April 2013

SAMUI

FREE COPY

Romantic Dining at Chaweng Beach

www.siamwininganddining.com

1st _ 30th APRIL 2013

Sareeraya Villas & Suites Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

April Antics April arrives and brings not only the heat, but festivities to rival any others on your travels.

If you’re on Samui during April and are wondering just how to overcome the heat, don’t worry! The locals have the solution – in the form of the world’s biggest water fight. Thailand celebrates Buddhist New Year on the 13th of April. Don your colourful shirts, break out the water pistols and bring your sense of humour; you’ll need it.

Watery wars aside, Samui has much to offer, especially on the dining scene. And when the sun gets too much, you can still enjoy the beach views at one of the island’s top restaurants. In this issue we chat to Samui Buri’s head chef, as well as the very charismatic general manager at the Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa. We

let you in on the wine dinners at Rocky’s Resort, and discover Noori India’s signature dish.

There are some interesting foodie-related articles too, such as the mysteries of Russian cuisine and how gold is used in food. Puffer fish? Can you eat it? Find out in this issue. Tasmania isn’t only known for its devils – we found out that they make wine too.

So after you’ve dried off from the big kids’ water fight, be sure to try out some of Samui’s brilliant restaurants, from street vendors to fine-dining along the beach. Bon appetite!

SAMUI

All Blow Graeme Malley Editor

Angkanang Somwang (Peung) Graphic Designer

Ugrit Komlue (Grit) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Rosanne Turner Feature Writer

Kathy Ross Feature Writer

Peter James Feature Writer

When you were very much younger, did you ever play about with putting one of those boxy little batteries on your tongue? (No comments about ‘shocking behaviour’, please.) Did you ever play cowboys and Indians and shoot each other with homemade bows and arrows? Do you now like those gut-wrenching roller-coaster rides? What about hang-gliding?

Para-gliding? Bungee jumping? If the answer to any one of these things is ‘yes’ then you’ll probably be up for a nice plate of puffer fish.

If you’re not familiar with puffer fish then that’s probably not entirely a bad thing. Most people’s experience of this underwater oddity is limited to having an accidental contact with it, first-hand. Better make that ‘first-foot’, as the introduction is usually made by treading on it. It’s covered in spines. It also just happens to be the world’s second most-poisonous creature (second only to the Golden Poison Frog). But don’t worry; you’ll live to tell the tale. Although some of its venom is present in its skin (and thus transfers to its spines), the main concentration is in the fish’s liver, gall bladder and intestines. And it’s certainly deadly – weight-for-weight being 1,000 times more volatile than cyanide, and with enough toxin (tetrodotoxin) in one fish to kill 30 human adults. And there’s no known antidote, either.

There are more than 120 species

worldwide, and most are in tropical and subtropical waters. It’s rare to come across one close to the shores of Samui – certainly there’s no record of anyone ever having stepped on one. Now and then scuba divers will see them on or around the offshore reefs. But mostly they are hauled up in trawl nets along with the rest of the catch. The majority of these are caught in the more northern parts of the Gulf of Siam but with a few appearing in the area around Phuket.

They’re fairly small, usually around four to eight inches in length and have long, tapered bodies with bulbous heads. The ones found in our region are not readily noticed, having a muted fawn-brown colouring to blend in with their environment. But when provoked or threatened they live up to their name and inflate alarmingly, often blowing up to the size of a football. Overall, they’re not a threat and you’ve a far higher chance of coming to harm by falling off your motorbike. Unless you still have a thrill-seeking personality, that is, and decide to try to eat one.

Yes – it’s true, people really do this!

But it has to be said that it’s mainly in Japan that the spirit of ninja still drives people in this direction. In other parts of the world, it’s usually the folks who can remember the taste of batteries on their tongue who do it, or jump off buildings, or out of helicopters! But in Japan, it’s all about the spirituality of

dicing with death, and the uplifting sense of survival and achievement, instead. Whereas other similarly ethnocentric dishes are rooted in herbalism and magic (powdered rhino horn or bird’s nest soup for virility or long life) this is a dish for the brave of heart. It’s a bit like playing Russian roulette with a Thai fish in a Japanese restaurant. Well – not really. Because the Japanese chefs who handle this sort of thing are the best in the world at what they do. They have to be.

They’ll be out of a job if their customers die.

The whole business of eating puffer fish – known as fugu to the Japanese – is actually full of shades of grey.

Such is the prestige of having dined on fugu and lived to tell the tale that there is now a flourishing market in the battery culture of non-toxic puffer fish. Meaning that the Tokyo 30-something stockbroker can spend a small fortune not dancing with wolves and live to boast about it. But the real thing still exists. If you know where to go, you’ll get the 100% deadly fugu served to you. It’ll cost you ten times the price of the city version. And this is what Japanese people do when they feel the need for a spiritual resolution.

to miss the poisonous bits. They’ll serve it you as sashimi or fried-in-the-pan. In Shimonoseki, a city at the westernmost tip of Honshu Island and the undisputed centre of the Japanese fugu culture, there are tourist packages and hotels that cater only for the fugu experience. It’s big business. The whole fugu thing has become a ritual, almost a rite of passage, for those determined to succeed in the dog-eat-dog business environment of Japan. It seems that if you can survive the real thing then the gods are with you and the fortune cookies will be forever . . . fortunate.

love and business. We’re getting pleasantly-piddled by the pool in the hot afternoon sun. We’re spending an hour or more each evening trying to decide between ’dogs, ’burgers, pizzas or fine-dining. We’ve all come here because we – even if only for a week or two – are in love with life and want to enjoy it to the max while we can.

And if you can’t relate to any of this, then probably the only thing for you is to go and sink your teeth into some puffer fish – and hope you live to tell the tale!

Rob De Wet

All of this makes my jaws ache – probably from the continual clenching while I think about it. Certainly it has far more meaning than merely yahooing out of a cargo plane without a parachute just for the fun of it. And eating fugu should not be done merely as a result of boredom, no matter where you come from.

But I’m on Samui. And so are you. None of us have come here so that we can challenge the gods and survive in order to succeed in life,

The chefs have been trained for years. They know exactly at what angle to tilt their knives

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

Henrik Bjørk Managing Director

Siam Map Company Ltd. 52/6, Samui Ring Road, Moo 3, Bo Phut, Samui, 84320 Thailand Tel: (66) 0 7742 2201 Fax: (66) 0 7741 3523 email: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission from Siam Map Company Ltd. Whilst every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. c Siam Map Company Ltd. 2013

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

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

Please recycle or pass on to a friend.

