December 2016

SAMUI

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DECEMBER 2016

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

‘Tis the Season Christmas and New Year mean one thing – food!

Christmas is upon us. But if you're on Samui, you'll be hard-pressed to see much in the way of festive decorations. It’s definitely not Santa’s kind of place, it would seem, though you'll see a few Christmas trees up here and there. But perhaps they, too, are also hard to spot, as the background of palm trees and tropical foliage is permanently green. And of course there’s no snow at all.

No Christmas spirit, therefore? Not true. It turns out that in another way, Christmas is taken very seriously here. We’re talking about food and drink. Just because Samui doesn’t get into Christmas in a big way, it certainly doesn’t mean anyone goes short on treats. There are plenty of places hosting Christmas lunches, but more than that, food of every possible kind is on the agenda.

If you're on holiday, it’s time to treat yourself, and Samui will completely spoil you on that front, whether it’s Christmas or not. It’s easy to find all sorts of tempting restaurants, providing cuisines that cover the four corners of the earth and everything in-between. All of it is yours to enjoy.

SAMUI

SAMUI

Monday: Thai Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,200 Net

www.siamwininganddining.com

FREE COPY

Thursday: International Buffet & Seafood BBQ on the Beach THB 1,400 Net

DECEMBER 2016

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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

‘Tis the Season Christmas and New Year mean one thing – food!

Christmas is upon us. But if you're on Samui, you'll be hard-pressed to see much in the way of festive decorations. It’s definitely not Santa’s kind of place, it would seem, though you'll see a few Christmas trees up here and there. But perhaps they, too, are also hard to spot, as the background of palm trees and tropical foliage is permanently green. And of course there’s no snow at all.

No Christmas spirit, therefore? Not true. It turns out that in another way, Christmas is taken very seriously here. We’re talking about food and drink. Just because Samui doesn’t get into Christmas in a big way, it certainly doesn’t mean anyone goes short on treats. There are plenty of places hosting Christmas lunches, but more than that, food of every possible kind is on the agenda.

If you're on holiday, it’s time to treat yourself, and Samui will completely spoil you on that front, whether it’s Christmas or not. It’s easy to find all sorts of tempting restaurants, providing cuisines that cover the four corners of the earth and everything in-between. All of it is yours to enjoy.

Fun, Feasts, Fantastic Food!

Graeme Malley Editor

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Always amazing, Nora Beach Resort & Spa celebrates both Christmas and the New Year in true international style.

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

Natalie Hughes Feature Writer

Karan Ladd Feature Writer

Peter Jones 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

In December, when Samui winds down after a year of bringing all its guests wonderful holidays and great food, there’s no resting on their laurels for resorts such as Nora Beach. Exciting plans are afoot, and if you take a peek in the days coming up to Christmas, you'll see there’s a lot of intriguing things going on, with staff busy getting ready for the big festive occasion to come. Quite what they'll be is a secret till the last moment, so we can’t give too much away. But safe to say that the folks at Nora are on a mission to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve in a truly sumptuous fashion.

When it comes to Christmas, Samui may be thousands of miles distant from Europe, but the keeping of traditions that are centuries old is taken seriously here, and guests are amazed that resorts such as Nora Beach celebrate all the Christmas festivities. And it’s done on a gigantic scale here. Just drive past, and even from the road you'll see huge decorations. And inside the resort, you'll find a grand tree, that’s as expertly decorated as any in the west. Children are perhaps even more wowed than their parents.

Santa’s definitely in town and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see airborne reindeer or hear a resounding ‘ho-ho-ho’ thundering down from above.

The staff all wear costumes, and a government official turns on the very impressive Christmas lighting in a short ceremony on 24th December.

At the same time, you'll also find a party of carol singers in the lobby, children who’ve come from local schools especially to sing for the guests.

And, guess what, no matter how hot it is, it’ll be snowing. Yes, snowing! The resort uses artificial snow that provides an unexpectedly festive backdrop.

It’s also extremely cosy here. While others may enjoy the party fever of Chaweng, just a couple of kilometres down the road, Nora Beach, just

slightly beyond the outskirts of the busy town, offers a haven of relaxation. Christmas here is celebrated, but not in a drunken stupor or as a hedonistic binge. Ideal for couples and families, it’s a mix of the convivial and the delightfully intimate.

The resort is very contemporary and features all mod cons throughout. It’s also right next to the beach, and this being Samui, no Christmas is ever complete without plenty of swimming. Nora Beach fronts a sandy bay and has a great swimming pool, ideal for lingering around while sipping on a long drink and having a snack of tropical fruit. Come for either Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner at Prasuthon Restaurant, and you're free to use the pool to your heart’s content – it’s adjacent to the dining area.

But no matter how good the amenities and seasonal decorations are, Christmas is the time to eat sumptuous food. And here, whether you're an in-house guest or are coming from outside, Nora Beach has plenty of treats in store for you. While some staff are tacking up the decorations, a separate army of chefs, cooks and kitchen helpers are putting together elaborate feasts that have been planned months ahead by the food and beverage department. Supplies will have been flown in from many different destinations, and everything will come together in good time for Christmas. The organization and preparation is seamlessly done, and mostly away from the guests, so you won’t even notice anything is going on, at least not food-wise.

But come Christmas, those who are here for the big feast on 24th will be awed by the sight of dining tables filled with all the expected seasonal goodies and more; everything has suddenly, almost instantaneously come together. The staff make it look all so easy, but of course it requires almost military planning, precision and execution.

The culmination is a mega-feast of the best food

and drink, and all of it at reasonable prices.

Once it’s over, the staff will start preparing for New Year’s Eve, a similarly delicious bash that’ll be another gem in their culinary crown. Needless to say, reservations are needed for either occasion as they're both very popular. For both events, there’ll be plenty of entertainment in the form of live music and shows. Expect to be dazzled by the performances.

Even if you can’t make it for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, Prasuthon Restaurant offers all-day dining, with delicious lunches and dinners. The à la carte menu features excellent Thai and international dishes, as well as all the wines to go with them. Staff are exceptionally helpful and will give you a warm welcome. If you're coming by car, Nora Beach is easy to find: simply head north out of Chaweng along the beach road, go past Samui International Hospital, and you'll see it just over a kilometre later, on your right.

With so much going on at Nora Beach, from mouth-watering food to lavish entertainment, many guests return again and again; they know that they’ll be able to savour a wonderful Christmas and New Year here, complete with all the trimmings that they’d find back at home.

When it’s time to celebrate, they head for Nora Beach Resort & Spa. Just make sure that you reserve your place and you'll be able to do the same. Sit back and enjoy some amazing times.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeach.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. 2016

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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.

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Seatran Ferry

Fine Beachside Dining with Spectacular Sunsets

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Thai & International cuisine in Lipa Noi / Koh Samui Phone: +66 (0) 77 420 008 | samui@siamresidence.com | www.siamresidence.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: pad ka-phrao or spicy stir-fry with chillies and holy basil.

Pad ka-phrao is a delicious dish that is one of the nation’s best-loved foods. I always eat it at a little place in Bangkok that’s niched into a lane near Baiyoke Tower. We eat perilously close to the traffic on small plastic stools. But the food’s too tempting to refuse, and there’s always a crowd here, no matter how hot the day is. The chef uses ka-phrao or holy basil, a plant that you'll find all over Thailand. It has dark green and purple leaves with jagged edges, and purple flowers.

Up and down the country, cooks with sizzling woks will stir-fry sliced or minced meat flavoured with Thai chillies, then round off the dish with holy basil. The recipe is one of those that have many variants. There’s definitely no one way of making this moreish dish, so experimentation is the key.

If you're back in your home country then you

might not find holy basil, so you may need to make do with one of the other kinds – exactly as people do in Thailand. But try to get the real thing; holy basil has a delicious peppery taste, and perhaps is the type of basil that Thai people love the most. It’s used in various parts of Southeast Asia and has culinary, medicinal, and even religious purposes. It’s a sacred plant in the Hindu religion. It is used in ayurvedic remedies for colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, poisoning and malaria.

If you live in a community with a Southeast Asian population, you'll be able to find holy basil in supermarkets catering to those communities, and in addition you can also buy online. You are more likely to get Thai sweet basil (bai horapha) instead when you order this in a Thai restaurant in the west, as holy basil can be way more expensive than other types. If the

recipe uses normal Thai basil it’s still delicious, but the recipe shouldn’t be called pad ka-phrao!

Authentic pad ka-phrao starts from scratch with raw meat or seafood that's first minced or chopped (our recipe features pork or chicken).

However, if you have left over cooked, minced meat you can use this instead, but reduce the overall cooking time. Vary the amount of chillies according to your taste.

