stalls – and if you're splurging out at a regal Thai restaurant, check out the menu.

For tod man pla is one of the nation’s favourite dishes. It’s a great culinary leveller - everyone seems to like it. Not a main dish, mind you, but a starter or a snack. It’s wildly popular, but your first glance at it is probably going to disappoint

you. “Looks like someone’s melted some old brown carpet with and added a bit of green mulch,” said one food critic. “Never mind how it looks,” said another, “check out the weird rubbery texture. It’s actually bouncy.”

haddock. When it floods in Thailand, fish may appear just about anywhere, including the local high street, where they’ll be cheerfully swimming along until locals catch them; one of the dishes that can be made is, of course, tod man pla.

Eh? Ugly, bouncy food? Sixty million Thais can’t be wrong, surely!? Indeed, even if tod man pla is no culinary oil painting, and a hard act to photograph, its sheer deliciousness wins you over. Eat it at a stall first – just to make sure you like its spiciness – and then make it at home. It’s a real treat.

Probably though you'll get your fish from the market. You can use your food processor to make the dish and this is fine, but the texture won’t be as good as if you do what Thais do and pound the fish by hand. If you're back at home and really short of time or have no fish to hand, then you can get away with prepared fish paste, sold in virtually all Asian grocery stores the world over. Not the most popular of staples, you'll find probably find them buried at the bottom of a freezer. Note that all manner of seasonings may have been added, too.

Ingredients • 3/4 cup white fish fillets • 1/4 cup chopped green beans • 1 egg yolk • 3 cups vegetable oil • 3 Thai chillies, first soaked in the water • 2 tbsp of sliced shallots • 3 tbsp of sliced and crushed garlic • 2 tbsp lemon grass, finely sliced • 1 or 2 tsp of finely sliced galangal • 2 tsp finely sliced root of coriander • 1/2 tsp slices of kaffir lime rind • 1 tbsp of sliced kaffir lime leaves • 3 tbsp of red curry paste (adjust if you’d like the dish to be less fiery!)

• 1 tsp fish sauce • 2 tsp sugar • Sweet chilli sauce to serve

If you're feeling particularly decadent, then this spicy dish seems to go well with white wine. If you're hosting a party, serve on a bed of lettuce and once your guests have got over their apprehension, they’ll eagerly devour however much tod man pla you’ve made. Incidentally, it can be frozen then thawed and reheated for later as well.

Method 1. First take the chillies, lemon grass, kaffir lime rind, galangal, coriander and shrimp paste and pound together using a mortar – this is the best way. Once complete, add the shallot and garlic and continue until you're left with a fine paste.

2. Next, begin the fish cake preparation by dissolving a half teaspoon of salt into about a

Unlike western fish cakes, it’s not puffed up with potato or flour, these ones have an engaging purity and sweetness, and despite their brutal look, they're abidingly delicate, and rely simply on mostly red curry and egg. The only downside is that they're deep-fried, so you need to watch out for the extra calories.

In Thailand fish cakes are often made with a kind of ocean fish known as featherback fish, although some people like the delicacy of ‘pla grai’, or the fresh water knifehead fish, but you can use just about any white fish such as cod or

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.

4

www.siamwininganddining.com

half cup of water in a mixing bowl. Beat the fish against the bowl using moist hands until it becomes sticky and then, again using your hands, mix the curry paste into the fillet. Keep on beating for another five minutes.

3. Now add the fish sauce and the sugar and keep pounding for a few minutes longer, then add egg yolk, beat a little more before adding the kaffir lime leaves and the beans. The desired result should be that everything is well mixed together, but you can use a food processor to speed up the process.

4. Shape fish into flattish small cakes and then using a wok, or deep frying pan, heat the vegetable oil and deep-fry over a low heat.

Watch them closely; when they turn a golden colour they're ready to be taken out. Since they’ll be very oily, let them drain on paper.

5. Serve with sweet chili sauce, and for a fuller dish, accompany with rice, preferably jasmine.

Tod man pla can be eaten hot or cold, whatever takes your fancy.

Dimitri Waring

Standing Out The Dining Room at Rocky’s Boutique Resort Koh Samui brings you the flair and creative gems of a highly professional culinary team.

Even if you're a leader in your field, it’s all too easy to fall into one rut or another. Perhaps it’s even easier still as you know that you can rest on your laurels. Keeping a fresh, open approach is the solution, but it’s one that’s notoriously difficult to stick to. That’s why so many leading edge businesses gradually turn into venerable institutions and then moulder down to a stage where they seem to have become their own museums.

You might not think this scenario could ever apply to Samui. After all, everything here that’s even faintly luxurious still looks new and clean and cutting edge. Yet some restaurants and hotels have been operating from quite early days, a decade or more. Old, in other words, at least by Samui’s standards – but they're constantly rejuvenating themselves.

This certainly applies to Rocky’s, which has been going strong since 2003. Spend just five minutes here and you'll be impressed by how carefully, yet creatively maintained every part of the resort is. The Rocky’s team keeps it positively alive with flourishes and touches that put it streets ahead of the majority of its competitors. Everywhere you go, you'll see all manner of beauteous decor, whether it be outdoor hanging lanterns, Lanna-style carvings or the orchids that thrive in the rooms.

And when it comes to dining, Rocky’s offers fare that is bursting with freshness and goodness. The culinary team are every bit as creative as the resort’s other teams, whilst having the savoir-faire to produce some amazingly tasty favourites and more besides.

If you head through the resort – take some time to appreciate the exotic gardens as you do so – you'll come to The Dining Room, which is an open-sided building that overlooks a wonderfully private beach with great views towards the south of the island.

Diners come from all over Samui to enjoy eating here, but first many will spend some time in the delightful beachside bar having a cocktail or long drink while they watch the sun go down. Then it’s time to head into The Dining Room, just a couple of steps away. Seating is either inside in the room itself, or (and you'll need to book ahead for this) out on the terrace in the open air at candle-lit tables.

The Dining Room offers the very best French cuisine with many dishes given a contemporary take, thanks to modern cooking methods such as sous-vide, which allows for maximum freshness to be brought out in the meats used. Ingredients are all either imported from their native countries or wherever possible they’re locally produced;

the restaurant is very much into the from-farm-to-table approach. It’s something that's much appreciated by diners – whether you're eating a simple Greek salad or enjoying some perfectly prepared vegetables, freshness is paramount here, and results in better tastes all round. Seafood is mostly locally caught, while meats are efficiently flown in from Australia, allowing diners to get the very best in value.

Over the years, the restaurant has been run by some very talented chefs, and most of them have left their professional mark in one way or another, allowing The Dining Room to go from strength to strength. Khun Mon is the current head chef; he has worked in some of the top hotels in Thailand, and also is able to speak fluent English. More than capable of ensuring brilliant results, he is also very attentive to the needs of his diners. Whether it’s a wedding reception he’s planning, or a corporate get-together or a simple birthday party for a child, he’s there to help make his guests’ dreams come true. He heads a very experienced culinary team and together they make everything look easy and seamless. There’s a huge variety of dishes on offer, but if you'd like to treat yourself, then try the chef’s five-course degustation menu.

It starts with the Amuse-Bouche du Jour and is followed by a generous portion of tuna tartare with ponzu and coriander dressing, kalamata

olive mousseline and poached egg. Then comes a delicate foie gras au torchon, with caramelized strawberries, brioche and balsamic crema.

Following these dishes, you'll be presented with an orange sorbet before moving on to the main course. And here you’ll have to make a decision.

You can either opt for oven-roasted sea bass en papillotte, lobster bisque flavoured pasta, tomato confit and beurre composé or maybe you would prefer meat? In this case, there’s the very delicious Sous-Vide Australian Strip Loin, with sauce au poivre, le ratte potato purée, baby carrots and grilled asparagus. The evening finishes with a sumptuous dessert, Flourless Belgian Callebaut Chocolate, with raspberry ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.