Discover authentic

Indian Cuisine Samui Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng Centerr Chaweng Beach Road, opp. Chaweng Buri Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng South at Chaweng Cove Resort outh Noori India Cooking Center - Chaweng South Soi Colibri, opp. Centara Grand Beach Resort ort For reservations (English) - 0 867 407 873 or 0 7741 3108 For reservations (Thai) - 0 813 960 283 E-mail: nooriindia_samui@yahoo.com www.nooriindiasamui.com

2 www.siamwininganddining.com

wn Up Get your teeth into some succulent puffer-fish – if you dare!

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 Chaweng Beach.

Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500 www.siamwininganddining.com

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SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS E

Samui Dining Guide is a compilation of reviews of the island's most highly-recommended fine-dining restaurants, and is available free-of-charge at all the finest hotels, restaurants and spas. It can also be found at Bangkok Airways' departure lounge in Bangkok Airport.

Gold Standards

9Gems G Asian Fusion Cuisine Absolutely stunning hilltop restaurant that’s one of Samui’s top few. Unbeatable views across Chaweng Bay paired with world-class fusion cuisine in the island’s most stylish contemporary setting.

9Gems is open from 4:00 pm until 12:00 am Mon-Thurs and 4:00 pm until 2:00 am Fri-Sun (kitchen closes 11:00 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7725 6125.

Chaweng

Eat as much of it as you can afford – but it won’t do you any good!

Ad Hoc Beach Café Italian & Mediterranean Cuisine A charming beach restaurant set on expansive decking with panoramic views, serving quality cuisine. It’s a great stopping off spot for lunch, too.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 5380.

Bophut, between Fisherman’s Village and Big Buddha

Amala Restaurant

It’s a brand new age. We’re not only firmly planted in a new millennium, but we’re also all now wondering what the Mayans were on about.

Certainly old Nostradamus, with his enigmatic hints about the end of everything, seems to have got it tangled this time. It’s now 2013. Y2K passed without a tremble. Armageddon didn’t happen this time around. And even the New-Agers themselves reckon that The Age of Aquarius is fizzling out – we’re now in ‘The Cusp of Ages’.

But if we start talking about ‘New Age’ thinking, things will get confusing. Because, firstly, vibrations, chakras and harmonies are part of a language which isn’t shared by modern medical science. Yet, when it comes to the healing properties of gold, these two outlooks overlap most curiously. And secondly, there’s nothing very ‘new’ about this. More than 5,000 years ago the ancient Egyptians (to name but one culture amongst many) were eating gold for physical, mental and spiritual purification. It’s a simple enough idea – it’s the purest of metals – and the feeling that something so rare and beautiful just has to be beneficial and healthy is a hard one to deny.

Vegetarian Cuisine In an exceptional location at the western end of Big Buddha Beach, Amala Restaurant serves vegetarian cuisine ‘fine-dining’ style. If you‘ve never gone ‘meat-less’ before, this is the place to start a whole new culinary adventure.

The restaurant is open from 7:00 am, with the kitchen closing at 9:45 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 6362.

Bangrak

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This belief crops up throughout the annals of recorded history. The alchemists of Alexandria developed an ‘elixir’ made of liquid gold. They reckoned that gold was a mystical metal that represented the perfection of matter, and that its presence in the body would enliven, rejuvenate, and cure a multitude of diseases as well as restore youth and perfect health. In medieval Europe gold-coated pills and ‘gold waters’ were hugely popular. Doctors and surgeons mixed powdered gold into drinks to ‘comfort sore limbs’ – which is, incidentally, one of the first references to arthritis as a degenerative condition.

During the Renaissance, the German surgeon and philosopher, Paracelsus (who is widely considered to be the founder of modern pharmacy) developed many successful medicines from metallic minerals, including gold. One of the greatest alchemists/chemists of all time, he founded the ‘School of Iatrochemistry’ (the ‘chemistry of medicine’) which was the forerunner of today’s pharmacology. In the 1900s European surgeons would often implant a fragment of gold under the skin near an inflamed joint. And even today, in China the restorative properties of gold are still honoured in rural villages, where many peasants cook their rice together with a gold coin to replenish the minerals in their bodies, and up-market Chinese restaurants put 24-carat gold-leaf in their food preparations. The restorative and healing properties of gold are not a new idea, although it’s all become rather muddled up.

That’s one side of the golden coin. The other side is more about lifestyle. A rapping ‘gangsta’ who’s glittering with 24-carat jewellery is not so far away from those fine-diners with the backdrop of a string quartet, dining on ‘Gold Tartina Caviar and edible gold leaf in flakes’. Or sushi sprinkled with edible gold. Or the birthday boy who cracks open a bottle of Goldschlager at midnight. (Metallic gold has an E number of 175, by the way, just in case you like to check your labels.) Bling is bling, whatever the context. So don’t tangle things up.

On the one hand there’s the esoteric belief that ingested gold will tumble about inside you, open your inner eye and fix what ails you. And the other hand is covered with gold-and-diamond rings (and no doubt has bodyguards and paparazzi in attendance, too). It’s the mystical versus the moneyed – it’s alchemy or it’s ‘look-at-me’. So what’s the truth about eating

gold? Is it all a crock of (golden) crud? Does it work?

Imagine those Egyptian pharaohs who used to swear by the benefits of eating a chunk of gold a day. And then just try to picture the young slaves whose job it was to clean the royal commode.

What’s the betting that, after a year or two, they were somehow able to buy their freedom? The fact is that gold is one of the few metals which is immutable, meaning that it doesn’t rust or oxidise, and resists attack by single acids. Even the expression ‘the acid test’ originates from this – gold is unaffected by even nitric acid, which attacks all other precious metals, and for centuries was the (acid) test for pure gold. And for every gram of gold we eat, exactly one gram of gold will sooner or later pass out of our body, completely unaffected by its journey.