Ingredients • 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil • 1 cup of minced/chopped meat (pork or chicken) • 1 red onion, chopped • 5 cloves of garlic, chopped • 2 or more chillies, sliced • 1 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced • 1 tsp. of fish sauce • 1 tsp. of soy sauce

• • • •

1 1 a a

tsp. of lime juice tsp. of oyster sauce large pinch of sugar generous handful of holy basil leaves

Preparation It takes about 15 minutes to make this dish from scratch, and there’ll be enough to serve two people. True pad ka-phrao also requires that the onion, garlic and chillies be pounded into a paste before frying, but this isn’t strictly necessary. What you will need to do, however, is to cut and slice all the vegetables, and have them close by, along with everything else you'll need. This is because, as with all stir-fry dishes, cooking time is so short that you can ruin the meal if you have to spend time looking for something you need.

If you have one, use a wok, otherwise a sturdy frying pan is just as good. Heat the vegetable oil

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and then sauté the onion, chillies and kaffir lime leaf for about a half-minute. Next, add the meat and then season according to taste with the lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Check that the meat is cooked through but no more. Finally add the basil leaves. This stage is the fastest. Simply stir a few times until you see that the basil has wilted.

An optional stage is to do what many Thais do and top with a fried egg. The dish is best accompanied by simple white rice and perhaps some more fish sauce on the side.

Dimitri Waring

Right on the Beach Making the most of a super family restaurant – The Beach Club at Buri Rasa.

What’s in a name? Say the words ‘beach’ and ‘club’ together; beach-club. You’ll no doubt get images of lots of beautiful young people being hip by the pool, while a DJ spins cool tunes.

And 99 times out of 100, you’d be right. But not this time. Because if you add the word ‘restaurant’ to it, place it on the edge of the sand at one of the friendliest resorts on the island, and make it very laid-back and family-geared, then you’re actually looking at a restaurant. And it’s at Buri Rasa Village Koh Samui, right in the middle of Chaweng Beach Road.

Buri Rasa is one of those luxuriant and expansive resorts, built before everyone tried to cram as much accommodation into as little space as possible. It’s dotted with gigantic trees, and the two-storey villas are shady and cool beneath them. The clean white walls and the trellis work that adorn them are covered in lush tropical foliage and flowers, and it’s cool and quiet as you wander along the shady path between the villas towards the sea. It’s a delightful resort; quiet, picturesque and idyllic.

Following the path, you’ll emerge on a small lawn alongside the restaurant. The main body of this is on your left; Thai-style, clad with warm-toned wood and open on two sides.

Although it has to be said that the whole area from here to the sea – the lawn, pool, restaurant, bar and beachfront terrace – in reality is The Beach Club. There’s no real division between the restaurant building and the terrace, or even the beach: the food is served in all these areas and, in fact, it’s one of the few resorts which has evening dining with the tables set-out every night directly on the sand.

The Beach Club isn’t the kind of place you’re likely to stumble across, although you’ll certainly

see it if you take a leisurely stroll along the beach. But you’re welcome to drop in at any time. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet refreshment break, and to catch up with your emails or Facebook. There are actually four menus in place here, the first being breakfast which kicks off at 7:00 am. The breakfast buffet has the usual cold food selection, including cheeses, meats, home-made yoghurts and breads and jams.

There’s also a choice of hot options which are cooked to order. At 11:30 am the tables are re-set and the daytime lunch menu appears, running from midday until 6:00 pm. And here you’ll find a wide selection of light-bites and snacks – salads, sandwiches, burgers and Thai dishes – plus all the usual suspects when it comes to liquid refreshment.

included is a bottle of red or white Bird’s Black Cuvee wine. The other two options slightly reduce the number of dishes offered.

The dinner menu is extensive. There’s a huge range of appetisers, soups and mains, with plenty of pasta options and lots of prime meat and seafood on offer – just try the Australian Lamb Rack with Couscous, Sultanas, and Marinated Pepper and Red Wine Sauce! There’s a parallel Thai menu that’s either à la carte or in the form of several variations of Thai ‘sets’ – perfect for sampling a little bit of everything, even though the ‘Stir-fried Blue Crab with Yellow Curry’ is something to write home about! But the star of the entire show is actually a combination of two things twinned together.

The management here is realistic. They’re experienced in dealing with small groups or families of all ages. And so it’s quite possible if you come with young children they might want something less-dramatic than a whole tableful of seafood. Thus there’s no problem if you want to also add a few small items from the daytime menu, too, such as a burger or fries. It’s that kind of place – here at Buri Rasa and The Beach Club!

Every day there’s a huge choice of fresh seafood, depending on what’s currently in season. And it comes in the form of a seafood basket with three set-menus for two people. The top presentation is an awe-inspiring full-table spread of no fewer than eight items: lobster, tiger prawns, oyster, squid, green lip mussels, tuna, sea bass, and blue crab, each presented in a variety of ways (stir-fried, steamed, with curry and so on). And

But twinned with this is the romantic mystique of eating this in a private, canopied sala on the sand itself, just a metre or so away from the whispering sea. There are just five such salas available. Or you can grab a table – again there are only six of these – on the decking-terrace overlooking the edge of the beach. Booking for either option is an absolute must! However, Saturday nights are special, and see no fewer than nine individual salas spaced along the beach. Plus a live 3-piece band playing gentle hits and love songs (although they get a lot bouncier later in the evening!).

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 0222. www.burirasa.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!!

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Truly Exquisite Around the world in six famous desserts.

There are dishes that spend their entire culinary lives basking in the limelight. They seem to have caught the eye and hooked the tongue from the first day they were ever made, and gradually became famous throughout the world.

Some are fairly easy to make, others are chancier. But for all of them, to make them taste truly exquisite requires practice. But no matter where you are in the world, not much globe-trotting is needed to secure orders for all six. Without further fanfare, here they are:Tiramisu The word tiramisu trips off the tongue, and few people stop to think what the word actually means. It’s Italian for ‘pull me up’, and many people assume the dish is so named because of the coffee it contains. More about that in a moment, but there are two definite misconceptions about tiramisu, the first being that due to its sophisticated taste it must be incredibly hard to make. But in fact it’s made of very few ingredients. Just ladyfingers dipped in coffee, then a mix of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with cocoa.

Simple, but effective. And very, very sinful.

Many people are so addicted to tiramisu that they choose Italian restaurants based on how good the chef’s tiramisu is. The other misconception is that the dish is so well-known and so widespread that it surely must date back centuries. It doesn’t. Specifically, the dish only goes back to the 1960s. Most accounts, though not all, claim it to be the creation of an Italian confectioner in Treviso named Roberto Linguanotto and his apprentice, Francesca Valori, whose maiden name was ... guess what

... Tiramisu. No mention of the dish exists in any recipe book prior to then. Roberto and Francesca’s creation has since taken the world by storm. Numerous variations of tiramisu exist.

Marsala wine can be added and you'll also find other liquors including dark rum, Madeira, port, brandy, Malibu, or Irish cream and Tia Maria and Kahlúa. Even beer has been used. In the wrong hands this dish can be insanely potent, and should not to be eaten on an empty stomach. You're probably less than a kilometre away from your nearest tiramisu right now!

Chocolate Soufflé This dish might look simple, but it’s very hard to get right. What can go wrong? It needs to be served immediately, otherwise the soufflé may just start slumping and turning into a thick mass.

Chocolate soufflé hails from France, where you'll often find it infused with Grand Marnier.

It consists of a very lightly baked cake made of egg yolks and whites, sugar and a splendidly rich chocolate interior. The name, incidentally, comes from the French meaning ‘blown’ or ‘breathed’. There’s even a restaurant in Paris named Le Soufflé, perhaps the ideal place to eat this decadent dish.

Galub Jamun Associated with India, these simple-looking balls of dough are covered in syrup which is delicately nuanced with various spices, but most popularly with cardamom seeds, rosewater, or saffron. The gulab jamun are always deep-fried.

The name comes from two different languages.

Firstly from the Farsi word ‘gulab’ which translates as rose, and then the Hindi ‘jamun’, a

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fruit common to South Asia. The dish may be associated primarily with India, but millions enjoy it in the surrounding countries. It’s highly popular in Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It’s traditionally eaten at big celebrations such as Diwali, and dates back to an Arabian dessert that was modified. Most Indian restaurants seem to serve it.

Mooncake Mooncakes are extremely popular throughout the Chinese-speaking world, and are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the time for lunar worship and moon watching. They're very hard to make using authentic recipes but are abidingly delicious.

The cakes are offered as gifts between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. Today they're also increasingly offered as gifts between business associates and to give to clients. Mooncakes can be top-notch in quality and have prices to match. Bizarrely, they're not always eaten, and according to the Wall Street Journal's China edition, as many as two million mooncakes are end up in the garbage each year in Hong Kong alone. (It’s not entirely clear how this statistic came about.)

They’re usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by tea. Most mooncakes consist of a thin, tender pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in their centre as the symbol of the full moon. When you eat mooncakes, you can’t help but notice the Chinese imprint on top. What does it mean? The characters refer to longevity or peace and usually also have the name of the bakery. At

various times, mooncakes have had a military significance; in a package of four mooncakes scrambled messages could be printed on the cakes. To read the message, each of the four mooncakes was cut into four parts and then re-assembled in a new pattern allowing the message to be read. The instruction ‘burn after reading’ was never necessary, of course – the cakes were quickly eaten.