A surprise addition to the cooking team is the general manager of Rocky’s. As you can imagine, many hoteliers simply delegate everything to do with cuisine to the chef. But Martin H. Fells, the manager in question isn’t like that. He’s a former executive chef himself, one with years of experience, and if you're staying at Rocky’s you'll certainly have met him. But though you might usually see him in the grounds of Rocky’s, you'll also quite often find him in the heart of the kitchen itself, either cooking up dishes for his guests or simply brainstorming with Khun Mon. Hands-on approaches like this are more often to

be found in very small specialized hotels that cater to just a few guests and are run by a chef-owner-manager. Rocky’s certainly has that kind of intimate atmosphere about it. And that’s no coincidence; the owners, staff and management all want it to be like this, so that when people either come and stay or simply eat here, it’s more like being part of a family. Rocky’s has certainly been very successful with this approach, and when you come here, you'll always feel the sheer laid-back nature of the resort. Staff are very welcoming and friendly – no need to stand on ceremony here.

Rocky’s is known throughout the island and far beyond for its always excellent food; consistently dependable and beautifully-presented, the dishes are exquisite delights. And as well as that, there’s the idyllic location. All in all it’s just the right place to enjoy stellar times.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 3020. www.rockyresort.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

Tel: 077 430 030, 077 245 035 www.kruabophut.com

Free Parking available at The

Wharf!!

www.siamwininganddining.com 5

Winning Awards, Awing Diners Kiree at Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort provides a deluxe southern Thai dining experience.

For those who love undisputed luxury and a personal touch, Vana Belle is a hideaway resort that offers complete privacy in a beautifully landscaped garden. It’s a green and verdant idyll, but it’s more than just a wonderful place to spend a couple of days or weeks kicking back. It also boasts an exceptionally good Thai restaurant, simply called Kiree. All are welcome here, and you'll find that it lives up to expectations entirely.

In fact, few other resorts can match when it comes to luxury, setting and the sheer delight of its food.

Before you enter the restaurant, it’s a good idea to sample a cocktail or two at the impressive Lobby Lounge bar situated above. From the luxurious, open-sided pavilion, you can look out over the sea and let the cares of the day slip away. The cocktail menu includes several inspiring options that are completely original.

Have you ever drunk a cocktail where one of the ingredients is gold? Maybe not. But you certainly can here. Gold leaf is all part and parcel of Thai culture, and the resort as a whole, seeks to infuse as many Thai traditions as possible within the experiences it offers its guests.

With its hillside setting, overlooking the sea down below, Kiree is a light and summery venue for fine dining. You can choose to dine on a fan-cooled terrace outside, or sit inside the quietly

6 www.siamwininganddining.com

opulent dining room, which is air-conditioned.

Either way, you'll enjoy a wide panoramic view that’s comprised simply of trees and sea. It’s extremely restful.

The staff here are both professional and friendly.

You'll be extremely well looked after, and they’ll do their utmost to make your dinner a wonderful one. In charge of everything is an extremely talented Chef de Cuisine, Khun Nattanan Deeruang. He specializes in central and southern-style Thai dishes, and is one of the few and far between self-taught chefs. As a child, too young to go to cooking school, his answer was to immerse himself in the world of TV cooking, watching how cooks made dishes and picking up English as he did so. Thanks to his rapid learning skills, innate creativity and sheer dedication to his vocation, he rose quickly through the ranks, has worked in prestigious restaurants in Thailand, and is now in charge at Kiree.

Chef Nattanan loves searching out the best ingredients, and if you're an early riser you'll often catch him at various island markets checking out the local produce. He knows exactly where to find ingredients that dovetail with the food he’s going to be making that day. A top priority is to ensure that everything’s totally fresh. Once everything is ready in the kitchens, all preparation and cooking is done in an

exemplary way: no corners are cut, and everyone aims to re-create the true tastes of Siam, albeit in a contemporary setting. The chef brings thoughtfulness, passion and humility to his cooking.

Increasingly, island diners have begun to hear about Kiree’s excellence. And as more people enjoyed the mostly southern-style Thai food, the restaurant has morphed into a sought-after destination in its own right. Much of this has come about through word of mouth, but now Kiree’s reputation has become more formally established. In March, Kiree and its staff celebrated being included in ‘Thailand Tatler Best Restaurants Guide 2017’. The guide is already well established as one of the most credible dining recommendation platforms in the country.

A special dinner event was held in Bangkok to mark the occasion, with Chef Nattanan showcasing some of Kiree’s signature dishes to an invited audience from the press. Many of the guests (though they were of course thoroughly used to eating Thai food), were thoroughly surprised at just how authentic the offerings were, with some tasting certain hard-to-find southern herbs for the very first time.

If Chef Nattanan managed to make these dishes in Bangkok, you can imagine how good they are in Kiree itself. Here are just three examples of

dishes that were eaten at that memorable evening which you can enjoy here in Koh Samui. Moo Pa Pad Phed, in Chef Nattanan’s hands, remains a dish that’s resolutely traditional, but he goes further to keep it truly local. It’s stir-fried boar, sourced in Samui itself, with southern Thai herbs and curry paste. The rich flavour of the dish comes not just from the meat itself but from the exquisite combination of herbs – again local – and a spicy curry paste indigenous to the south of the country.

Gaeng Boo Bai Cha Ploo, meanwhile, is a crab curry with betel leaves, a dish that’s quite hard to find in most restaurants, and is popular among discerning aficionados of Thai cuisine. Thanks to the chef’s touches, it’s lifted to new levels. He infuses the dish with betel leaves that have been picked in Vana Belle’s very own tropical gardens.

The crab comes from Samui’s waters but Chef Nattanan additionally enhances it with Alaskan crab.

As a dessert, Kanom Kho Krati is one of Thailand’s favourites. Though it’s a fairly simple recipe (rice dumplings stuffed with caramelized coconut in coconut milk), this sweet dish is difficult to make exceptionally well. The chef and his team do it justice exactly balancing the recipe’s sweetness and saltiness, making it utterly delicious.

Chef Nattanan had this to say at the soirée, “Southern Thai food is known for its powerful spices; but it is significantly more complex than this. Southern cuisine has countless subtle layers that can be carefully amplified or reduced to create spectacular results.” That’s his approach to the myriad ways of cooking food here in Thailand, and none of it is routine for him. He went on to say, “I find it very exciting to introduce guests to dishes and flavours they may never had an opportunity to experience before.

This inspires me to track down the most authentic recipes and ingredients to create new levels of culinary heights at Kiree.”

Chef Nattanan and his team have certainly succeeded and now their hard work has been recognized in public, thanks to the recent recognition from Thailand Tatler. With Vana Belle’s promise to introduce its guests to rare and indigenous experiences unique to Koh Samui, Kiree is certainly doing its utmost to promote some of the finest locally-inspired cuisine to be had on the island.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information telephone 0 7791 5555. www.vanabellekohsamui.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Heaven or Hell?

Love it or hate it, the durian is one of Thailand’s most remarkable fruits.

Are you enlightened? My thinking is that you probably are. You’re settled into your lifestyle.

And I’ll bet you anything you like that the word ‘healthy’ is one you frequently use. Your fridge back home is filled with non-sugar sodas and soft drinks. And most of what you eat is low in something – low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-cholesterol, low-sugar. You check supermarket cans for chemicals and additives.

You’re careful to eat fresh fruit or veg every day.

And you probably jog.

All of this is comparatively new. Back in the 1980s the only people you saw running in the street were professional boxers and people trying not to miss a bus! Now entire nations are jogging about. Previously-unheard words such as antioxidant and Omega 3-6-9 Oil have become part of our daily vocabulary. And hundreds of dietary supplements, pills, extracts and potions have appeared to satisfy our lust for improved physical well-being.