But – and it’s a huge and important ‘but’ – that’s metallic gold. Implant a gold nugget somewhere inside our body (or underneath things) and there’s no way it’s going to improve rheumatoid joints or prostrate function. But reduce gold to one of its salts or ‘colloidal’ gold (a suspension of gold nano-particles in water) or precipitate gold chloride using citrate or ascorbate ions, and something quite different emerges. And I’m going to quote verbatim here from a recent scientific paper, because I don’t understand a word of it (!) – “. . . the technique of immunogold labelling exploits the ability of the gold particles to adsorb protein molecules onto their surfaces. Colloidal gold particles coated with specific antibodies can be used as probes for the presence and position of antigens on the surfaces of cells. In ultrathin sections of tissues viewed by electron microscopy, the immunogold labels appear as extremely dense round spots at

the position of the antigen.” Basically, what this impressive technobabble means is that, when used in the right way, gold is capable of providing salts and solutions which really can change and affect our bodies for the better.

The ancient alchemists had the right idea but never quite got to the bottom of things. Michael Faraday (a Fellow of England’s legendary Royal Society) was the first person to isolate and identify colloidal gold, back in 1857, based on the initial work of Paracelsus, 400 years earlier. In 1935, colloidal gold and its associated salts were extensively defined in a paper in America’s ‘Clinical Medicine & Surgery’ as being widely restorative and preventative, including all sorts of implications about cancer prevention and cure.

Bottom line: gold is really good for you. It’ll certainly massage your ego, but it will also help your body put things right. You can wear it or you can eat it – but that’s really not the way to go. Done properly, today’s appliance of science will cure many of your ills. It might have certain vibrational properties, and it may also balance your chakras. But alchemists, hippies and scientists alike all overlap on this one. It’s one of the most valuable metals we’ve ever known – and that’s for lots of different reasons!

Rob De Wet

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Au Café des Arts French, International & Thai Cuisine Chaweng’s finest beachside French restaurant.

Relaxed atmosphere capturing a tropical bistro feel, amidst some beautiful pieces of art.

The restaurant is open from 6:00 am until late (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 1169.

Kitchen King We chat to Khun Suraporn Munyuen at Samui Buri Beach Resort.

Samui Buri makes a memorable first impression upon arrival. With its blood-red pitched roof in traditional Royal Thai architecture peaking into the sky, it’s visible long before you reach the entrance. Seetawaree Restaurant is located along the beachfront on a pristine section of northern Maenam beach, and it’s here we chatted to resident Head Chef, Khun Suraporn Munyeun (Chef Pon).

Chef Pon has been working at Samui Buri since 2007, which is quite a long time for a chef to be at one location. Chefs have a habit or moving around from one kitchen to the next. That’s not to say that chefs are flighty, but rather that they feel a need to constantly absorb and learn what they can, as well as a need to be creative and leave their mark. So often, once a chef has learnt all he can from his head chef, and added what he can creatively to the menu, it’s usually time to seek out a new challenge.

Looking at the impressive list of establishments where Chef Ton has worked, it’s evident that he followed this school of thought, starting his kitchen career in 1979 as a cook’s helper. And each year, he worked his way up, learning as much as possible from the chefs above him, until now, when he can proudly call himself head chef. During this time, Chef Ton learnt both Thai and International styles of cooking, taking ideas and skills from each of his mentors and adding his own creativity into the mix where he could.

From 1979 to 1990, Chef Pon worked at various

hotels, before being promoted to first cook at Pakmeng Resort in 1991. During the early ‘90s, he continued to work his way up the kitchen ladder and, in 1999, landed his first job as head chef, at the Bophut Harbourside Restaurant.

A year later, Chef Pon moved on to The Cliff, a popular Samui restaurant, and honed his skills in Mediterranean cuisine. Crossing to the Andaman Coast, he showed off his skills at the 5-star Impiana Phuket Cabana Resort & Spa on Patong Beach. But Samui beckoned him back, so staying with the group, he transferred to the Impiana Resort & Spa Samui.

The next stop was the Blue Lagoon Hotel as executive sous chef, followed by Buri Rasa in Chaweng. Itching to see another part of the world, Chef Pon travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, where he worked as executive sous chef at the Movenpick Hotel. But once again, Samui beckoned. This time the call came to fill a position at Kamalaya. Here, the focus is on healthy food, so Chef Pon once again learnt new skills.

Chef Pon’s current position started in 2007, when the resort was known as the Mercure Samui Buri Resort & Spa. When the hotel separated from the Mercure group and became known as the Samui Buri Beach Resort, he was promoted to head chef.

Samui Buri’s cuisine is varied, with Western, Italian, French and Thai options available on the menu. According to Chef Pon, his preferred style

of cooking is European fusion food, and he likes to adapt classics to fusion versions. Aside from the main menu, there are daily chef’s specials.

These vary from day to day, but include whole sea bass, Australian T-bone steak, rib-eye steak, barracuda and Shanghai salmon.

Not only is Chef Pon in charge of Samui Buri’s menu, but also for the other hotels in the group – Samui Resotel, Chaweng Cove Resotel and the Verticolour Hotel, also in Chaweng. Developing the menus and training the staff of all four establishments to prepare the menus is all part of his portfolio.

During his limited free time, Chef Pon enjoys chatting to other chefs on Facebook’s ‘Chefs’ Club’ page, in order to get fresh ideas on recipes and techniques. He loves to test new recipes when the kitchen’s not too busy.

Recently, he was one of 84 chefs chosen to come up with a recipe for a Thai cookery book entitled, ‘84 Exciting Recipes from Brown Rice’, which is available in book stores. In 2010 and 2011 he received bronze medals in the Pattaya City Culinary Gourmet Seafood Challenge, and received second prize in the Samui Culinary Circle cooking competition. Chef Pon regularly takes courses to improve not only his culinary skills, but others vital to the job as well. These include ‘Effective Communication Skills for Mangers and Supervisors’, ‘First Aid’ and ‘Fire and Safety’ amongst others. He enjoys these courses as he gets to meet other chefs, share ideas and get inspiration.

No one becomes a chef as an ‘easy way out’ job.

Far from it, the hours are long, and standing on your feet all day is tiring. Chef Pon’s day starts around 8:00 am, when he oversees the breakfast room. Around 9:00 am he checks supplies and orders what’s required. From 10:00 am he starts preparing the specials of the day, and at 11, gives the morning brief to the staff before following up on anything that needs to be organised for functions. From noon, he heads the kitchen as lunch starts. There’s a break from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and then it’s back for the evening shift before he clocks out for the day around 10:00 pm – anyone thinking of becoming a chef might want to reconsider once realising that this is standard practice for a hotel chef!