Apple Pie This dessert dates back at least to the 14th century, when records first mention it in a very early British cook book. It contained no sugar, and the crust, endearingly known as a ‘coffin’ was inedible. Apple pie was also eaten in Holland and other European countries. It was very popular but became even more so when it reached the new world. In the 18th century, a parson writing about a Swedish settlement on the banks of the River Delaware observed of apple pie that, ‘It is the evening meal of children. House pie, in country places, is made of apples neither peeled nor freed from their cores, and its crust is not broken if a wagon wheel goes over it.’ A tough dessert for tough times? Perhaps these days it’s more delicate than that, but it’s still a staple for many a household.

Traditionally eaten with vanilla ice-cream, this simple dessert is always a crowd-pleaser.

Baklava The origins of the name are lost in time. Turkish etymologists claim it started off in Turkey, but others disagree, citing the Mongolian root ‘ba la’ meaning ‘to wrap up’. Who knows? The dessert is mostly associated with Turkey, but it’s also

found in Greece, Israel, Jordan, The Lebanon and in the Balkans. Muslims and Christians both eat it on their separate religious occasions. In Greece, baklava is supposed to be made with 33 dough layers, referring to the years of Christ’s life.

It’s a pastry that is a delicious combination of various fruits. The mix is sandwiched between wafery layers of dough with syrup. The dish is as old as the hills and comes from biblical Assyria, where it was a pastry made with dried fruit. These days everyone enjoys it with dark Turkish coffee; the bitterness of the drink balances the sweetness of the baklava.

The dish can be made in countless ways but the most popular flavours include pistachio, walnut, almond, cinnamon, and nutmeg – ingredients that are all healthy. Baklava is said to have given birth to strudel after Turkish invaders brought it to Hungary in the 16th century.

Desserts such as the above don’t recognize borders, and have crossed them with ease.

They're definitely global voyagers. And if you could time-travel way into the future, it’s absolutely certain that whatever new planets humans may colonize, desserts such as these will soon appear. They're simply too yummy to be left behind!

Dimitri Waring

Culinary Star

The Siam Residence Boutique Resort offers casual dining right next to one of Samui’s best beaches.

Some beaches become famous simply because of the crowds who visit them and spread the word, while others are near-deserted yet have a pull that’s just as great. Lipa Noi bay is unknown to most holidaymakers, simply because there's so little development here, but it’s truly beautiful. Its long, sandy throughout and is an oasis of laid-back solitude. Sun-filled days and velvety evenings make it an amazing spot, whether you've come to get a tan or to eat here. About half way along the bay you'll find The Siam Residence Boutique Resort, which offers the perfect place for a relaxed lunch or dinner. Drop in and you'll be pleasantly surprised what they’re offering in the way of cuisine.

The dishes here reflect that you're on an island, with seafood a-plenty and in many varieties.

Lobster, prawns, red and white snapper, squid and barracuda are all menu favourites. From the resort you can see something of the fishing fleet as it brings catches to the jetties in nearby Nathon, the island’s tiny capital. Ice trucks may do many a delivery to resorts on the island, but for The Siam Residence, a trip to the market to see what’s freshest pays off.

You'll find a satisfying selection of favourite Thai treats, and there are also plenty of international dishes, too, including more fish dishes and then a whole range of fare from sandwiches and burgers through to main courses and ending up with tempting desserts. You'll find pasta and hot pizza baguettes, for example, and sumptuous grilled meats including tenderloin. The Siam Residence also stocks a good selection of wines, both new and old world, with the surprising addition of some highly recommended Austrian favourites.

Everything at the restaurant is under the auspices of the chef, Khun Lamyai, who has been with The Siam Residence for over 20 years, and who’s an across-the-board expert when it comes to cooking.

She’s able to adapt dishes to suit guests’ tastes and is naturally open to suggestion should you wish to eat something that's not on the menu.

Incidentally, if you've chosen fish, she offers a variety of healthy ways in which you can have it prepared: steamed with soy sauce or young ginger or with lime, spring onions and Thai Herbs. And if you're having barracuda you opt to have it barbecued with garlic butter, deep-fried with garlic

and pepper dressing, or braised in Penang curry.

Khun Lamyai has also put together a wonderful menu just for children. They'll find delights including spaghetti carbonara, breaded fish filet with French fries and there are popular Asian treats as well. Needless to say they also have a range of desserts of their very own.

The atmosphere at The Siam Residence is very relaxed. The restaurant consists of two octagonal rooms, all glass-fronted allowing you to look out onto the sea. But the best option, if the weather permits (and it almost invariably does on Samui) is to dine right outside. You'll find a beautiful little lawn right by the sea. The beach in front shelves gently into the water and remains shallow for quite some distance. If you're here in the late afternoon, you may spot a few locals taking their buffaloes for a cooling walk in the sea. And a bit later, you'll be able to enjoy the sunset. It’s usually spectacular here, and this part of the coastline is renowned for its vibrant colours and ambience as the evening starts. (By the way there's a happy hour from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, every day, and there’s a special food and drink menu just for the occasion, with cocktails and light bites.)

Nights are unbelievably hushed here, the air heavy and scented. And thanks to there not being many other buildings around, when the stars come out, you'll be able to see them, as there’s little in the way of light pollution. Siam Residence is blessed to be set right in the midst of this haven of tranquillity, but that’s probably why the original owners picked this location. They had plenty of choice back then, as there were so few hotels and not much in the way of development; The Siam Residence was one of the first resorts on Samui and has always had a name for independent luxury. The beach here never sees crowds, even in the peak of the high season. It also means that the property itself is spacious and there is no sense of its villas being tightly clustered together. Everything’s very open.

If you enjoy the privacy that the west coast affords, you may be interested in actually staying here. The villas have all been recently refurbished and are truly comfortable. Every modern amenity has been thought of. They're also a brilliant option if you're coming here with your family. There are three family villas of 130 square metres. Each of these has two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one indoors and

one outdoors), and its own living room. All other villas have one bedroom, bathroom and living room, but again are very spacious. The smallest is 80 square metres. Great attention is paid to all details, and The Siam Residence is impeccably run; it’s under Austrian management, with a multi-lingual Swiss general manager, Mark Burkhardt, at the helm.

Should you want to get to The Siam Residence it’s easy to find. Head for Lipa Noi, which is about half way down the west coast. If you're coming from Chaweng, drive through Nathon and then at the big junction two kilometres to the south turn towards the sea and head in the direction of Koh Samui Hospital. Turn left at the 7-Eleven, and continue until you see the resort, just before an ornate temple gate. There’s parking just to the left of the resort entrance.

The Siam Residence opens its doors not just for guests but for everyone this Christmas. You're invited to partake in a Christmas dinner, and couples may want to opt for a romantic dinner (but please remember to book well in advance for either). For New Year’s Eve, they will be putting on a special night, featuring flying lanterns, live music and a fire show. In the past they’ve always put on incredible firework shows that are easily amongst the biggest on the entire island, thanks to the owner being an aficionado of pyrotechnics. However, at the time of writing, it’s still unknown if fireworks this year will be permitted on Samui by the authorities. Let’s see what happens. But what’s sure is that there will be canapés in the afternoon and a pool party, and then in the evening a buffet with live cooking stations featuring Thai and international food. It’ll be a wonderful occasion, ending with a countdown.

But whether or not you're coming for the festivities, the restaurant at The Siam Residence is highly recommended; it’s a great place for Thai and international food. And with its beautiful location it’s a wonderful spot for taking life easy.

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

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

A Very Relaxed Christmas to You Too! Love it or hate it – it’s Christmas time in Thailand again.

Which sort are you? I mean, when it comes to Christmas, there’s basically only two ways to go – you love it or you hate it. Yes, I know; it’s not that simple. But then Christmas itself is not that simple, not anymore. And the origins have been enthusiastically muddled anyway. Originally it was when a bunch of Druids collected a whole load of folks together because the sun was returning to the sky. Then, when the Romans were organising Europe, they changed it to Christ’s birthday instead – same celebration, different name. It was a long weekend involving thanksgiving and (lots of) mead, and it was pegged at 25th of December.

But today the kids have barely gone back to school after the long summer break when the adverts start up on TV. At which point you seriously start thinking about what to buy for your loved ones abroad – everyone knows about the mail at Christmas. And then you roll into October, and the level of residual panic starts to simmer. Turkeys and holly wreathes have to be ordered. Then you spend a week or so making lists. And, as it starts to loom, you flip into action-mode, straight out from work and around the stores, buying-in the seasonal supplies; alcohol, decorations, Hoover bags, toilet rolls, carpet cleaner, little bulbs for dead fairy lights and so on and so on. And that’s still with almost a month to go.