But this hasn’t happened in Thailand. The Thai people already enjoy a diet that’s just about perfect. They can’t afford to live on fast food or freezer packs, and what they eat is balanced and freshly-made. The Thai lifestyle very much rotates around food. This includes lots of fresh vegetables, both cooked and raw. And it also includes fresh fruit. Thailand is home to around 40 or so tropical fruits, many of which have now found their way (at a price!) into Western supermarkets. But over here all this goodness just grows on trees. These fruits come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, some more exotic than others. Although the one that reigns supreme, the most impressive of all, the largest and the most legendary, is the durian.

The first time you see one it’ll halt you in your tracks. It’s huge, about the size of a football (although oval in shape), is covered with sharp and wicked-looking spikes that can draw blood, and has a thick stem like a handle. It looks like

Curry Hut Indian

Tel: 0831801141, 0963800541, 0815505194 Email: curryhut.samui@gmail.com 8 www.siamwininganddining.com

something medieval knights might have used in battle. But it also stinks like a boatload of dead mermaids. It’ll make your eyes water from the other side of the street. The odour is so pungent and offensive that, throughout most of South East Asia, you’ll see signs and notices banning it from enclosed public spaces and hotel rooms.

European traders in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The word 'durian' is a Malay word meaning spike, and zibethinus is derived from the Italian zibetto – meaning skunk! Unlike most fruit it ripens on the tree and when it is ready to fall, watch out!

It’s also worth mentioning that fresh fruit are less stinky and taste better.

But, despite all of this, it actually tastes utterly sublime. The yellow flesh inside each of its sectors is soft and yielding and similar in consistency to cold custard. It’s really sweet, and it’s sticky rather than juicy. And, when you combine the stink with the exquisite taste, you realise why people either adore durian or detest it. There are no shades of grey here; you’ll either love it or hate it immediately.

To choose one, pick a fruit which is comparatively light in colour and has a big, solid stem. Give it a shake: the seed should move.

Finally, an inserted knife should come out sticky; this is the best indication that the fruit is ripe. The opened fruit perishes fairly rapidly, but can last three to five days without refrigeration. However many local shops and supermarkets sell durian cut into packed segments and often frozen. As an alternative, it’s also sold cut into strips, dried and roasted; you’ll find little packets of this on sale in every 7-11, very tasty and with hardly any odour at all.

This fruit (durio zibethinus) is rarely found outside South East Asia. It’s actually one of the few tropical fruits that are native to this region: most of what we now see was introduced here by

Traditional & Authentic Food

Central Festival

Hard Rock Cafe Chaweng Beach Road Curry Hut Indian

Baan Chaweng

And it’s good for you, too. It’s rich in energy and minerals and contains simple fats (but is free from cholesterol) which replenish energy and revitalise the body. It’s high in fibre and also in the antioxidants of vitamin C and B. It’s a rich source of potassium, an important electrolyte of cell and body fluids that helps in controlling heart rate and blood pressure. And it contains the essential amino acid, tryptophan (also known as ‘nature’s sleeping pill’) which in the body metabolises into serotonin and melatonin; these neuro-chemicals have important functions (like sleep-induction) and are also used in the treatment of epilepsy. A few dashes of durian will do you no harm at all.

If only it didn’t smell so bad!

Rob De Wet

Discover the Hidden Passage

Explore the history of Poppies Boutique Resort as you arrive at the restaurant via the underground tunnel..

Poppies Restaurant is most definitely one of the most firmly established, distinctive and memorable restaurants on our beautiful island.

The resort was opened 23 years ago, and it still has the same owners; David Hill and John Taylor.

TripAdvisor currently rates Poppies Boutique Resort at number one for Samui and in the top 25 for the whole of Thailand. Proving that guest feedback really does matter.

The entire resort and restaurant continue to be lovingly maintained in the original, authentic Thai style, with teak wood structures and thatched roofed buildings which fit with the Samui environment. The Chaweng area has changed quite dramatically over the last 23 years, with many new developments, some of which embrace a more modern and contemporary style.

Poppies stay fundamentally loyal to the natural environment, and traditional Thai style architecture. Another loyalty comes directly from of the staff. They are an extremely dedicated and established team. Many, including the Thai Executive Chef, Khun Wantanee Panplum, have been at Poppies since the day they opened all those years ago. The commitment to the brand, and being a true ‘boutique resort’ is evident everywhere. The owners and management ensure that maintenance is ongoing, and staff are well trained with excellent above average salaries. The staff to guest ratio of 3:1 pays dividends, with the exceptionally consistent service you can always expect at Poppies.

To stay at the top of their game, they know they have to change with the times. James

McManaman is the returning general manager (he was first here from 1996-7) and he knows a thing or two about cuisine and spicing things up.

In his colourful past, he went to culinary school and took a part time job cooking and waiting tables at Jed Nolan’s Music Hall in Scottsdale Arizona. During intervals, he would get up on stage in his chef’s uniform and sing old Vaudeville songs as the comedy relief. He became known as the ‘singing chef’. Nowadays with his dynamic and approachable style, he is looking to update and implement background and organisational systems. James understands that with 40% of guests being returnees, not a lot on the surface needs changing. From a guest perspective, the changes will be subtle, with some intimate fine-tuning and a few historical surprises.

“The Poppies experience is all about the details,” said James. “The Hidden Passage demonstrates the commitment of the owners to the guest experience, and I believe it is time to share this secret with the world.” Until now, the 50-meter long underground passage (built 23years ago in order to hide resort deliveries) has remained a secret. The tunnel was designed to maintain a peaceful environment for the cottage guests above ground. While being escorted through the passage, guests will be introduced to the history of Poppies, which began on Bali 44 years ago.

Local artists have painted canvas illustrations hung on the tunnel walls, inspired by photographs taken during construction, and of key events at Poppies Bali and Poppies Samui.

The Hidden Passage will be open nightly starting

June 1st, 2017, for guests with dinner reservations.

As you wander through the passage from the reception area towards the beach-side restaurant, it’s as though you are entering a different world entirely. A magical transformation seamlessly takes place as you leave the hustle and bustle of Chaweng Beach Road behind. Alternatively, you can take the pathway above ground that meanders through the resort and surrounds you in lush tropical plants with flowers and butterflies. You are led over rustic bridges as you follow a stream with occasional ponds full of fat lazy carp, past 24 spaciously laid out cottages situated for maximum privacy, past the small spa and library and then down towards the restaurant, pool and stunningly perfect beach.

The restaurant itself is a beautifully elegant and ornate teak Thai-style open-air restaurant which seats up to 80 diners, and includes the beach, beach terrace and poolside. It is an immensely calming and relaxing environment where you feel totally removed from the rest of the world.

So why is Poppies so popular? Well, it is not only the calm, tranquil and elegant environment. The food itself is traditional and no nonsense food, always prepared with passion and attention to detail. The Thai Executive Chef, Khun Wantanee cooks real authentic southern Thai food which is renowned amongst local residents. Khun Noi cooks the western food and has perfected his skills over the 17 years he has been at Poppies.

There are five different menus to choose from; Thai, international, international lunch (with

lighter dishes), vegetarian and a dessert menu. All have a wide range of choices, so you can choose between traditional Thai or international dishes such as Australian beef steak or lamb cutlets, pan roasted chicken breast with brie, roast duck breast, Phuket lobster, pizzas and pasta dishes. All the bread and desserts are made and baked here.

You are so spoilt for choice you may have trouble choosing. So Poppies have come up with the perfect antidote for this situation - the kantoke.

Kantoke is a rattan tray with a selection of four to eight small portion dishes, designed for sharing between two people, and great for trying a number of different flavours or textures. It has become so popular at Poppies that they now have eight different ones. Five of them include Thai dishes, including a vegetarian one and another with seafood. The other three are selections of international dishes.