With owners and management that are open to new ideas, it seems as though Chef Pon has found a place to lay his chef’s hat and knife for a while, as he has the flexibility to create new dishes, compile menus and acquire new skills.

What more could a chef want? Perhaps a little more time off?

Rosanne Turner For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7744 7275 www.samuiburi.com

Chaweng Beach (North)

Beach Republic Mediterranean Cuisine Samui’s premier ocean club. The weekly Sunday Sessions BBQ and Brunch is an island institution.

The restaurant is open from 7:00 am for breakfast; 11:30 am for lunch; and from 6:00 pm for dinner (last orders at 10:30 pm).

For reservations, free transfer service (for lunch, dinner or spa) and further information, telephone 0 7745 8100.

Lamai (off ring-road)

Captain Kirk Thai, Seafood & Intl. Cuisine First floor restaurant in a central location. Huge portions and reasonable prices make it a very popular choice.

The restaurant is open from 5:00 pm until late.

For further information, telephone 0 812 705 376.

Chaweng Beach Road

www.siamwininganddining.com

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SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D

Here are some events that have made it into April foodie history.

RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS RE

Chom Dao Thai-Seafood and Fusion Cuisine Lovely village-style, beachside restaurant serving some of the finest Thai-seafood and fusion cuisine on Samui. Live entertainment most nights.

Chom Dao is open for dinner from 6:30 pm till late (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 5795.

Bophut Beach

Happy Birthday

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Coco Rock

Sun

Thai & International Cuisine Exceptionally lovely restaurant just north of Chaweng that’s part of the stunning Coral Bay Resort. Superb food in a location you’ll never forget.

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The restaurant is open from 11:00 am till late (kitchen closes at 11:00 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 4555.

Chaweng Beach (North)

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1stt – N Nott only l iis it E Easter t M Monday d thi this year, b butt it' it's also April Fools Fools' Day Day. So um, um don don'tt be caught for a sucker the k (excuse ( h foodie f d pun!). ) 2nd – On this day, in 1863, the Richmond bread riots occurred. Shortages of food caused hundreds of angry women to gather in Richmond, Virginia and march to the governor's office, and then to the government commissary to demand bread. It ended in a riot when they broke into the commissary and other buildings carrying out anything they could. Even the hospital reported losing over 136kg of beef.

Dining on the h Rocks k Modern Interpretive Cuisine The ultimate Samui dining experience!

Breathtaking 270 degree seaview location, absolutely amazing cuisine. Truly memorable!

Dining on the Rocks is open from 6:00 pm and closes when the last guest leaves.

For reservations (recommended) and further information Telephone: 0 7724 5678.

Samrong Bay, North-east Coast

Dr Frogs Italian & Traditional Thai Cuisine This award-winning restaurant sits on the cliff overlooking Chaweng Bay. And its dedication to excellence makes it a firm favourite with the locals.

The restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 2:00 am (kitchen closes at 11:00 pm).

For reservations and further details, telephone 0 7744 8505.

Ring-road, Chaweng Noi

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3 – On this day, in 1985, The Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood closed after 57 years.

Owner, Robert Cobb, created the Cobb Salad there in 1936. On the same day in 2010, students at a Utah high school created a replica of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' using two tonnes of Malt-O-Meal cereal. th

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4 – From today until the 7 of April, the Barossa Vintage Festival takes place, which is the largest and longest running wine tourism festival in Australia. The first festival was held in 1947, and grows in strength each year. The 2013 program includes more than 150 events including art and craft, music, literature, heritage and, of course, food and wine.

5th – As this is National Soy Food Month, in the states, why not sample this healthy meat alternative. Thailand is the right place to be, as soy is used in many dishes.

6th – This is Chakri Day in Thailand; a public holiday that celebrates the current royal dynasty.

As with any Thai holiday, there'll be feasting galore.

7th – This day, in 1860, marks the birth of Will Keith Kellogg, founder of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Co. (later the W.K. Kellogg Company), manufacturer of cereals. Cornflakes, those tasty little flakes with the red rooster on the box, were developed by his brother, John Harvey Kellogg.

Fri Sat 6 5 12 13 19 20 26 27

9th – In I 1626 on th this his day, Sir Francis Bacon died. hi statesman, philosopher and He was an English h states author h off 'Novum Organum', a work on scientific inquiry. Some also rather controversially claim that he wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare.

He died after stuffing a dressed chicken with snow to see how long the flesh could be preserved by the extreme cold. He caught a cold and died from complications about a month later.

Unlucky for him, but perhaps his discovery led to modern fridges as we know them.

10th – On this day, in 1982, Saturday Night Live asked viewers to vote whether to boil 'Larry the Lobster' or not. The audience voted to free him.

And on the same day, in 1995, a smoking ban was implemented in New York for restaurants with more than 35 seats – an event that had a significant influence on dining out in the 'Big Apple'.

11th – This day, in 1986, marked the end of Kellogg’s tours of its breakfast cereal plant for fear that industrial spies would obtain company secrets.

12th – On a more current note, today marks the opening of the Cake International Fair, this year held in London from 12-14 April. It's a must-visit show for all cake enthusiasts, combining all the latest ideas, supplies, live competitions and demonstrations from the world of sugar-craft, cake decoration and baking.

13th – Happy Thai New Year! Today is the start of Songkran in Thailand. It's arguably the best time to visit, as the country hosts the world's biggest water fight. Although not strictly speaking a 'food date', it most certainly involves water - and lots of it. Be prepared for a drenching!

14th – On this historical date, in 1912, the British luxury liner, Titanic, struck an iceberg shortly before midnight. It sank at 2:20 am on April 15th.

For most on board, that evening's meal would be their last. th

CAFE BAR RESTAURANT

Good Food + Great Service + Excellent Coffee + Good Food + Great Service + Excellent

8th – Today is St Walter of Pontnoise's Day; patron-saint of vintners. And we are so blessed to have wine, so cheers to him!

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15 – In 1955 on this day, the first franchised McDonald's was opened in Des Plaines, Illinois,

by Ray Kroc, who bought the hamburger restaurant owned by the McDonald brothers. On

opening day, a two-patty hamburger was 15 cents and French fries were 10 cents a portion. Not quite so today.