The sheer frenzy of it all peaks a couple of days before – all depending on what day Christmas falls on, and how many days break you get before ground-zero. The house cleaning and the cooking. The tree and decorations. The arrangements and phone calls to aging parents and in-laws. Last-moment dashes for presents you forgot. And that’s not even looking at the cost of it all. Or . . .

Or you could get the important presents sorted far in advance, skip all those months of preparation and clear off for the whole of the Christmas period. And that includes the New Year fun while you’re at it. Why not? It doesn’t make sense to do the one without the other – unless you live close to home that is. But if you’re coming to Thailand, which many thousands of people do at this seasonal time, you’ll come for the New Year, too. One way and another, by the time you add up all the costs involved, there’s probably not a lot of difference between paying for Christmas at home and spending the time here, on sunny Samui.

Thailand is a Buddhist nation, and as such doesn’t observe the festival of Christmas. Well, actually, that’s not quite right. The Thais are nothing if not a fun-loving race, and need little excuse for a party. They don’t bother with preparations and presents, and it’s not a part of

their culture anyway. But in fact they do celebrate it, enthusiastically so and in a number of interesting ways; it’s just that they don’t get any time off work to do this!

What you’ll see everywhere, though, is not only Christmas trees bedecked with lights, and lots of glitzy decorations, but also all sorts of people wearing jolly red Santa hats. The Thais seem to have adopted this as a universal symbol of Christmas, although not many have heard of the story of Santa Claus – not too practical really in a country where nobody knows what a chimney is! But not only will all the check-out girls in the big supermarkets be wearing hats, but also in 7-11s and quite a few unexpected places, too, like banks and government offices. And over the last few years so have the dogs, or at least those that are domesticated enough to sit up happily alongside their owner on a motorbike. Keep your eyes skinned for this; it’s the next-best photo souvenir to six school kids on one bike!

There’s another and more curious side to a Thai Christmas, too. Some of the national supermarket chains will have gone overboard in their continued search for the elusive ‘jolliness’. One in particular boasts a so-called ‘in-house FM radio station’ which treats captive shoppers to a never-ending stream of cutesy (they must think) advertising. All the jingles sound like they are

being squeaked by a bunch of ecstatic pre-school children, singing Jingle Bells and other obscurely-worded carols of which only the tune is familiar, at the tops of their little lungs.

It’s an experience.

But, if from this you might get the idea that the Thai nation has their own way of doing things, that’s overlooking lots of other nationalities that are marching to their own drum, too. German people celebrate Christmas on ‘Heiligabend’, on the evening of the 24th, together with several other European nations. But then there’s the large contingent of Russian-speakers. They’re all a bit muddled about this as, depending upon what denomination they are, they’ll either start the ball rolling on the 25th December (thanks to the Roman Emperor Constantine who re-arranged all the Christian festival dates in 324 AD) or alternatively on the 7th January. Or both.

Our Chinese visitors react much like the Thais do: in their bigger cities and hotels Christmas makes its presence felt, and so they’ll also enjoy the now-familiar sights and the lights and hum-along cheerily with the carols.

their guests into their in-house Christmas Gala meal by including it in the cost. But now increasingly more places are abandoning this and giving guests the choice. Which is a great idea. It means that you can play it whatever way you want, going out and about and taking advantage of the best that’s on offer, or simply staying put and enjoying yourself the easy way.

But whichever way you’re doing it, it only happens once a year. So all of us at Wining & Dining wish you a very Merry Christmas, Joyuex Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, Glædelig Jul, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, Счастливого рождества, Suksun Wan Christmas, and many more – wherever you are from!

Rob De Wet

But, to come down to earth and be practical, something quite nice has been happening over the last year or so. It’s been a tradition for a very long time that hotels who take bookings over the Christmas period (New Year, too) have tied

Daily Theme Nights From 7pm.

Monday Classical Thai Night Buffet - THB 590 Tuesday Catch of the Day - from THB 250 Wednesday Italian Night Buffet - THB 490 Thursday Steak Supreme - from THB 300 Friday Beach BBQ Buffet featuring live music and a fire juggling show - THB 690 Saturday Surf & Turf - THB 790 Sunday Roast Chicken Sunday - THB 390 Daily Happy Hours at Beach Bar Buy 1 get 1 free beers and cocktails from 12pm - 2pm l 5pm - 7pm l 9pm - Midnight Sentinel Band Enjoy music from the Sentinel Band - Monday to Saturday from 7pm – 10pm Dining on the Beach Moonlight beach dining with your own private chef, from THB 1,500 per person

Chaweng Noi Beach For reservations please call: +66 77 448 994 www.impiana.com.my/hotel/impiana-resort-chaweng-noi-koh-samui/

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Seafood – Samui When it comes to super seafood, then Samui Seafood is superb!

It’s the same the world over. You’re walking with your tourist dollars (or Euros or Yen) and everyone wants some. And probably the most annoying of all of these are the pretty-looking restaurants. You know what I mean; they look so tempting from the street outside, but once inside, you wish you weren’t! Bland food, poor service, hidden extras, high prices. But they don’t care.

Tomorrow there are another hundred like you, so what the heck!

But what if I told you that there’s one restaurant on Samui that’s totally and utterly the opposite?

Meaning that it’s right out in full view. It’ll stop you in your tracks – that’s how attractive it is from outside. It says ‘seafood’ on the sign, but there’s also a full à la carte menu of International and Thai dishes, with tender beef and lamb imported from Australia. The seafood really is fresh each day, not in and out of the freezer for a week. And the staff are trained and educated to speak English, be aware of the needs of international diners, and be polite, friendly and attentive. It sounds 5-star, doesn’t it? Well it’s called ‘Samui Seafood’ and it’s right out on the main strip of Chaweng Beach Road.

So many times over the years, I’ve written “. . . don’t eat seafood in a roadside restaurant where it’s all on display in a bed of ice outside.” Why? Because it gets filthy from the road and half of the food is up on top of the ice and thawing already. But just look at the display at Samui Seafood. The ice is as pure and as white as an Arctic glacier. And then you’ve really got to dig under the surface to find what you want, as the staff keep covering it over. It’s all as fresh as can be. Not frozen – just totally chilled.

This is such a good restaurant that I don’t know where to begin. So shall I start with the design and décor? Shall I talk about the fact that there are little nooks and crannies everywhere, with gigantic Ayutthaya-style wooden pillars supporting a hugely high roof? That there’s old antique brickwork and big boulders? That the floor is on lots of levels that step up and step down, adding to the sense of intimacy? And yet there’s also a long hall at one side with rows of snowy tablecloths that look simply majestic? Or that there’s a full-size waterfall and a lily pond with fountain? Gigantic trees in the middle? Or the old photos, the antiques and the glass-fronted cabinets filled with mementos? And that it’s all so cosy and intimate?

Or should I be excited about the staff instead?

The ones that’ll meet ’n’ greet you have been well trained. They have ongoing weekly lessons in not only spoken English, but ‘playacting’ in simulated situations. How to help the confused guest. The best way to recommend a particular dish. How to match wines. How to respond to a complaint (which doesn’t often happen!) This is the same program that 5-star hotels put their Thai staff through. And it shows as soon as you walk up the steps. Newer staff stay in the background, fetching and carrying until they reach the right level. Then they move up. And then there are the trainee exchange students from Swiss universities that work here on an ‘intern’ program, swapping progressive ideas while they learn.

The chefs? There is an enormous kitchen at the rear, divided into different sections; Thai, Italian, International, seafood and so on. When you order, there’s hardly any wait at all.

Or should I focus on the food? This is a restaurant, after all. So let’s get that seafood out of the way to begin with. There’s nothing missing. There is, literally, every kind of seafood you could want – except for puffer-fish or manta ray, perhaps! I’m not listing it all as that’ll get boring. But it’s all on display in that long ice-filled boat outside. And you get to buy it by weight. Some is more expensive than others.

Small prawns are 100 baht for 100 grams. King prawns run to 150 baht, and so on. It’s hard to visualise what you’re going to need, and what it will cost. But there’s another way to do all of this.

You look at the picture-menu instead.

And that’s where those trained staff slip seamlessly into play. You want crab? They’ll suggest one of a dozen ways you can have it – garlic and pepper, with different curries, sweet and sour, deep fried, BBQ and so on. And then, from experience, they’ll advise you to have the blue crab with certain options or the soft-shell crab with others. And tell you that two will be enough. Or if it’s a rock lobster, then one will be plenty, and so on.

The concept of cost is a highly subjective thing: what seems pricey to a traveller on a budget is just great for a family on a holiday. (There’s also a kiddies’ menu, and a small playground, by the way.) And if you get to eat some of the best-prepared seafood around, along with some of the most attentive service on the beach road, then 300 baht for a plate of soft shell crab prepared in garlic and pepper is really very reasonable. And I want to talk about the special combos, too: set ‘specials’ (seen on the ice outside) that’ll satisfy a group of six for 3,000 baht. Or the three levels of set seafood menus.

But I also need the space here to enthuse about their International menu, created and maintained by their German consultant chef, Manfred Kruz.