The ‘Traditional Thai Kantoke’ includes a spicy prawn soup with lime leaf, stir-fried morning glory, fried chicken with ginger, charcoal roast duck curry with grape and pineapple, deep fried prawn cake with plum sauce, steamed jasmine or brown rice and Thai style banana fritters with coconut ice cream.

The three international kantokes are called ‘Selections of Small Dishes’ on the menu. Order the ‘Selection of Small Poppies Favourites’ and you can sample; nori wrapped lobster in crispy breadcrumbs with sweet ginger and soy sauce, traditional Caesar salad, roasted duck breast with plum and strawberry sauce, feta cheese and rocket salad, veal tenderloin (from Australia) with

whole grain mustard sauce and sautéed asparagus, steamed snow fish fillet with sweet ginger and seaweed soy sauce and warm chocolate lava cake with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream.

All ingredients are fresh - fish, seafood and vegetables come directly from the local markets and the amazing choice will please everyone.

Poppies is perfect for everyday or special occasions. Everything has been kept to the original Thai style; calm, classy and simply charming. The service is exceptional and the restaurant cuisine is simply divine.

Poppies Resort is located at the southern end of Chaweng Beach Road where the traffic is two-way. If you are coming from the north end, go past Centara Grand Beach Resort and Poppies is approximately another 200 metres on the left side. If you are travelling from the southern end, go past the Seascape, and Poppies is the next resort on the right-hand side. Restaurant opening hours are from 11.30 am to 10.30 pm. The lunch menu is served until 5.30 pm. Poppies does have a great reputation and can get very busy, particularly in the evening, so it is always advisable to book ahead.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2419 . www.poppiessamui.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 9

All-you-can-eat Treats Zico’s Brazilian Grill & Bar is beyond generous when it comes to top-quality, affordable dining.

MUST TRY THAI CUISINE FOR A TRULY AUTHENTIC GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

10 www.siamwininganddining.com

After a long, lazy day, a favourite place to head for is the exotic world of Zico’s. Here you can spend an entire evening enjoying the very best of Brazilian food. It’s definitely a place to linger, but in this case you'll need to because the food is literally never ending. It’s one of the few restaurants on the island that offers as much as you can eat, and no matter how large your appetite, you'll find it satisfied here. And the quality matches the quantity too – this is barbecue-style food at its very best. But we’ll come to that in a moment. First the venue, which looks striking and modernist enough to have stepped out of Brasilia itself, channelling the spirit of maestro architect Le Corbusier. A lot of love and attention has gone into the architecture and exactly the same goes for the food and drink here.

Step inside the ample portal and you'll be shown to a table with comfy seating. From here you'll be able to see the salad bar, the first of the treats that are in store for you. And just at that first sight, you'll realize that the management are totally into wowing their guests. The salad bar is enormous,

and offers dozens of items and many different kinds of dressings, providing hundreds of possible combinations. It’s hard not to hold back, even if you're not particularly into salads. There’s also a selection of grilled vegetables, which are equally mouth-watering. Naturally, you can make as many visits here as you'd care to. There’s also a fully-stocked and cooled wine cellar awaiting your perusal, and here you'll find something to suit every pocket.

For the main course, no further need to leave the table, as roving waitresses come round with skewers of meat and fish treats. The word ‘skewers’ conjures up pencil-length offerings, but this is entirely misleading. These skewers are as long as the average sword, and indeed look pretty much like medieval weapons. Each waitress carries just one and it’s loaded with just one type of meat. If you’d like some, she’ll carve you some – whatever meat it is, it’s fresh from the glass-sided kitchen where you'll see everything being prepared. It may seem an alarming way to serve up food, but it harkens back to the gauchos of southern Brazil who cook like this. The

waitresses are extremely friendly and welcoming, and you don’t even need to attract their attention by calling or waving. Instead, they have a nifty idea which makes everything a lot easier; when you're first seated, you're given a large disc, green on one side, red on the other. Place it on the table green side up and the waitresses will bring you food. Red side up of course means that you're left undisturbed. It couldn’t be easier.

awesome. Examples of delights on offer include the Super Sticky Fudge Brownie, which comes served warm with ice-cream, or a moreish crème brulée, dusted in sugar or the over-indulgent lava cake, where the molten chocolate core is complemented by delicious ice-cream. You can instead have a simple platter of fruit or a Brazilian equivalent of an Irish coffee, which is strong on Pampero rum and whipped cream.

Ordering is also easy. Choose the ‘Classic Carnivore’ option and you'll be brought tiger prawns, Norwegian salmon, pork filet, neck and loin, barracuda, honey ham, chorizo and chicken.

For just a little more outlay, you can choose the ‘Famous Carnivore’ option, which includes all the above, but also with Wagyu and Argentinean beef, beef tenderloin, duck breast and Australian lamb. With this option you can also get a special deal on a whole lobster. Either option allows you all the half dozen side dishes too, visits to the salad bar and free dessert.

Check out the bar upstairs, one of the coolest on the island. The architecture is again resolutely contemporary, with plenty of space. There's a graffiti wall that will put you in mind of the colourful streets of Brazil; it’s a bright and light place to be. Enjoy the many premium spirits, local and international craft beers, and of course, this being an honorary outpost of Brazil, some of the world’s finest rums.

It’s all too easy to go strong on the mains, but aim to hold back a little, as the desserts are truly

Every night of the week, there’s a different theme at Zico’s, which may feature, for example, a special deal on Mojitos, a wine buffet, discounts on bottled beer, a rum night or a promotion on sangria or sparkling wine. Zico’s is open daily

from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm, with the bar closing at midnight. The restaurant is located in the heart of Chaweng, just opposite Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui. (If coming by car, you can use the free parking here and just walk across the road to Zico’s.)

Zico’s is quite different from anything else on Koh Samui, and has been popular with both residents and holidaymakers since it first opened its doors. Surprisingly, given its fame, it still keeps the prices entirely reasonable. Both the restaurant and the bar are ideal for everyone: couples, families and groups of friends all love coming to Zico’s. The fabulous grill-fest has been going strong for over a decade now and is set to continue for years more.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 0500. www.zicossamui.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 11

Oral F loral

Flowers are not only beautiful to look at and lovely to smell – they taste great, too!

What do broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes have in common? Well, yes, they’re all vegetables. But there’s something else, too. Something that not too many people know about. I’ll give you a clue.

They’re the same as roses, violets and lavender.

Got it yet? The answer is – they’re all flowers. The first three fall into the category of ‘inflorescent vegetables’ – that is to say, the flowers or flower buds of plants that are eaten as vegetables. But the roses, violets, lavender and many other flowers have another thing in common with these vegetables. And that is – all of them are also edible.

Most people today seem a little disturbed at the idea of eating flowers, and for two reasons. The first is that it’s not usual. You don’t see them in tins or packets on supermarket shelves, or on your plate in a restaurant. And the second is that there are lots of plants that are poisonous or toxic.

The safe option being that if you’re not sure what’s edible or not, then it’s best to steer clear.

But things didn’t used to be this way. It’s only really in the last century that flowers and buds have fallen out of favour as a toothsome morsel. If

we look back to Victorian Europe, then we’ll see people everywhere, cheerfully chewing on flowers. The ones already mentioned, along with primroses and marigolds, found their way into soups, cakes, biscuits and confectionary. But, if you think about wine making, or teas for that matter, then there seems nothing strange about ingesting concoctions of roots, leaves or flowers.

It’s all a matter of viewpoint.