16th – This is St Magnus of Orkney Day, who is the patron-saint of fishmongers. So why not head down to one of Samui's many fresh seafood eateries in celebration.

17th – Oddly enough, today is National Cheese-ball Day in the USA. It's also National Pecan Nut Month, so grab a few of these tasty treats to snack on today. th

18 – Again the USA celebrates a bizarre food item. Today is National Animal Crackers Day. Well OK then... th

19 – Today is Garlic Day – now that’s something worth celebrating. Perhaps today isn't the best day to go on that first date then.

20th – The manned lunar module from Apollo 16 landed on the moon on this day, in 1972, confirming that the moon is not, in fact, made of cheese.

21st – In 1910 Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died. This American author wrote ‘Tom Sawyer’, and ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. He's equally as well-known for his quotes, many of which seem beyond his time.

Here's one relating to food, “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”

22nd – On this day, in 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated. Is our environment better or worse today, and can our Earth sustain our food resources?

23rd – In 1985 Coca-Cola announced it was changing its 99-year old secret formula. The new Coke was a big flop!

24th – Another one for the records list: On this day, in 1994, the world's largest lollipop was made in Denmark, weighing in at 1,365kg.

25th – On this day, in 1856, Charles Luttwedge

GOOD FOOD GREAT SERVICE EXCELLENT COFFEE Open from 8am for great value All Day Breakfast, Pastas, Gourmet Sandwiches, Salads, Grills, Thai favourites, and of course delicious cakes and excellent coffee. :: No service charge :: Free Wi Fi with any purchase

The Coffee Club Koh Samui

Chaweng Beach Road, (near Burger King) Bophut @thecoffeeclubth

The Coffee Club Thailand

Dodgson met a little girl named Alice Liddell.

Alice had a habit of consuming unknown food, pills and liquids that she found while exploring a very large rabbit hole, often leading to bizarre consequences. You may know them better as Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll.

26th – On this day, in 2006, Chicago banned the sale of foie gras. Whether you agree with the production method of this controversial delicacy or not, it's still widely available, including here on Samui.

27th – Today is Freedom Day in South Africa.

What do most South Africans do on a public holiday? Well braai (BBQ) of course.

28th – On this day, in 1796, 'American Cookery'

by Amelia Simmons was published in Hartford. It is the first cookbook written by an American, and is considered to be a classic.

29th – This marks the second wedding anniversary of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge. Having the royal chefs at their disposal, they're sure to be celebrating over a special dinner.

30th – We end the month with reference to a much-enjoyed food item. In 1792 John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, died. Captain Cook (another foodie name) named the Sandwich Islands (now known as Hawaii) after him. The story goes that he invented the sandwich as a quick meal so as not to interrupt his gambling sessions.

Rosanne Turner

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Drink Gallery International Cuisine Spacious and stylish restaurant/bar serving top-notch innovative cuisine and super cocktails/drinks which is located in the perfect spot for people-watching along the busy Chaweng Beach Road.

Drink Gallery is open from 11:00 am until 1:00 am (kitchen closes at 12:15 am), with the brunch menu being available from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 2299.

Chaweng Beach Road

Eat Sense

Easy Pickup Why Chopsticks are here to stay.

Any fool knows what chopsticks are. They’re bits of wood you eat with aren’t they? Yes, that’s right. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

Chopsticks are small even-length tapered sticks, and are the traditional eating utensils of East Asia. China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam are known as the four ‘chopstick countries’. (In Thailand they are commonly used just for eating noodles since the introduction of Western utensils by King Rama V in the 19th century.)

They are commonly made from wood, bamboo, metal, bone or ivory, and in modern times, plastic as well. Bamboo has been the most popular because it’s inexpensive, readily available, easy to split, resistant to heat, and has no perceptible odour or taste. It is believed that silver chopsticks were used in Chinese royal palaces to detect poison (possibly toxic metallic oxides). If poison existed, the chopsticks would blacken. It is now known that silver has no reaction to arsenic or cyanide, but if rotten eggs, onion or garlic are used, the hydrogen sulphide they release might cause the chopsticks to change colour.

While the precise origins of chopsticks are unknown, there are several legends. In Chinese folklore it is said that two farmers were cast out from their village. They hid deep in the woods searching for food until one day they came upon a storehouse with meat. Stealing some of the meat, they cooked it over a fire. When the meat was done and a delicious aroma filled the air,

they used sticks to pull the hot meat off the bone, rather than wait for the meat to cool. Thus chopsticks were born.

Chinese chopsticks, called kuai-zi (quick little fellows), could be as old as 5,000 years. They were definitely in use by the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC – 1122 BC). Their popularity could stem from Confucius who said “The honourable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” I’m sure not all of us agree with the ancient philosopher, after all, many of the great chefs preparing your meals today will be men!

His dislike of knives is understandable. He equated knives with acts of aggression, which went against his non-violent teachings. The enduring popularity of chopsticks since those times may actually be linked to Chinese cooking methods. Before stir-frying, the food is cut into tiny pieces, making it easy to manipulate.

Each of the four main chopstick countries differs slightly in their chopstick design. Chinese ones taper to a rounded end, and are around ten inches long (these are the ones used in Thailand). Japanese (hashi) sticks are shorter and taper to a pointed end. Korean (jeotgarak) ones are of medium length, made from stainless steel, aluminium, silver and even brass. Wooden versions are also used in cooking, and

disposable wooden chopsticks are delivered with home delivery food. In Vietnam (dũa) they tend to be long, taper to a blunt end, and are traditionally wooden.

But, how do you use them? With difficulty many people would reply! Often we will give up after a few attempts, either because we don’t want to look silly, or we are just plain hungry and want to get on with eating.

Here’s one technique you can try: grasp one chopstick like a pencil but a little higher up.

Keeping the chopstick in the same position, lift up your index finger so that it is free to move.

Still keeping the chopstick in the same position, shift your thumb so that its tip is above the chopstick (the chopstick will stay in place by the pressure of your thumb pushing it against the side of your middle finger). This chopstick remains stationary at all times. Place the second chopstick between the tip of your thumb and index finger and move it up and down. If the ends fail to line up, it will be difficult to hold things. It may feel awkward at first but it does get easier! But definitely the best way to learn is by asking a Thai person while you’re here.