The beef and lamb is imported from Australia, and is sweet, succulent and soft. On the à la carte menu there is page after page of Mediterranean dishes, pastas, pizzas (made and cooked in their kitchens) and several traditional German plates.

And the entertainment! Traditional Thai dancing with live musicians. And acoustic guitar and loves songs, too. And the fact that there’s no added tax or service on the bill. But I’m out of space! So go there and discover it all for yourself – at Samui Seafood!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9700.

Facebook – Samui Seafood Grill & Restaurant

www.siamwininganddining.com

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Sophisticated, Decadent and Fun Introducing a delightful ‘afternoon tea’ on the rocks, at RockPool.

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Fancy a refined but fun afternoon in an exquisite location overlooking the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Siam? Then venture no further than RockPool, at Kanda Residences in Choeng Mon. They now serve a really rather splendid, ‘afternoon tea’.

RockPool is set high above the rocks and ocean, with stunning views all the way to the horizon.

The interior has a high canopy ceiling, polished wood flooring and huge white tables and chairs, set off with turquoise cushions, reflecting both the colour of the sea below and the sky above.

The open-plan design lends itself to a spacious and relaxed ambience, whilst still feeling very intimate and exclusive. Downwards and towards the sea, there is a large open-air terrace. Perfect for listening to the sound of the waves gently lapping or sometimes crashing against the rocks below, and feeling the sea breeze in your hair. It really is an exceptionally special, location.

Wherever you choose to position yourself, you are in for a real treat if you order the ‘afternoon tea’; it is truly a delight to behold! The bite size creations dreamed up by the exceptionally inventive Michelin star trained Executive Chef,

Lucas Leonardi Varin, look almost too good to eat. The presentation is exquisite – the food arrives in a locally inspired and designed half bird-cage. You will want to grab your camera for some epic and memorable shots before even considering what delicacy to start with. The chef manages to combine subtle piquant flavours with other elegant and rounded tones, to perfection. Leaving you to consider, just how does he manage it?

Just to whet your appetite and get those taste buds going, let me tempt you with a sneak preview. You might want to start with the smoked salmon with cream cheese and caviar atop a mini pikelet, or the goats cheese with honey and pumpkin seeds on rye toast. Maybe you will be first tempted by the scallops or the fresh spring rolls. As your afternoon smooches onwards, and the conversation flows, consider, the sweeter creations. Try the spoonful of ‘upside-down’ cheesecake with fresh raspberry coulis, a lemon meringue tartlet, the divine trio of chocolate with white chocolate mousse, dark chocolate mousse and a milk chocolate sand, all topped off with fresh blueberry, mint and a strawberry jell. Or you might go for the

macaroon, which may be peanut, green tea, Baileys or another interesting flavour the chef has decided to introduce. Accompany these delightfully extravagant titbits with your choice of tea or coffee, or really push the boat out and have an extra decadent afternoon celebration of life, holidays and fun… with bubbles!

The ‘afternoon tea’ here is pure indulgent happiness and joy. Just deciding which morsel to try next will bring a smile to your face, and there is not a cucumber sandwich in sight! Great for a sophisticated and fun afternoon for people of all persuasions - ladies, friends, family or lovers.

Not sure what to do with the kids? No problem, there is a free kids club that runs from 9:30 am until 7:00 pm every day. Sometimes there are special activities organised such as beach games, face painting or pizza making. Enquire at reception for times and costs. You can literally ‘have your cake, and eat it’!

RockPool opens from 7:00 am with a buffet breakfast, and is open to residents and guests alike. The lunch menu has all your favourites; soups and salads, meat and seafood from the grill, pizza, pasta, tapas and Thai dishes as well

as snacks and drinks. Afternoon tea starts at 12 noon. At 2:00 pm, it’s the beginning of an extended ‘happy hour’, which continues until 7:00 pm, so you can relax, watch the sunset and ‘buy one get one free’ on selected beverages.

Wednesday from 12 noon until 7:00 pm is also Pizza Afternoon, with a pizza and six local beers or cider for 690 baht ++.

problem, just request an electric buggy and the driver will gracefully transport you up the winding pathway (you can also take this choice on the way down). From the moment you arrive till the moment you leave, the staff here are all super friendly, attentive and helpful, nothing is too much of a problem. They really do try their utmost to make you feel valued.

As the sun fades and the sky darkens, RockPool transforms itself into a fine-dining experience with a truly international flair. Monday nights welcome the awesome trio ‘Night Sessions’, with popular, soulful tunes and a smooth voice to accompany and entertain you during your dining experience. Saturday evenings offer a special Calamari Plate, which includes a jug of mojito for 490 baht ++.

So where exactly is RockPool? It is located just five minutes north of Chaweng on the hilly road down towards Choeng Mon, you can’t miss it.

For a sophisticated, decadent and fun afternoon out within an elegant and atmospheric setting, make your way to RockPool, relax, laugh, enjoy and feel just that extra bit special.

So lots of opportunities here to try something new or different whilst soaking up the atmosphere and ambience, right by the sea. The kitchen closes at 11:00 pm, but the restaurant stays open until midnight.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 077 234 500. www.rockpoolsamui.com

Feeling too satisfied, relaxed and comfortable to walk up the steps back to reception? Not a

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Going Native Joining the locals at Phad Thai Mr. Kom.

This must be one of the easiest restaurants in the world to find; it sits under a massive statue that towers above it, that of Guan Yu, a former Chinese general who is now worshipped as a deity. When you drive through Ban Hua Thanon on the ring-road, heading away from Lamai, you'll pass the Guan Yu Koh Samui Shrine on your right. Even if you're not looking, your peripheral vision will automatically take in the giant statue. But rather than drive on by, it’s worth turning into the car park and spending some time looking around. There’s a lot to see, certainly enough to work up an appetite. And if you want to eat, then the small restaurant simply known as Phad Thai Mr. Kom is highly recommended.

It’s run by the eponymous Mr. Kom himself. He turns out to be a friendly and warm-hearted chef, who’ll welcome you into the restaurant. Or his share of it, to be accurate. It’s part of a collection of tiny restaurants that all share a communal space, a bit like a food court. There’s a line of eateries and you're welcome to buy dishes from any and all of them. Mr. Kom himself serves just three dishes, and each of them is exceptionally tasty. In fact they're so good that they wouldn’t be out of place in a sophisticated restaurant, but here they're to be found in this much humbler venue. Each dish is cooked within a few minutes, and is beautifully presented on a white square plate. There’s no menu, just the names and photos of the dishes affixed to the counter. The prices are incredibly cheap, and the portions substantial. Choose between phad Thai (79 Baht), papaya salad (79 Baht) and spring rolls (60 Baht).

Great care is taken with all three of the dishes; you can see them being prepared in the little open-plan kitchen right by the tables. Says Mr. Kom, “Each dish is individually made. None of them takes a long time, but it’s important for us

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that everything’s fresh and the standards are kept at a high-level.”

Mr.Kom is no newbie when it comes to running a restaurant. This is his second on Samui, the first being in an out-of-the-way spot that is no longer running. Instead he's concentrating his efforts at the current location. Open just four months, it’s doing well for itself, and there’s no surprise there, because when food’s this good and this cheap, diners are bound to come. And they certainly do.

Many are holidaymakers while others are local Thais who are driving by. The restaurant has a very relaxed feel, and Mr. Kom downs his cooking tools when he gets a chance to chat with his customers. His wife and sister-in-law also cook with him, and together they prepare everything in an organized manner. Both restaurant and kitchen space are spotlessly clean and everything’s handled with great efficiently.

Nobody seems stressed here, despite the long opening hours. Mr. Kom’s is open from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm, seven days a week, though the restaurant closes on 1st and 18th of every month.

Mr. Kom is a self-taught cook, and has spent years honing his art; whereas a lot of chefs would be quite content with half-way decent results, he’s mastered each of his dishes to perfection. No easy task, even if there’s only a trio of them.

He uses a crispy base, for example, for both the phad Thai and the spring rolls. It tastes much better than anything you might usually come across, and though fried, it’s dry, definitely not greasy. Just right, in fact. And like everything in the restaurant, it’s made from scratch. The results are excellent, and it’s hardly surprising that Mr. Kom has named his restaurant after one of the dishes he offers. Before we move on, he recommends trying the phad Thai with prawns – a duo of prawns top the dish – but you can also opt for chicken or pork.

The other dishes are equally good. The papaya salad exudes good health. The mix includes sweetcorn, apples, grapes, two types of tomatoes, lettuce and green beans. It’s piquant rather than hot; Mr. Kom says he can adjust the level of spiciness according to what you’d ideally like, but the default choice, at least for non-Thais, is mild.

Health aficionados meanwhile won’t be complaining how tricky it is to get their five-a-day; with Thai recipes like this, it’d be hard to fail.