Actually, eating flowers has been in and out of style since the early days of the Roman Empire, when rose petals and violets were a part of any respectable banquet. The Moors, in the 13th century, used sauces and syrups made from roses or marigolds. And, more recently, pumpkin flowers have caught on in the USA, due to the Mexicans using them in quesadillas. Nowadays, in Italy, the yellow zucchini blossoms – fiore di zucca – are stuffed with cheese and fried in a beer batter. And today, in Thailand, you’ll find examples of flowers being used in dishes throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom, although they’re not always that obvious. In fact, if you’ve ever eaten a real pad Thai, then the chances are that you’ve already had

your first taste of the massive banana flower without even knowing it.

The first recorded use of flowers in Thai cuisine comes from the ‘Golden Age’ of Thai history, when the Royal Court moved to Ayutthaya, in the early 15th century. The expensive and courtly dish of kao chae – jasmine-petal perfumed rice – became a favourite, due to its cooling and refreshing aromatic properties. And, even today, you’ll find that this exotic form of rice makes a traditional appearance at the celebrations of Songkran, the Thai New Year.

But flowers and buds find their way into everything here. Many dishes use the ubiquitous Thai basil, which is similar to sweet basil, but tastes a little of anise, with a faintly liquorice aroma. The edible leaves with their purple-tinted buds are used extensively in curries, stir-fries, salads and soups. And the purple-pink foot-long banana flower, called hua plee, can be seen hanging majestically wherever the broad-leaved banana trees are found. Interestingly, most of the flower goes to waste. It’s picked as a (gigantic) bud, and then stripped to its tender white heart. It

has a similar taste to artichokes and, as well as finding its way into pad Thai, it’s used widely in Thai salads.

There’s a lot of very exotic tropical fruit and flowers around, so keep your eyes out for some of the more unusual ones, particularly in you’re in northern areas of Thailand. The curcuma plant – grajiew – is from the same family as ginger. But when the root has put out stems, it produces a beautiful and complex multi-layered, bright magenta fleshy flower. These are blanched and eaten with dishes such as sour pork salad – yam nam sod, and sour fish sausage – sai grog pla nam.

And, when it comes to colour, then the Malay rose apple – chompoo – comes a close second.

Although the fruits are more usually enjoyed, the flowers are a luminous shocking pink. You’ll find them present in many variations of the spicy northern spicy ground-pork dish – laab, and also the popular som tam salad.

rice-based in one form or another, and the edible flowers not only add colour, but are also used to add fragrance. Jasmine is a perpetual favourite, along with rose petals, and also the pale yellow, pendulous ylang-ylang or ‘cananga’ blossoms. And you’ll find these also in soups and puddings.

If you haven’t already noticed any flowers in your diet since you’ve been here, then keep an eye out. Apart from the colourfully-obvious desserts, and perhaps the odd bud or two in your curry, they’re hard to spot.

For many of us, ‘flowers in our food’ doesn’t seem quite right. But then, I’m told that ‘flower food’ is making a comeback, and in a few years’ time it’ll all be quite normal again – such is fashion. But, over here in Thailand, it’s nothing new. They been saying it with flowers all along, and eating their words!

Rob De Wet

But it’s when we turn to the Thai desserts that we find a positive plethora of flora! Many dishes are

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

12 www.siamwininganddining.com

Why Sareeraya?

There are a lot of good restaurants on the beach, but only a few that are excellent – take a look at Chaweng’s Sareeraya Villas & Suites!

You have a problem. In fact, most visitors do.

You probably don’t know it. But, if you’re only here for a week or so, you’re going to miss-out on some of the best dining. For sure, you’ll stroll around the streets, looking here and stopping there. You’ll see a lot of pretty places to eat. And you’ll try one or two. But some of the best restaurants are hidden away, and not in plain view.

In the five years since Sareeraya opened its doors, it’s had time to get established – still fresh and innovative, but at the same time, experienced. This period on Samui saw the end of an era of minimalism, with new resorts turning away from the effortlessly bland acres of scrubbed concrete that was popular for a while.

And then Sareeraya came along with the best of both worlds, in an essay of style and thoughtful décor. And, in keeping with other top resorts, relied on subtle understatement and quality to make its presence felt.

In fact, if you’re driving, you might even overlook the discrete grey wall that’s right opposite the Samui International Hospital in North Chaweng. But take a closer look - the name of the resort is there is discrete gold letters.

There are actually almost 50 five-star suites and pool villas carefully architected behind these walls – but you won’t get much idea about these as you make your way through reception and towards the beach. The name ‘Sareeraya’ means ‘Princess of the River’. And this water-theme is in evidence everywhere, from the huge and shady twin sculptures at the entrance, to the terraced layers of cascading lily ponds that peep out at you, overhung by greenery, as you pass.

Anywhere else these would be spot-lit and dramatised. But the entire atmosphere here is so wonderfully unassuming that these delightful features are content to remain a part of the backdrop.

ADV ALS Wining and Dining 366x118mm FA OL.pdf

1

3/21/17

10:12 AM

Following the winding path, heading seawards, when you emerge alongside the beach you’ll see

the restaurant, Captain’s Table, immediately on your left, at the edge of the sand and next to the pool. Like most Thai-style restaurants this is a dining area that’s fresh and cool and open on two of its sides. But that thoughtful décor is still present, playing off the contrasts of rough and smooth, light and dark, geometric and free-flow.

The far wall is an essay in texture. Open-weave natural fabrics contrast with stone. Tables and chairs are strong and geometric. And a whole ceiling of antique rattan fans whirl silently above.

It’s refined, gentile, and instantly relaxing.

That’s set the scene, but what of the food? Surely the cuisine must be first-rate, too? Well the answer to that lies in the name ‘Cesar Liesa’.

Cesar is the resort’s Director of Food & Beverages, and has made his international reputation at 5-star establishments around the world. His special love is seafood, and he’s renowned for his creative flair with sides and sauces. He’s been responsible for putting together the menu here, and insists on prime ingredients throughout, with all the cuts of beef and lamb being imported from Australia.

But for a while now he’s been expanding and refining the seafood menu at the Captain’s Table.

And, at a stroke, he’s come up with something so helpful and so simple that it makes you wonder why nobody else is doing it. “Like just about everywhere else, our seafood is priced per gram,” he explained. “But I’ve watched our guests when they are ordering. Every one of them always asks how many prawns (or squid or mussels) they get for, say, 100 grams – it’s impossible for people to visualise this. So now our menu is laid out in such a way that it’s priced per item and not in weight. Meaning that you’ll see ‘Prawns – 4 pieces = 100 gms’ (and so on) on the menu, making it effortless to order 200 gms of prawns or 300 gms of blue crab and know exactly how much you’ll be getting.”

steamed rice, mashed potato or vegetables. Here you can choose from all the usual suspects, but including sea bass and salmon, too, and ask for it to be cooked in any way you want; steamed, barbecued, fried, and so on. And there’s also a choice of sauces – BBQ, lemon-butter, spicy Thai or Chinese. This is exceptional value for money not only is it very affordably-priced but it comes with a choice of special sauces, too!

But the real clincher comes every Monday and Thursday night. This is when the tables go out on the sand and on the terrace, and Sareeraya holds its two buffet evenings. Both come with live music courtesy of an acoustic guitarist, and both have a wide choice of both cold dishes and hot ones in heated servers. Plus there is a live-cooking BBQ for the baby rock lobsters, crabs, prawns, squid and those superb Aussie steaks. This is a real spread, with a big selection of dishes. Children under six years are free, and between six and 11, half price.

But the final point to stress is the cost of it all.

Yes, the cuisine is 5-star quality and the staff are hotel-trained. Yes, there’s an experienced international chef running the kitchen. Yes, Captain’s Table is the signature restaurant of a top resort. But the buffet evenings, lavish as they are, run to only 900 baht per head. The seafood costs less than many beach road places. And the main meat dishes are special, too with the imported beef tenderloin coming in at just 720 baht. All these things are perfect answers to the question, ‘Why Sareeraya?’!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 4333. www.sareeraya.com

One of the highlights of Cesar’s menu is the ‘Seafood Basket’, which is a choice of seafood accompanied by your pick of mixed salad,

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

www.siamwininganddining.com 13

Going Native Joining the locals at Neua Tom Baan Singha.