They’ll take great pleasure in patiently teaching you, and you’ll take back an Oriental art!

spoon and fork as well. It can be quite tedious to try and pick up rice, grain by grain, but it is not expected of you to utilise chopsticks in this manner. Thai sticky rice is easier to manage though. If a dish is prepared in such a way that an item is too small or too big to be picked up with chopsticks, then it is not designed to be eaten that way. When you have finished your meal or are resting, don’t stand chopsticks in a bowl of rice or anything else because the act resembles part of a traditional funeral rite. And try not to wave them around as if you were conducting a philharmonic orchestra. Also auditioning for a role as drummer with a rock band would be impolite, undoubtedly funny to some, but still impolite!

Certainly chopsticks have been around longer than any other manufactured eating implement, and a large proportion of the world’s population uses them every day. Will they still be around in years to come? They will if you keep practicing!

Rob De Wet

Seafood, Thai & Intl. Cuisine Magnificent, spacious beachside restaurant in central Chaweng. Great attention has been taken in its design, and the food’s terrific too.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7741 4242.

Chaweng Beach

H Bistro French/Mediterranean & Thai Cuisine This stunning restaurant is part of the new Hansar Samui resort in Bophut, which opened its doors in July 2010 and has been attracting the island’s gastronomes ever since.

The restaurant is open from 6:30 - 10:30 am for breakfast, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm for lunch, and from 6:00 – 10:30 pm (kitchen) for dinner.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 5511.

Bophut Beach

Jahn ahn Contemporary Thai Cuisine Sophisticated and stylish restaurant high up on a cliffside offering terrific panoramic views across the sea to the neighbouring islands and beyond.

An innovative contemporary interpretation of traditional Thai dishes has been created here by two chefs with Michelin star-studded backgrounds.

Jahn is open from 6:00 pm with last orders at 10:00 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7791 5888.

Baan Taling Ngam

As far as etiquette is concerned, there are quite a few ‘rules’. But don’t be overly concerned. It is common, and acceptable, for Westerners to use a

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) 16/16 Moo 1, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: 077 430 030, 077 245 035 Free Parking!! Opposite the restaurant

www.siamwininganddining.com

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SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS E

La Taverna

Due Process

Italian Cuisine It’s in the heart of Chaweng’s vibrant nightlife scene and is one of Samui’s few traditional Italian restaurants, but surely the best!

The restaurant is open from midday till the last guest leaves.

For further details and reservations, please telephone 0 7741 3006.

Off Chaweng Beach Road

Le Jaroen

The truth is – very few processed foods are bad for you!

Provence/Tuscany Cuisine To visit this chic restaurant at The Scent Hotel is to fall in love. Outrageously tasty food in an exquisite Oriental colonial setting.

The restaurant is open for lunch from 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, and for dinner from 6:00 pm till late (kitchen closes at 10:00 pm).

For further details and reservations, please telephone 0 7796 2198.

Bangrak

E-numbers. Additives. Processed foods. To which I could probably tag on cholesterol, fat, salt and sugar. All of these have become twitch-words over the last generation or so – ever since we all suddenly became health conscious back in the late ’90s.

Namu N Japanese Cuisine Samui’s leading Japanese restaurant has a breathtaking beachfront location where Executive Chef Robert Conte personally prepares an exciting menu of ‘Asia’s tomorrow – today’.

Namu is open from 6:30 pm with last orders at 10:30 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 7524.

Maenam Beach

Noorii IIndia N di Indian Cuisine Every conceivable Indian dish is on offer here – and they are all delicious! Conveniently located in Central Chaweng.

The restaurant is open from 11:00 am – 11:30 pm.

For further information, reservations, and take-away orders (free delivery in Chaweng area), telephone 0 7741 3315.

Chaweng Beach Road

But then even that, when taken in a broad social perspective, occurred more because of relentless media pressure than anything else. True, by the ’90s America had been suffering for quite some time. Fast food and microwaved TV dinners had been the nation’s staple diet for the best part of two generations. But this simply didn’t apply to the rest of the world, where fresh food and home cooking remained woven into everyone’s way of life; well, at least once or twice every week!

But that didn’t stop the press, periodicals and TV jumping full tilt onto the health-scare bandwagon. It was fright-fodder, guaranteed to attract millions of anxious readers when headlined boldly enough. Legends arose about food preservatives containing chemicals found in paint stripper and hairspray. Legislation arose about fully itemising the preservatives and additives in our food – which only gave the ranters more clout as they further linked all these chemicals to unrelated industrial applications and shouted even louder.

Possibly the only good thing to have come out of all this, 25 years on, is that Joe Public is now far more aware of health in general, and in particular the part that a well-balanced diet plays in it. The downside is that we’ve all now become conditioned like Pavlov’s dog to unthinkingly reject anything with ‘bad words’ on the label. And the word ‘processed’ has become utterly unacceptable.

When applied to food, the word ‘processed’ means nothing negative in itself. It is simply an adjective which indicates that the food in question has been treated in some way. This has been going on for many thousands of years, and the human race is still thriving. Cave dwellers discovered that meat would last longer if cut into thin strips and dried in the sun. Soldiers, sailors and other travellers throughout the ages knew that meat and fish could be preserved by smothering them in salt. Foodstuffs could also be preserved in vinegar or alcohol. All of these foods have been ‘processed’ in one way or another. It’s only in the last half-century or so that synthetic chemicals have been applied for the same effect – sometimes with unpleasant consequences.

It’s hardly surprising that more sophisticated methods began to emerge after the period of the Industrial Revolution. One of the first was by the French chef and inventor, Nicolas Appert who, in 1809, perfected a vacuum-bottling technique that later would be used to supply French troops with meat, chicken, milk and vegetables. This was to become supplemented by Louis Pasteur, who discovered that heat killed harmful bacteria, and announced his process of ‘pasteurisation’ in 1862.

But it wasn’t for another 100 years that further advances were made. The depression of the 1920s led to vitamins being added to dairy products in America and, a decade later, the following world depression brought about rapid-freezing techniques, spray drying (and, incidentally, instant coffee). Not one of these processes was actually harmful in any way; the worst that could be said was that the last few depleted the vitamin content of the produce.

But it was the post-WW2 period that became uncontrollably dubious, although this wasn’t

The Bistro Samui beach restaurant is located on Chaweng Noi Beach, one of Koh Samui’s most beautiful beaches.