Mr Kom’s remaining dish is his spring rolls. If you're used to a greasy ambiguity that has to be wrapped in something in order for it simply not to fall apart, then you're in for a pleasant surprise: the rolls here are tasty and well-textured. Order a portion and you'll receive two kinds, one vegetable and the other – unexpected in a Thai restaurant – filled with cheddar cheese. They're served with a small salad and two dips.

Further along from Mr. Kom’s you can order a range of coffees as well as that Samui delicacy, coconut ice-cream, served in a half-coconut shell.

Simply bring them over to your table. Or you can opt to round off your food with an Italian-style soda at Mr. Kom’s.

A visit to Phad Thai Mr. Kom is certainly worthwhile; enjoy the trio of sumptuous dishes at remarkably good prices, and take the time to check out not just the impressive shrine, but also the little fishing port of Ban Hua Thanon.

Afterwards perhaps head to the deep south of the island on the scenic route that hugs the coastline and then loops round to Nathon.

Dimitri Waring

The Story in the Story . . .

Of Khun Chai at Olivio restaurant – at Baan Haad Ngam Resort.

Olivio isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a very good restaurant. In fact, it’s one of Samui’s longest-established places to eat. It specialises in Italian food. But, unlike some, the cuisine is just the same as you’d expect to find in Italy. To this end many of the hard-to-find but vital ingredients are regularly imported. And it has the reputation of being ‘the Italians’ Italian restaurant’ because the food is so authentic.

I’ve read a lot of reviews about Olivio. And mostly they just list the menu and describe the décor. But if you dig under the surface, there are a lot more interesting things to be found.

Everybody has a story; every place, too. So this is the story of the restaurant and its food. But also of two people. Of the Italian master chef, Luigi, who put it all together. And of the young Thai man who spent half his working life as his student, driven by his passion to cook like an Italian.

Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Villas opened its doors in 2003. It’s an interesting place: from the little street outside there’s no indication of just how big it really is. The land here is on quite a steep slope as it makes its way down towards the shore. And the immediate frontage of the resort seems to be quite narrow, with an ascending water-featured centre surrounded by a U-shaped block of rooms. But what you can’t see are the villas at the rear, further up the hill.

There’s quite a variety of these, hidden away, and also some right on the beachfront itself. And everything’s super-luxurious.

Their signature restaurant, Olivio, appeared at the same time. It’s set on the beach-side, separated from the main body of the resort by a little narrow cobbled lane that twists between them.

The best time to see it is at night. The street lighting is low: here and there a lamp throws down a soft glow from between the greenery above. It’s all very quiet. The light murmur of voices drifts in and out with the breeze.

Somewhere there’s a faint clatter of plates; music far away. A lighted window glows. The street is narrow, the houses, high. It’s really

Mediterranean. And, as you turn a sharp bend in the cobbled alley, you’ll see the sign ‘Olivio’ picked out in warm lights.

Luigi Fadda was the Italian chef who was brought on board to run the restaurant. He worked in top hotels in Asia for more than 25 years before coming here, and he’s also a member of the elite group of gourmets known as the ‘Chain De Rotisserie’. And he’s obsessive. Food is his life, and he continually improved and refined both the menu and the ingredients. But, right from the start, in the kitchen with him was a young Thai chef by the name of Jakarin Huaysan (otherwise known as Khun Chai). And he and chef Luigi shared one thing in common; their passion for cooking and, particularly, for Italian food.

At that time Khun Chai was a commis chef, which is really just the first rung of the chef’s ladder. But Chai became fascinated by Luigi. He watched him from afar, trying to copy his manner and pick up his style. He was intrigued by the foreign ingredients; vegetables, herbs and spices he’d not seen before. He was avid to learn and quick to be promoted. Eventually he found himself working with Luigi, soaking up every hint and tip on offer, learning how to make fresh pasta every day, and prepare all the ingredients.

And then, for many years, he cooked the Italian dishes alongside the master chef, because by that time Luigi had learned he could rely on the skills and talents of his keen young demi-chef assistant.

“Any Thai person can cook Thai food,” Chai told me. “We all grow up with it. We know the flavours and the ingredients and can instinctively adjust them to get it just right. But Italian food is totally different. You’ve got to eat it again and again and again before you begin to know what it should taste like, and can work out why this plate isn’t quite right or that dish doesn’t somehow work. It might look like the real thing but that’s the easy part. Getting it to taste authentic takes decades of continuous work!”

And, today, Chai has now moved up to take his place as Executive Chef at Olivio. “It’s got to be exactly right,” Chai continued. “It’s not enough to know how to cook it; the ingredients have to be authentic, too. I bring in things from Italy every month, such as black truffles, St. Peter’s fish, Parma ham, sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, and different sorts of cheeses. I make not only all the pasta fresh every morning, but make the pizza bases, too. And it’s a constant joy to me when a guest asks to pay his compliments to the chef – and then he gets a big surprise when I come out of the kitchen to greet him – he’s expecting an Italian man!”

The menu here at Olivio really is extensive, with a huge choice in all of the sections. But there are several dishes which are outstanding. Such as the Aragosta di Scoglio e Gamberoni alla Grigua – the mixed king pawns with rock lobster, grilled with vegetables and rosemary sauce and lemon.

Or the simple-sounding lasagne, which is made with traditional Italian sausage. Even the pizzas are authentic southern Italian-style; wafer-thin and crispy, and with more than 20 different toppings.

And the pricing is similarly exceptional; very reasonable indeed. There’s a day menu of ‘creative snacks’ (all at around 160 - 200 baht), plus a kiddies’ selection, as well as the full dinner menu in the evening. And all you have to do is to make your way to the far northern end of Chaweng Beach Road, and look for the Baan Haad Ngam sign to the right, on an uphill stretch.

Or you could do the lazy thing and eat at the first place you find. But that may be disappointing – and a whole different story all over again!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 1500 - 8. www.baanhaadngam.com

Khun Chai worked as Luigi’s right-hand-man for 13 years, before Luigi moved on to pastures new.

Authentic Middle-Eastern chic in a tropical paradise. Enjoy a cocktail or a cup of freshly brewed Turkish coffee on our spacious beachfront terrace or treat yourself to our chef's culinary delights while being entertained by belly dancing shows.

Reservation: 0 7743 0105 Open: 6.00 pm - 11.00 pm Beachfront at The Wharf, Fisherman's Village www.siamwininganddining.com

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Artistic and Adventurously Gourmet MP restaurant brings flair and panache to the table.

As soon as you enter the restaurant, you are aware that something is different, something is special. Is it the very substantial and sturdy hand-made bamboo furniture showing off excellent craftsmanship? Is it the matching bamboo décor? Maybe it’s the fresco painted on the rock wall, or possibly the tables laden with high-end cutlery crockery and glasses? Maybe you will just have to visit to decide! Whatever that something special is, it results in a cosy and intimate, but at the same time, cool and open environment, for up to 30 diners.

find out more about the Mattias style duck breast, grass-fed beef, Chateaubriand or monkfish.

MP restaurant is located at Khwan Beach Resort in Maenam, and the chef and business partner is Thai born and Swiss trained Mattias Pawlik. He was adopted when he was three years old by an English father and Dutch mother, and they went to live in Switzerland. Mattias developed his love of cooking whilst still at school, and went on to study at École Hôtelière de Lausanne, a hospitality management school in Switzerland, which is consistently regarded as the best in the world. Mattias went on from there to work for many top chefs around the world, including Paul Bocuse, a French chef based in Lyon who is famous for his innovative approaches to cuisine.

Eventually, a good friend of Mattias, who was the executive chef at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, suggested that he might want to come to Thailand to work, venture back to his original roots. Mattias acted on this suggestion and began by working at Zazen Boutique Resort and Spa, before taking the opportunity to be a part owner and chef at Khwan.

Mattias has selected some great quality wines, perfect for accompanying his creations, as well as a variety of cocktails, long and short drinks.

Mattias dreams of achieving the first Michelin Star on Samui, and he is pulling out all the stops to create an environment and deliver tastes that will seriously ‘wow’ you, so that will want to return over and over again.

The menu here is European, but with an Asian twist. As well as some Thai favourites, Mattias combines top-of-the-range French nouvelle cuisine with infusions of Asian flavours. And not just Thai flavours, in his travels, Mattias also experimented successfully with combining Japanese, Singaporean and Chinese herbs and spices, and he likes nothing better than to surprise his guests! Don’t expect tiny portions either; you will definitely leave feeling totally satisfied! Matthias aims for every guest to ‘never forget you were there’. His cuisine is like a work of art, so you will have long lasting memories of not only the subtly lingering tastes, but the visual designs that he has created from all his culinary journeys, bringing French and Asian flavours together in a gastronomic fusion, joining western delights with exotic Oriental accents.

The waiting staff here are very friendly and welcoming, and Chef Mattias is always on hand to discuss menu choices and accompanying wines or other beverages. There are no secrets here, the kitchen was purposely designed as open-plan, bringing the process of food preparation right into the restaurant and making it an intrinsic part of your dining experience.