You might have driven past Neua Tom Baan Singha any number of times without thinking to stop and try the food. Those who do however are in for a real treat. The restaurant only serves a handful of Thai dishes, each of which is made with great care and attention, at prices that are extremely competitive. You can eat well here for just 60 Baht. The sign outside is only in Thai, but you'll recognize the restaurant without difficulty: as you drive along the ring-road through Lipa Noi heading for Lamai, it’s 300 metres from the traffic lights on the left, directly opposite the first 7-Eleven that you come to.

14 www.siamwininganddining.com

look very easy to produce dishes of great quality, but to do so requires high quality ingredients and exactly the right cooking style. They buy most of what they need from the local market at Ban Hua Thanon, thereby making sure that standards are kept high.

Neua Tom Baan Singha is fairly new, and was opened a year ago by an extremely entrepreneurial couple, Khun Yam and her husband Khun Tanhoo. Not only is it a restaurant but it doubles as a cake shop, Candlecake Homemade, where Khun Yam makes all kinds of cakes, for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and also for cafés. She’s exceptionally good at what she does and opened a baking school in Myanmar, where she regularly trains students and offers seminars. Khun Tanhoo, meanwhile doubles as a professional photographer, and works for some of the best-known resorts on Samui as well as covering weddings. If that's not enough, the couple are working on a new project, to open a football practice field that’ll be close to the restaurant premises.

When you arrive at the restaurant, simply choose a seat at one of the simple wooden tables. You'll be served water unless there’s something else that you’d like as well – the restaurant has a range of drinks. The food’s the main thing here, and if you go up to the cooking range that's conveniently at the entrance to the restaurant, you'll be able to place your order. And you'll also be able to see what you'll be getting, and help decide on it too, if you so wish. Otherwise, simply stay at your table until your order’s taken.

The dishes are all typically Thai with a main theme of tom yum style brown soups. These soups are hearty and delicious, with a scent of lemongrass, herbs and the meat that goes into them. Since their base soup has been gently cooked for many hours, they become a sort of highly nourishing broth, to which the other ingredients have been added. You can opt for a mild-tasting soup or one that’s highly spiced. The spices by the way never taste merely hot as they do at some establishments; there’s instead a delicacy about them, despite their heat, and the tastes come through quite clearly.

Both Khun Yam and Khun Tanhoo take turns at cooking at the restaurant, and are equally skilled.

A lot of their success is down to after-hours preparation. The restaurant is open from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm daily, except Sundays, but the place comes alive even when it’s closed as soup and stock has to be made well in advance before the next working day starts. The couple make it

Some of the ingredients that go into your dish may include bergamot leaf, galangal and smatterings of basil. When it comes to chillies, Thais are of course expert, and in the restaurant there's a type often used that may be unfamiliar to you, known as ‘galiang’. It’s hotter than most so is sparingly used. It’s most popular in the north of both Thailand and Myanmar, where it’s a

favourite of the Karen people. It’s characterized by a bright orange colour, and you'll see a large bowl of it in the restaurant’s cooking area.

Another ingredient that you may be surprised to see is chrysanthemum. The flowers are edible, and who would guess that they're the perfect accompaniment for meat? Khun Yam and Khun Tanhoo use it in a dish called ‘luak jim’ which consists of strips of meat eaten along with the flowers and a spicy chilli dip. The dish is more usually found in the north of Thailand, but there are many variations throughout the country.

You'll even find it on the menu of the Bangkok express trains heading south to Malaysia, for example. Here at the restaurant the meat flavours are deliciously pronounced. The dish may be completely unfamiliar to you, but it’s a great one – and you won’t want to leave anything on your plate.

Both Khun Yam and Khun Tanhoo speak good English, and are easily able to understand diners’ requests. It goes without saying that if you’d like a dish to be less spicy, all you need to do is to have a word with them. They're both very approachable and like to chat with their customers when they're not too busy preparing food.

Neua Tom Baan Singha has already made a seriously good name for itself, serving exquisitely tasty food in a friendly setting. With its simple yet wholesome approach to cooking, it appeals not just to local appetites, but to holidaymakers and foreign residents, who are happy to have discovered it.

Dimitri Waring

www.siamwininganddining.com 15

The Bottom Line Life on Thailand’s sea bed makes for some of the nation’s best-loved meals.

A deep hiss of gas then a whoomp! as it ignites.

The flames are as intense as a blowtorch, and every second counts in the cooking. Pans, woks, and ingredients are all primed, ready for the burner and the maestro street vendor begins a long evening of cooking. It’s 5:00 pm sharp.

Diners are assembling already; later there’ll be crowds. They've come for shellfish, cooked to perfection at this little eatery in Bangkok, run by Khun Somsak right on the pavement at Charoen Rat. Like every night he’s making the same dishes: basically, ‘goong’ (shrimp) and ‘pu’ (crab). Diners will be coming for delights such as ‘goong ob woon sen’ or shrimp in glass noodles, along with a sprinkling of onions on top. And then there’s the hard-to-resist ‘hoy kraeng’ (blood cockles).

Blood cockles? If you've never come across the name before you might find it sounds medieval and queasy, but here – as in so many other places up and down the country – the cockles are a treat and are eaten with a dip that sits midway between being spicy and sour. Just wait until you try them and your taste buds will be swamped in delight.

16 www.siamwininganddining.com

Shellfish are eaten everywhere in Thailand, even deep in the heart of the countryside, thanks to modern refrigeration and transport. The nation doesn’t seem to have quite the shellfish fame that Japan does, or parts of the USA with its Maine lobster, but that’s just a question of time and the word going round. Meanwhile, those in the know, feast on all manner of shellfish.

And since you're on Samui, the situation’s even better – the island is surrounded by waters where fishing fleets go out every day. And their harvest is skilfully brought direct to your plate within hours. Freshness and good tastes are guaranteed, making Samui a wonderful place to try out all manner of shellfish. And when it comes to location, then take your pick: you can eat at a stall, a temple of fine dining or anywhere in between. There are hundreds of places to choose from. One thing’s for sure: shellfish are extremely popular. Most people like them in one form or another, and that’s partly because there are so many different varieties of them. One word sums up hundreds of remarkably different creatures.

But it’s a vague word, ‘shellfish’. And once you start to think about it in more detail, there’s a

question that many people have. Are shellfish actually fish? And the clear answer is, no. They are simply animals that dwell in water. There are two kinds of shellfish: crustacea (such as shrimp, crab and lobster) and molluscs (such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops). The crustaceans are closely related to insects and spiders. That may be a little abhorrent for some and indeed many diners forego trying crab and lobster due to all those legs on the plate. But for all that, crustacea remain a dining favourite, and are extremely versatile when it comes to how they can be cooked. You'll find them steamed, grilled, baked or fried. When it comes to molluscs, Thailand has plenty of them and a favourite dish is oysters. The taste is so loved by the Thais that, as you probably know, oyster sauce is produced in enormous quantities and used in a plethora of dishes.

There is however a downside to shellfish and it pays to be cautious around them. They can cause nasty stomach upsets, and if you're on holiday it’s best to avoid raw or lightly cooked seafood, unless you can be really, really sure of the restaurant where you're eating. Do you really

want to try those cut-price oysters that are simply on display on ice at some of the night markets?

They're placed in a polystyrene box that sits over an open drain. Some holidaymakers go to extremes and even refuse to eat seafood of any kind.

Microbe-concerns aside, not so long ago, shellfish were on the not-to-be-eaten list due to cholesterol concerns. But it’s been found out that cholesterol isn’t as much present in shellfish as was once thought. So the good news is that you can go ahead and eat them in moderation. And of course, it really makes a big difference what the seafood dishes are eaten with. Lobster, smothered in butter and eaten with masses of boiled potatoes isn’t ever going to be great for your waistline.