The restaurant combines breathtaking scenery with great gre Thai Cuisine and BBQ delicacies. cacies.

Restaur Buco Restaurant & Bar T Sarann The

Impiana Samui Resort & Spa

Samui Ring Road

Bistro Samui Restaurant: Chaweng Noi Tel: +66 77 448 569-71 E-mail: info@lemurraya.com 8 www.siamwininganddining.com

realised until several decades later. This was a period of consumerism and innocent glee, as symbolised by the American government proposing atomic devices for blasting-work on civil engineering projects, and even sponsoring the designs for a domestic kitchen powered by nuclear fission. Irradiated food quietly appeared on the supermarket shelves of several nations.

And chemical additives and preservatives began to be used across the board, unrestrained by the same sort of lengthy trials and testing that were needed in the general pharmaceutical industry.

And the rest you know. It’s a part of our recent history. It’s the source of endless urban legends and the reason why today, all additives and preservatives are carefully monitored by the authorities. But to lump this all in together with the procedure of ‘processing’ food is both foolish and misleading.

You only need to thoughtfully consider some of the world’s leading five-star gourmet chefs and their approach to food to realise how nonsensically-negative it is to write-off ‘food processing’ all across the board. Because it all depends on how you go about it. At one extreme of the processed food chain you’ll find waxy squares of packaged cheese slices, bleached white sliced bread, and vacuum-sealed tubes of grey, pressed, turkey chippings on every supermarket shelf. But at the other extreme, at the cutting edge of gourmet technology, top chefs are scientifically ‘deconstructing’ the essential flavours of meat, fish and vegetables into their molecular components and re-presenting these in the form of tiny cubes of jelly or layers of foam, to enhance their expensive and well-subscribed menus.

And if that’s just too unrealistic for you, consider

this. Even those chefs who take a more traditional approach to their cuisine now universally employ sous vide techniques of slow cooking, involving vacuum sealing and low temperature cooking. Is this not food that’s being ‘processed’?

In order to be utterly safe and totally pure, you’d need to either grow or buy fresh vegetables.

You’d have to raise your own (or buy) organically-fed meat and poultry, slaughter it yourself and cook and eat it before it could naturally bio-degrade. You’d bake your own bread, fresh every day. You’d drink your milk straight from your cow or goat, warm, without either freezing or pasteurising it. Your fruit would be eaten only when it was ripe, and not preserved or made into jams. All of which, unless you’re not working, have an independent income, a farm, no young children and all the time in the world to spend on food fads, is all rather silly. Make that totally nonsensical.

The fact of the matter is that probably 75% of the healthy food we eat today has been processed in one way or another – unless you live in a third-world country and subsist on a never-ending diet of rice and fish. (And even cooked rice becomes mildly toxic if left for a day without any ‘processing’.) The knack here is to be intelligent, thoughtful, aware and selective.

And that’s an attribute that the avaricious press and other media really don’t want anyone to possess – it sells no papers!

Rob De Wet

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Ocean 11 Mediterranean & Thai Cuisine Perhaps Samui’s most acclaimed restaurant in the foreign media, Ocean 11 has an idyllic beachfront location and serves fabulous food in comfortable but classy surroundings. A favourite for residents and visiting celebrities.

Ocean 11 is open from 2:00 pm until 10:30 pm (kitchen). For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 5134.

Bangrak ngrak

Mellow Partners

Ochos h Modern Mediterranean Cuisine With a truly innovative range of modern tapas available in a atmospheric romantic setting, Ochos is raising the bar yet again for Samui’s fine dining restaurants.

Ochos is open from 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm (kitchen).

For reservations (recommended) and further information, telephone 0 7791 4700.

Off the Chaweng to Choeng Mon road

Fine wine dinners, plus cool jazz at Rocky’s.

“There cannot be good living where there is not good drinking.” When Benjamin Franklin, the inventor, scientist and diplomat, said that in 1747, it was highly unlikely he was thinking about Rocky’s Boutique Resort. Which in many ways is a little sad. He was multi-lingual, multi-talented and keenly appreciated the better things of life.

He would have just loved this wonderfully pretty resort on the fringe of Lamai, close to the ‘Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks’ (Hin Ta Hin Yai).

It’s very much a family affair here, owned by Ole and Collette Larsen, with Collette liberally honing the design sensibilities she developed during her degree-course at art college. The natural landscape – idyllic enough to begin with – has been pruned and nurtured. There are huge, mature trees throughout, and it’s all a study in contrasting textures – from the antique panelling on the ceilings, to the knotty and twisted wooden sculptures that are subtly placed around. In comparison, there are bold splashes of red, with huge Chinese lanterns glowing in the trees and dominating the lofty ceiling of the open-sided main restaurant.

There are actually two restaurants here, and each is equally as delightful as the other in their own complementary ways. ‘The Bistro’ has a bijou Mediterranean-lido feeling; cosy, warm, sunny and compactly woven into the shady area around the pool. As soon as you stroll through the greenery, around the bend and onto the terrace, you’re absorbed into a cocoon of relaxed well-being: it’s noticeably tranquil here. It’s the perfect environment to sit back and enjoy some of that ‘good living’ that Ben Franklin mentioned.

And, if Collette Larsen is the guru of the aesthetics, then her comestibles counterpart is in the kitchen, his name is Azizskandar Awang, and he’s equally as sensitive and artistic in his own area of expertise.

Chef Aziz has attracted several national and international awards and had previously worked at 5-star hotels across Asia before the Larsen team snapped him up. Possibly one of the best ways to experience the results of his creativity is to come along here on any Thursday evening. That’s when Rocky’s has their ‘Lobster Evening’ (advance bookings are a must!). Deploying only the finest imported live Canadian lobsters, Aziz offers you a choice of his preparations. Go for the ‘Lobster en Barigoule’ (lobster cooked in artichoke wine broth). Or try the ‘Lobster in Garlic Butter’. Or choose between ‘Lobster Thermidor’ or ‘Lobster a la Bordelaise’. One of the truisms about dining at Rocky’s is that the only thing that ever disturbs your peace of mind is the stress of deciding which one of the menu items to go for.

Sometimes life can be hard.