The menu demonstrates the sheer creativeness and attention to detail. For starters, there are choices such as scallop with organic salad, mandarin, cucumber and bee honey, salmon tartar infused with Moroccan saffron, pink pepper, green asparagus and jalapeño or Hokkaido pumpkin soup which shows off perfectly the flair and panache that belongs only to Chef Mattias. First, you are served with a divine pistachio sorbet. Then, just as you wonder where the pumpkin soup is… it arrives in a carafe and served by pouring it boldly over your sorbet! The hot soup with the cold delicate flavours of the pistachio sorbet makes for a dramatic and divine way to begin your dining experience.

As you move towards the main course you are in for more surprises. Without giving too much away, there is an equally adventurous and delectable selection from which to choose. The rack of lamb is sliced right at your table and comes with mousseline of peanut, ratatouille, pistachio crust and champagne risotto. The slightly spicy White Snapper arrives with Imperial caviar, tamarind, coriander jus and tuna salad. And you will just have to go along and

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Desserts are just as sophisticated and artistic, and too tempting to miss out on. The Warm Chocolate Fondant delicately flavoured with chilli, mint-chips, strawberry jam and Thai basil immediately sends the mind into ‘need to try’ mode! Chocolate not your thing? Then you might want to try Crème Brulee or Crepe Suzette and enjoy the surprises they offer.

Every Tuesday and Friday evening, a live band plays jazz and soul for your enjoyment.

Everyone is welcome here, and since MP is a resort restaurant, you can come at any time of the day, for lunch, dinner or even just a snack or drink.

Mattias also offers cooking classes with a difference! He doesn’t teach you how to cook Thai food; he teaches what he has learnt so well: sophisticated, yet bold, French cuisine. You will learn how to make gastronomic delights using an array of surprising of ingredients, and the proof will be in the tasting. You will amaze yourself at what you have created. You can discuss the sort of dishes you would like to learn about, Mattias is very flexible with this. He will deliver professional but relaxed classes to small groups, making it easy to follow and understand.

Khwan Beach Resort also offers weddings or events for up to 40 guests, just 50 metres from the sea. The setting is perfect and the resort will deal with all your needs and requirements, making your day extra special and memorable.

If you want to stay here, Khwan Beach Resort has nine private pool villas offering full privacy with a butler service. Each villa has authentic and original pieces of art, designed by a hand-picked selection of Thai artists. Patrick Nouvel, another partner in the resort venture, aims to promote Thai artists, architecture and furniture makers within the resort, showing the potential of their craftsmanship and its relationship with nature. Glamping or glamourous camping is also found here and is a first for Samui. But this is not a field with some tents and a shower block! This is truly luxurious tent living, the feeling of an adventure holiday but with full comforts including showers, a private garden and a shared pool with a swim-up bar.

Khwan Beach Resort and MP restaurant are located in Maenam. From the ring-road, opposite Maenam Soi 3, there is a road towards the beach which has signposts for the resort and restaurant, as well as for Miskawan and Moonhuts.

If you crave an adventure for your taste buds, then look no further than MP where Chef Mattias will delight you with his artistic and adventurous gourmet cuisine. He is definitely one high calibre chef to watch out for, so don’t miss the opportunity to sample the seriously amazing delights of the fantastic French gastronomy he delivers, with such flair and panache.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 625 650 796. www.khwanbeachresort.com

Experience the very best in authentic Thai cuisine at Chef Chom’s Thai Restaurant at The Tongsai Bay Chef Chom's serves truly authentic Thai cuisine with an emphasis on local southern Thai cuisine. Wherever possible, ingredients are sourced locally and dishes are prepared from scratch.

This real Thai taste is the pride of the kitchen, and dishes are not 'watered down', the taste of Chef Chom's food is just the way Thais would have it.

Chef Chom’s is open daily for dinner from 7pm to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0) 77 245-480 www.tongsaibay.co.th

www.siamwininganddining.com

15

Ass or Asset?

You’re here on holiday – but what are the rules when you go out to eat?

It’s a proper tangle. It’s all muddled up. In some places, yes – but in other ones, no. In fact, even with completely matching socks, and sober enough to stand, you can’t even get a cup of tea at The Ritz without hanging a strip of coloured silk around your neck. Back when your dad was a lad it was easy: a suit and a tie was ‘smart’, even for shopping. But now it’s changed. And every restaurant demands its own standard. Yes, I know; I’m still talking about back home, not here. But stay with me; there a point to all this.

It’s about social style and the class-divide.

Working men used to wear denim all day and then wouldn’t go near it in their time off. But, sometime in the 1980s, celebrities did. The upper crust – rulers, rock stars, and royals – all started walking about in the new wave of designer denim that appeared. And then, somewhere between then and now, restaurants gave up.

Their dress codes adjusted. Even the very best ones made concessions to modern style.

But not all. And not all in the same way or to the same degree. One UK journalist very recently proved just how crazy things still are when a wine bar refused him entry because he was wearing jeans; a new €200 pair of Armani

denims. But the following week he was admitted wearing a €10 charity-shop suit that he’d poured a tin of tomato soup over. And that’s why, in just about every country, if you want to go out to a nice restaurant for a meal, you need to check with their website first. Each one has a different code for how they expect you to dress.

But – and here comes something that you really need to think about on Samui – what about feeling self-conscious? You’re sitting in Harrods tea shop in a T-shirt and jeans. Everyone else is dressed, if not more formally then certainly with more style – by choice. Are you arrogant enough not to care? Or would you grit your teeth, keep smiling, and make a mental note to get with the program next time around? This is important.

Because it’s the difference between being a natural-born ass, or an asset.

The lovely little island of Samui is a very laid-back place indeed. Correct? Actually, that’s not true. It only appears to be laid-back to the eyes of a visitor. But a more thoughtful look at Thai society reveals several cultural truths. The main one – yet the hardest to perceive – is that the Thai people are very tolerant; particularly in a tourist location like Samui. They will smile and

ignore you when you are unknowingly rude.

They know you mean well and don’t understand their ways. There are of course some things which will cause their composure to shatter – insults to their religion or the Royal Family, for example – but this is not what this story’s about.

This story is about eating, drinking, and dining-out. And not only about the unwritten dress-code (yes, there is one) but also about manners and behaviour too, as it all gets tied-in together. So let’s start with breakfast. Breakfast in bed, and you can eat it naked and singing rude songs; as long as it’s not out on your balcony.

Why not? Well, if you have to ask that then the rest of this article will be similarly meaningless: turn the page now. If you’re taking breakfast in your resort, first thing in the morning, then it would be considerate to wear a wrap or a T-shirt. It won’t be demanded – but look around and take your cue from the rest of the restaurant.

Out by the pool or at a table on the beach?

Nobody will blink if you’re in your swimwear.

Lunch? The same applies. Bikinis and Speedos are for the beach. Maybe in your own country, in really hot weather, you demand (and have) the right to walk about in a shopping mall in

your swimwear. But this isn’t about rights. It’s about firstly upsetting people and, second, about making you look like a real idiot to the local people: a tramp, a low-life – and that includes the foreigners who live here too. Take a walk around Tesco Lotus dressed like this and try to recognise the anger and disgust on people’s faces – you are assuredly being an ass – not an asset to your country, or to tourism, generally.

Then there’s dinner – the evening meal.

Everyone likes to dress up a little for this. Surely?

Off the beach, a shower, get ready, change your clothes, and go out strolling. Fellas – a nice T-shirt or Polo is fine. Shorts too. Ladies – you have better sense and always look good in the evening anyway. But, even if you are eating at a little street place somewhere that you think is down-market, please, no bare chests or swimwear. Never. Ever.

And so we come back full circle to what’s acceptable and what’s not. One thing that UK journalist joked about was maybe taking his family back to that wine bar . . . in their pyjamas.

Twenty years ago, the now-popular Nathon night food market was unknown to tourists. No English was spoken, and few white faces were

to be seen. And, around about 7:00 pm, regular as clockwork, entire families began to turn up, four or five of them, all on one motorbike, in their pyjamas. Wet hair from the shower, some with white talcum on their faces, and all dressed in immaculately clean and fresh full-length nightwear.

Sadly, this no longer happens, although it’s still common in rural communities elsewhere. But as more tourists began to arrive, and the Nathon food market appeared on the tourist map, so these Thai families changed their ways. It doesn’t matter why they did this. The fact is that they were aware of the tourist presence, and so changed the way they acted. And this is their island, not yours.

If ordinary everyday Thai people can be thoughtful about you, shouldn’t you return the courtesy? If you’re an ass, then you couldn’t care less. You’ll be gone next week and you won’t give a damn what people think. But then, happily, not everyone is like you. Thank God for the assets!

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.

Sabeinglae Restaurant

The Wharf Samui, Fishermans’s Village For reservation please call 077 430 094-5 16 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

New Year, New Dining Experiences Introducing Sheraton Samui Resort’s Long Talay restaurant.