But the lure of seafood is hard to resist. Often in Thailand you'll come across prawns that are so meaty and muscular-looking that they might seem to have stepped out not just from the sea but some kind of underwater gym. In the right hands, they're cooked to such perfection that they instantly win over even diners who’re not

particularly seafood lovers. This goes for all shellfish; the combination of juiciness and freshness is already a winning one, but once the dips, sauces and cooking methods are added in, shellfish may become irresistible. A skilled Thai chef can produce wonders just using a few ingredients, say, soy sauce, black pepper, and fresh coriander – all in exactly the right quantities, of course, and added at the right moment.

While you're on holiday you'll be totally spoiled for choice when it comes to seafood in all its myriad forms. If you're new to shellfish then opt to have some prepared in one or other of the typically Thai ways and you may very well find yourself discovering brand new tastes.

Dimitri Waring

Health From The Heart Freshly pressed juices and honest home-cooking from Juice Queen.

Imagine that you are a Thai national and are now living in Los Angeles, California, the health capital of the world. You have suffered from serious digestion problems for many years, and have recently been diagnosed with an intestinal tumour. Do you take the recommended surgery or do you seek an alternative?

accessible, she decided to start up a juice bar, and hence Juice Queen first opened in Bangkok.

It is here that she met her future husband, who was living on Koh Samui. Eventually, Kwang followed him to this idyllic island, and opened her second outlet here, extending from just juices to a juice bar and organic café.

Kwang Nuchpoom turned to nature, and sought advice from some of the most prestigious nutritionists and certified trainers. She completely eliminated all processed foods, refined sugar, dairy products and everything else not in its natural form from her diet, and added lots of fresh organic juices and natural healthy food. She exercised more. A lot more. And with perseverance and determination she overcame the digestive issues and the tumour! Kwang is now a real convert, and her aim is to encourage everyone to improve their health by eating only natural food.

Juice Queen started purely from Kwang’s frustration, interest, direct experience and knowledge. Her juices are full to bursting with organically grown (when available) fruits and vegetables. They are cold-pressed using the best quality hydraulic press in order to maintain and maximise nutrient density and enzyme content.

This method produces great tasting, healthy juices with many medicinal benefits. It also prolongs the natural life of the juice for up to 72 hours, unlike other faster machines. Many of the ingredients are sourced from organic farms in northern and central Thailand, helping to sustain local agriculture and economies.

When Kwang arrived back in Thailand she struggled to find the same healthy eating options.

“With the advancement of technology in Thailand, many food-like substances are now full of chemicals. It wasn’t like this 10 years ago, when I first left the country. Farmers are now using pesticides to increase production, and then food manufacturers add more chemicals to prolong the life of the food. Our food has become so synthetic.” In order to encourage others, and to make healthy food more

Kwang has created some amazing and delicious combinations for her juices and smoothies, all of which are super-tasty and of course, exceptionally healthy. She really wants to share her passion for a healthy body, and encourage people to taste the flavours of honest no-nonsense nature, and realise how amazing they are. Try the ‘Smiley Greens’ for a plant-based protein hit, ‘To the Beet’ will aid your digestion, ‘Golden Sun’ gives your immunity

a boost or try ‘After Party’ if you are in need of a hangover cure! They also make fresh raw almond milk. For a real treat try the ‘Deep Chocolate’ with Medjool dates, cinnamon and cacao.

Juices are a great way to introduce more vitamins and minerals into your body quickly, and can be an easy way to cleanse or detoxify the liver and other organs. There are six juice cleanse programs and four packages to choose from depending on your requirements and goals.

Kwang is happy to discuss these in detail with you, and advise on the best way for you to achieve your aims.

Juice Queen is located on the ring road in Chaweng. From Tesco Lotus in Chaweng, head towards Lamai. Pass one set of traffic lights, after about another half a kilometre you will see the big sign on the left-hand side, before Chaweng post office. You can order or buy directly from here, or by phone. And yes, they deliver. If you live within five kilometres of the shop, or you order three or more days’ worth of juice, they will even deliver for free.

Kwang loves to cook and create healthy nourishing solid food too! She sees home cooking as an art form and an expression of love for the food, body and mind. The menu is full of extremely tempting and nutritious all day breakfasts (available from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm), as well as a large array of lunch salads, including

rice bowls and pad Thai noodles served from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm.

If breakfast is on your mind, there are 10 different toppings you can have on your healthy German dark rye toast. To give you an idea, there is the; ‘All-time favourite’: almond butter, banana and honey, ‘Boost up your energy’: beetroot hummus, avocado and lemon, ‘Get that OMEGA 3’: smoked salmon, poached egg, spinach and hollandaise sauce or ‘Perfect Combo’: mango, mashed avocado, lime and cilantro. There are also healthy breakfast bowls including oatmeal with almond milk; Greek yogurt with chia, walnut and tropical fruits; buttermilk pancakes (homemade pancakes with strawberries, banana and maple syrup) or ‘Breakfast Scrambled’ (Three eggs with tomatoes, parsley, onion and spinach served with toast and a side salad).

For lunch, you might want to try the Mango and Avocado Salad with Lime Dressing, the Thai S-Raw with Almond Curried Lime Dressing, or how about Blanched Asparagus with Poached Egg. Other regular salads such as; Quinoa Tabbouleh, Caesar Salad and Greek Salad are also on the menu. The salads come as is, or with a choice of grilled chicken, pan-roasted salmon, pan-seared tofu or zucchini and spinach fritters.

Juice Queen uses only three types of oil in food preparation. Cold pressed coconut oil for cooking, sesame oil for Asian dishes and virgin

olive oil for salads and dressings. Maple syrup or raw honey are the only sweeteners used, and all bread is made from whole wheat flour.

Everything is made fresh to order and kept simple. Make sure to let the staff know about any food allergies or ingredients that you want to avoid, recipes can always be tailored to suit your needs.

You can eat or drink at the café and make use of the free Wi-Fi, or collect and take away. Seating is at the inside or outside juice bar areas, or on the comfy sofa. In order to help the environment, you are encouraged to bring your own containers for takeaways or to recycle the juice bottles if re-ordering.

Kwang’s enthusiasm for healthy food shines from her. She has a lot to be thankful for, and wants to share her passion and encourage everyone to taste the real flavours of food, without any sneaky additives such as monosodium glutamate, sugar (in its many different forms) and soy sauce (amongst the whole host of other possible chemical nasties). So if you want to experience the pure, heavenly tastes of nature, head on over to Juice Queen and enjoy ‘health from the heart’.

Karan Ladd For further information, telephone 0 614 120 777. www.juice-queen.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

Last Orders This issue’s tipple of the month – brandy.

It’s a more sedate drink these days, but time was when brandy used to whisper in your ear, ‘nothing succeeds like excess’, while history merely rubber-stamped all its doings. Some of the star moments in brandy’s timeline seem to belong to a golden era of insouciance that has – some might say, thankfully – has had its heyday.

Here are a few historical moments that were hyper-charged by having beaucoup brandy at hand.

In the opening years of the 17th century, English navigator Henry Hudson sailed westward looking for the fabled Northeast Passage. His outstanding voyage was marked by an equally prestigious drinking session. He never found the passage, but in virtually unexplored America, he instead came across members of the Delaware tribe. A little scared of these people, and unable to really communicate with them, he decided the only way was to break the ice with a few drinks. He and the Delaware chief sat down to Hudson’s own supply of brandy. The chief, however, soon passed out. Next day, rather than complain about a hangover, the chief enthusiastically asked Hudson to share out his brandy again, this time with still more of the tribe. A good time was had by all, as the cliché goes, but such a good time that the island where they drank so copiously was forever after referred to as ‘Manahachtanienk’, which translates into English as ‘High Island’. Not high in the sense of physical height, but high as in the sense of ‘out of our heads’. Over the years, the complicated name for the island became simplified; these days it’s just called ‘Manhattan’.

Brandy was to make another staggering appearance at the end of the same century,

although, this time, no geographical entities were renamed. Instead, history’s biggest ever cocktail was made and drunk – with devastating effects.

Perhaps he should have known better, being an Admiral, but Lord Edward Russel, forged ahead regardless with a party he held for his officers.

Lord Russel was thinking big, when he decided his cocktail should contain five pounds of elusive nutmeg, some twenty gallons of lime juice, an amazing 2,500 lemons, 1,400 pounds of sugar, 125 gallons of Malaga wine and an astonishing 250 gallons of brandy. He wanted to serve it from a single container. There was only one that was remotely big enough. It was in the garden: the ornamental fountain. Bartenders served eager guests from a small canoe which they paddled around in – probably no one since has ever boated on a pond of brandy. The cocktail itself was so dangerously volatile that the bartenders had to make sure that they only worked for fifteen minutes at a time; the fumes would otherwise overcome them. The cocktail party was definitely a success; it showed no signs of stopping by the next morning, and the bartenders kept up their shifts, always mindful never to work too long at one go. Sometimes it rained and they’d put up a canopy over the fountain for fear the brandy would get watered down. The incredible party continued day after day, and night after night. It finally came to an end a week later when the pond had been drunk dry!

Brandy has also been known to interrupt major political events. For example, the Bolshevik Revolution ground to a halt when its troops came across the world-famous collection of brandies and wines in the Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

It took them over a week to drain the cellars dry

of the cognacs there while Russian history was put on hold.

As you can see from the above anecdotes, some people couldn’t have enough of brandy. But how did it come into being? And what is it, exactly?

Most of us are familiar with the drink (not to mention its effects) but we tend to know very little about it.

Its history can be traced back to Aristotle. Back in the 6th century BC, he wrote that sea water could be made potable if first distilled. Wine, he noted, could also be distilled. He left it at that.

And it wasn’t until over a thousand years later that Arab chemists got started on the practicalities. They used stills to produce perfumes, but it was the Europeans who started making spirits and honing down the process. As scientific processes went, distilling was extremely popular, and countries all over Europe started making their own spirits. It took until the 15th century for the drinks to become national staples with gin appearing in England, schnapps in Germany, aquavit in Scandinavia, vodka in Russia and brandy in both France and the Balkans.

The French had been distilling brandy for a century, but it was seen as a medicine; doctors saw it both as a cleansing agent and one that strengthened the body. The drink became known in parts as ‘l'eau de vie’ (and it’s still called as such) meaning the ‘the water of life’. Quite how physicians of those times came to think of it as such is a mystery; today we know that taken in excess, it’s probably more apt to call it the water of death. But some physicians went even further in its praises: one Raymond Lully considered

brandy to be an emanation from God himself, and that God’s purpose in creating it was to “re-animate and prolong the life of man.” Its appearance at this point in history, he surmised, indicated that something massive was afoot; God had given it to people to make them strong because it was the last days; the world was about to end. Perhaps he later drew a veil of silence over his pronouncement. Whatever, brandy went on to become ever more popular. Interestingly, it never really lost its cachet as a medication.

A few even used it as a sports drink. At the 1904 Olympic Games, the marathon race deserves a special mention. The original winner was disqualified after it was found he’d hitched an 11-mile lift during the race. The medal was instead handed to an equally doubtful candidate who’d come second, British runner, Thomas Hicks, who had collapsed when he’d crossed the finishing line. He’d been powered through the gruelling race by a combination of egg whites and brandy, mixed with a stimulant made from rat poison (now there’s an unusual cocktail!).

Such was the power of his home-made sports tonic, that when carried away by his trainers, his legs continued to robotically move back and forth as if he were still running.

Charles Lucas, a race official, noted: “Hicks was running mechanically, like a well-oiled piece of machinery. His eyes were dull, lusterless; his arms appeared as weights well tied down and his knees were almost stiff.”

made from, wine but can be made from fruits. It can range from a fairly rough drink to an extraordinarily sophisticated one. Varieties of wine brandy can be found throughout the wine-making world. Among the most renowned are Cognac and Armagnac, both named after the areas they come from in France.

East European brandies have never lagged far behind the celebrated French brands. Top quality brandies are to be found in Bulgaria and Georgia, for example. Some Georgian brandies used to regularly beat their French competitors at the International Expositions in Paris and Brussels in the early 1900s. Throughout the Soviet era, the communist regime produced some excellent varieties, and some of these are still sought after today.

Make no mistake about it. Brandy is a powerful and giddy substance. Whether you're filling your ornamental fountain with it, helping to re-name islands or attempting to cheat in your local marathon, your endeavours are solidly backed by some hard-hitting historical players. Brandy will always give rise to jaw-dropping anecdotes but for the unwary ‘l’eau de vie’ may just end up shutting down all your vital signs all too soon in the game.

Dimitri Waring

So much for unauthorized and dangerous uses of brandy. The way it’s normally drunk is as an after-dinner drink. Depending on the type, brandy can vary in the volume of alcohol from approximately 35 to 60%. Brandy is most usually

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 - COWBOY DAY Cowboy Steak Night Buffet @ 1,129 Baht/person. Children half price Advance reservation discount 15% Costume Theme Night: Cowboy style will get 1 free bottle of beer Entertainment: The Barge Band TUESDAY - GRILLED NIGHT Lobster & Seafood Basket for 2 @ 3,500++ Steak Set for 2 @ 2,700++ or Seafood Set for 2 @ 2,700++ Entertainment: The Barge Trio Band WEDNESDAY - HAWAIIAN STYLE Hawaiian Seafood Buffet @ 1,290 Baht/person. Children half price Advance reservation discount 15% Entertainment: The Barge Band and Polynesian show THURSDAY - COCKTAILS DAY Lobster & Seafood Basket for 2 @ 3,500++ Steak Set for 2 @ 2,700++ or Seafood Set for 2 @ 2,700++ Free Flow Cocktails 5pm-7pm @ 950++/person/hour Entertainment: The Barge Trio Band EVERY DAY - FREE STYLE Thai Cooking Class & Bartender Master Class - Reservation required Happy Hours: Hillside Pool 1pm-3 pm. Beachside Pool 2pm-4 pm Lobby Lounge: 6pm-8pm. Rice Barge: 6pm-7pm. The Barge 9pm-10pm Private Dinner 3,500, 7,500, 8,500, 11,000 baht. Reservation required Free Flow Local Beer (Singha/Chang) @ 550++/person/hour Open Bar @ 650++/person/hour - Gin, Rum, Vodka, Red Label, Local Beer, Juice, Soft Drink Open Bar @ 850++/person/hour - Wine, Cocktails, Spirits, Local Beer, Juice, Soft Drink SATURDAY - WEEKEND DAY Chef Signature Food Set Menu 1,350 Food Only, 1,850 with Wine Pairing Entertainment: The Barge Trio SUNDAY - PASTA NIGHT Fresh Pasta and Pizza Corner and Salad Bar @ 550++/person

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- Siam Kingdom Thai Night. We invite you to experience a variety of traditional Thai dishes.

Price THB 850 per person.

Thursday Night - East Meets West. Enjoy our chef’s special buffet creations. Price THB 950 net per person. Children 6-12 years old half price. Entertainment: Polynesian Show & Mariposa Duo. Thai Cooking Class Learn how to cook 3 authentic Thai dishes with our Thai Chef. Price THB 1,500 per person Inclusive of chef hat, apron, certificate and recipe.

Fruit Carving Class Price THB 1,500 per person. 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.

Thai menu THB 5,000 per couple.

International menu THB 6,000 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