As you enter Sheraton Samui Resort’s expansive lobby, with its subtle Moroccan theme of decorative railings, high ceilings and coloured glass lampshades, your gaze cannot help but focus on the huge windows dramatically revealing the stunning view of the ocean down below.

After taking a leisurely stroll (or chauffeured buggy ride) down the resort’s gently sloping hillside and through native tropical gardens, you will find Long Talay restaurant. This relaxed venue resembles a very large beach house, and is open for all-day dining between 11:00 am and 11:00 pm. The location is idyllic, with views overlooking beautiful Chaweng Noi beach, the Gulf of Siam, and Sheraton Samui’s beachfront pool.

Swiss-born, a resident of Hong Kong, and widely travelled Executive Chef, Franz Estermann is the current inspiration and driving force behind Long Talay’s new restaurant menu. Due to the global popularity of the Sheraton brand, Chef Franz has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the best international cuisine. This allows him to get creative with his menu and introduce speciality dishes from Thailand, China, India and Indonesia, alongside other inspirational recipes that truly celebrate world cuisine. The illustrious chef has worked very hard on creating brand new signature dishes to welcome in the New Year. Available from mid-December, here is a sneak preview of what you can expect.

As a starter or main course try the Salmon Salad; maple-baked salmon cubes on a mixed assortment of small, young green salad leaves with apple, candied walnuts, cherry tomatoes, and herb vinaigrette. Simply divine.

For a main course, try Khao Soi Pla Tub Tim Tod (a fun name to try and pronounce). This dish is very famous in Chiang Mai and the north of

Thailand, and is very difficult to find on Samui.

Khao Soi is a yellow curry and coconut noodle soup, which in this instance comes with deep fried tilapia or snapper fish topped with crispy noodles. It is traditionally enjoyed with condiments such as lime, chopped onion, chilli paste and pickled cabbage, which are all served alongside the dish.

If you have a healthy appetite, then go for the Surf ‘n’ Turf with Lemon Mustard Sauce.

Australian beef fillet mignon, New Zealand lamb cutlet and a huge tiger prawn are all grilled to perfection. This generous medley is served with home-made potato crab cake and steamed vegetables. The quality of the ingredients and the cooking is outstanding, and apparently what makes the crab cake so tasty is a little chilli oil, pepper and nutmeg. Sorry chef, your secret is out!

If you still have room for dessert, try the amazing and suitably tropical Coconut Bar with Sweet Basil, Marinated Pineapple, and Malibu Rum flavoured Vanilla Bean ice-cream. Without giving too much away, this delicious combination is something you really have to experience!

The décor at Long Talay is in line with its beachfront location. The restaurant has a whitewashed interior, offset with cushions and furnishings that perfectly match the truest turquoise blue of the ocean. Palm fronds and indigenous plants help add a tropical, natural feel to the interior.

Guests can dine indoors on comfy chairs or sofas, and almost wherever you are seated, you will experience a great view. If you prefer the great outdoors, you can venture onto the terrace and dine alfresco. The wooden decking allows you to enjoy a gentle sea breeze whilst surrounded by nature, and to experience an even more satisfying and panoramic sea view.

Sheraton is renowned for its buffets, so it’s no surprise that Sheraton Samui Resort rises admirably to the occasion. A total of three themed buffet evenings per week showcase speciality dishes from around the world.

Monday’s theme is World Flavours, Thursday sees an Asian Culinary Journey, and Saturday is a Meat and Seafood Barbeque extravaganza. Buffet times are 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm and it’s advisable to reserve at least 24 hours ahead.

Many in-house and outside guests choose to arrive early for a sundowner cocktail prepared by the mixologist at Blue Monkey, an open-air beachfront lounge and bar. It’s located just a few steps down from Long Talay and enjoys the same spectacular views of the Gulf of Siam. Cosy sofas and tables are set up on the stylish wooden deck, and there’s a wave-shaped bamboo roof overhead to provide some much-needed shade in the daytime. The elongated bar is a great place to meet up with friends for the ever-popular Happy Hour between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. If you get too comfortable to move, you can enjoy lighter meals from the bar menu, or select dishes from Long Talay to enjoy in the open-air setting. Blue Monkey is open from 9:00 am until midnight.

Change is inevitable, and this year has seen many interesting developments around the world. At Long Talay, the new signature dishes are definitely a change worth celebrating! Relax, savour, enjoy and don’t forget to check out the view!

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2020. www.sheratonsamui.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

The Wine Page An absolute beginner’s guide to the wonderful world of wine.

Many people, new to wine, know they like it and want to drink it. But with a bewildering array on the shelves, simply don’t know which wines to choose. Which bottle to take to a party?

What wine to order at a restaurant, without the fear that your fellow diners may scoff at the selection? Here is my summary of the basic wine knowledge you need to give you more confidence. And hopefully, get you started on your long journey as a wine lover.

Winemaking: As we all know, wine is made from grapes. After grapes are harvested they are crushed. Yeasts, which are necessary to produce alcohol, exist naturally in the vineyard and collect on the grape skins. Once the grapes have been crushed, these yeasts (or artificial ones added by the winemaker) interact with the sugar in the grape juice, a process known as fermentation. Wine can ferment for three days or three years, depending on the style of wine the winemaker is trying to produce. The winemaker must also decide which type of container to ferment the wine in. Oak or stainless steel barrels are today’s main choices. Each container will impart different factors into the wine’s maturation, and grapes from the same vineyard

Manathai Koh Samui 18 www.siamwininganddining.com

will produce vastly different wines depending on the type used.

Grapes: We’ll explore grape varieties later, but first let’s separate the grapes into two categories, white and black. White grapes are never literally white, but instead are lighter-skinned grapes that can be green, yellow-green or gold. A black grape, called such because black is the opposite of white, are also never literally black. Rather, they are red, purple or blue tinted, and range from light ruby to a deep indigo. The grape has many parts, both used and unused, during the process of making juice. Winemakers have to decide which parts to keep and which to remove. The stalk is often detached prior to crushing, a process known as de-stemming.

Stems contain a high amount of tannins and are sometimes kept with the grape juice in order to transfer those tannins. The seeds also contain a high amount of tannins, and play a similar role.

The pulp is the liquid centre that is made up of mostly water, as well as sugars and acids. And the colour of the pulp is actually grey. The skin of a red grape is arguably the most important ingredient of red wine, giving it the beautiful deep, dark characteristics. The pigment is

Samui Ring Road

Lamai

transferred into the wine when the skins are left with the juice during fermentation. This process is called maceration.

The six types of wine: White, red, rosé, sparkling, dessert and fortified wines.

White wines contain little or no red pigmentation, and are almost always made from white grapes. (But can be made from black grapes because the juice is actually clear.) White wines can be sweet or dry, or usually somewhere in between. Current popular white wines include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio (aka Pinot Gris), Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

Red wines are made from black grapes and have a red or blue tint. And because of the addition of the grape skins, contain tannins, which is the primary difference between red and white wines.

And tannins provide a dry, puckery (almost bitter) sensation in the mouth and in the back of the throat. They also help preserve wine, allowing most red wines to be aged longer than white wines. Popular red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinot Noir. Most classic French red wines are blends.

Telephone 0 7745 8560-4

Rosé wines are pink in colour, and are made from black grapes, but don’t fully turn red because the skins are removed from the juice mere hours after contact. And only a minimal amount of tannins enter the wine. Blending together white and red wines can also make rosés. Many are sweet, however, the best, and most traditional, European rosés are bone dry.

sugar levels are high, or drying the grapes on straw mats to concentrate the sugars. Popular dessert wines include ice wines, late harvest Rieslings, and Sauternes. Others, including fortified wines, like Madeira, Port and Sherry, have brandy, or other spirits, added to the juice during fermentation. The spirit prematurely stops the fermentation process, thus leaving a high amount of sugar in the sticky viscous wine.

Sparkling wines, made from nearly any variety of grapes, contain carbon dioxide bubbles. This occurs naturally during fermentation. And winemakers around the world have developed special techniques to trap carbon dioxide in the wine. Sparkling wines are often incorrectly referred to as Champagne. Champagne is the name of a region in northeast France. And French law only permits wines to be called Champagne, when made solely from grapes grown in this region. Popular sparkling wines include Cava, Champagne, Moscato d’Asti and Prosecco.

Simple Philosophy: Wine is there to be enjoyed.

It’s by far the best, most sophisticated, alcoholic beverage known to mankind. It’s especially good for accompanying food. And in moderation, it’s healthy. Refreshingly, and unlike so many other commodities, it is not dominated by brands.

Simply trust your palate, discover your personal favourite wines, and always take opportunities to try new ones. Wine appreciation is a lifelong hobby, rewarding on so many different levels.

Many of us have fallen hopelessly in love with wine, and cannot imagine life without it.

Dessert wines have higher sugar content, making them an ideal choice with, or as, dessert. They can be made sweet from many different ways, such as harvesting the grapes very late, when

Peter Jones

www.manathai.com

Opening Times 10am – 1am

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

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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