Even though both restaurants are just about as top-notch as you’ll come across, it’s ‘The Dining Room’, just across the tree-shrouded pathway from The Bistro, where the full fine-dining experience kicks in. Whereas the upper restaurant is bright, sunny, bouncy and super, The Dining Room is mellow, elegant, subtle and superb. This is where Chef Aziz teams up with Julien Valeix, who is not only the resort’s food and beverage manager, but also a talented sommelier. He’s constantly on hand to advise and recommend a suitable choice from the well-stocked cellar at Rocky’s. There are over 200 labels to chose from,

both classical and New World offerings, and they are carefully selected and priced. One of the most popular sections is the ‘Set Menu’ which features either a five-course or a seven-course selection, both either being paired with a matching wine, or not. “We’re keenly aware that people today are far more cost-conscious than they were a few years ago,” Julien told me. “We would never, ever, compromise quality – anyway Aziz wouldn’t let me!” he added with a smile. “But, if you wish, you can simply opt for a single bottle of the wine of your choice, rather than deciding on a pairing for each dish. It’s up to you.”

And I’ll just add to this that these delicious set menus feature ‘Poached Rougie foie gras au Torchon, Caramelized Perches, Walnuts, Mâche Lettuce with Brioche’ as a starter, with a main course of ‘Beef Rossini ‘The Dining Room’; grain fed Australian Tenderloin and Sauté foie gras, with Wilted Baby Spinach, Garlic Pain Perdu and Jerez Sauce’. And you’ll pay less than 1,500 baht for the 5-course set menu, without wine!

But for some time now, in addition to all of this, there’s also been something special going on. It’s unofficially known as ‘Rocky’s Fine Wine Dinner’ and it seems to be set for the first Saturday of each month. This is where Julien comes to the fore, practising his alchemical (alcochemical?) arts and bravely daring to go where none have gone.

“I go out on a limb here,” he explained. “I experiment for weeks, matching a dish with different wines. Each wine-dinner features a different set of dishes and matched wines. We do this all ourselves – many places simply hand the whole lot over and let their wine supplier choose.

But even if a wine might be expensive, if it’s

perfect, I’ll use it and absorb the cost. I even came across a humble Lebanese table wine that’s amazing; I like to be adventurous and surprise people!”

But, as if a perfect pairing of food and wine together wasn’t enough, there are another two mellow partners appearing at these dinners. The name of Norman King is well-known around the island. He plays – no, he caresses – an antique saxophone that once belonged to his father.

Victor Taboada, too, is well-known, but more for his Latin-flavoured guitar work. The two together become more than the sum of their parts, offering up the coolest of intertwined jazz melodies, adding to, enhancing even, and partnering certainly, both each other and the excellent food and wine that’s the essence of the evening.

Which only leaves one thing to add to Benjamin Franklin’s observation as, sadly, he never got to experience the good life at Rocky’s Boutique Resort. Because, if he had, he would most certainly have noted “ . . . there cannot be good living without good drinking, great cuisine, and mellow partners too.” Enough said!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 3010-4. www.rockyresort.com

Orgasmic By Chef Wally International, Seafood & Thai Cuisine Idyllic unspoilt beach location reminiscent of the ‘old’ Samui in times gone by, and fabulous organic and ‘orgasmic’ cooking from super chef Walter Andreini combine to make this restaurant a very special one.

Open from 6:00 pm until late (kitchen closes at 11:00 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 862 769 101.

Bophut, between Fisherman’s Village and Big Buddha

Poppies International & Thai Cuisine Samui’s most renowned restaurant. Beachfront location, superb food and excellent service are the reasons why!

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 2419.

Chaweng Beach (South)

Pure Asian Experience

Monday Beach Barbeque Held in front of Chom Dao beach restaurant, the buffet comprises a wonderful selection of fresh seafood such as prawns, fish and squid, as well as grilled and roasted meat including New Zealand Lamb and Australian Beef, plus sushi, salads, main dishes and delicious desserts.

Only 1,100 THB per person.

Children under 12 half price. Children under 6 free.

178/2 Moo 1, Tambon Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani, Thailand, 84320 Tel: +66 (0) 7724 5795 www.bandarasamui.com E-mail: stay@bandarasamui.com Hotline reservation 089-653-6199, 084-357-9597

www.siamwininganddining.com 9

H One of the best things about Thailand is the super food. Back in Europe, the Thai food tastes different. Thai restaurants either don’t use the same ingredients, or they tone it down to the way they think their customers want it. Here on Samui (not surprisingly!) you can expect to find the real tastes of Thailand. But not everywhere. However, one place you’ll be delighted by in every respect, is the Rice Barge & Terrace at Nora Buri Resort & Spa, just a few minutes’ drive north of Chaweng.

It’s worth mentioning that the ‘Nora Group’ started off in Chaweng with the original and excellent Nora Beach Resort & Spa, and have since added three other resorts in the area, with Nora Buri appearing on the scene in the early part of 2009.

This is a very successful group, but the point is they’re local. They’re not part of a multi-national chain. But they are big and experienced enough to provide excellent service and, more to the point, have created a design-award-winning

restaurant that at serves serv some of the finest authentic Thai cuisine anywh anywhere.

The building is really rea quite something, it’s a local landmark, and d it’s worth going there just to marvel at its architecture ture and a styling. You can’t miss it: firstly, you’ll spot tthe huge area of the main resort stretching away way up the hillside. And, on the opposite side of th the road, partly hidden by the greenery but perched perch up high and overlooking the sea, there’s e’s the main body of the restaurant, shaped like a giga gigantic, futuristic wooden ship.

It’s actually on three levels, with the ground area n thre being one of the rresort’s other excellent eateries.

Rice Barge takes up the whole upper floor, and is kes u the most dramatic, matic, as it’s able to fully feature the the spiralling roofroof-space, all hand-sculpted from rich, dark wood.

The restaurant is in two sections, ood. T with this inner area being pleasantly er are air-conditioned and lined with floor-to-ceiling ed an

Forr reservation rese please call: 077 246 222 Bang Rak Beach, Koh Samui www.punnpreeda.com info@punnpreeda.com reeda

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High Thai

Fine Thai dining at Nora Buri’s Rice Barge & Terrace.

walls of glass. The floor space here has been cleverly broken-up into different levels, with the triangular cushions, known as ‘mon Thai’, around the edges, and with a unique walk-in wine cellar at the far end.

The enclosed walkway alongside leads into the adjoining open dining terrace, with its panoramic view over the whole of Chaweng Bay. It’s a difficult decision: do you sit in the cosily crafted inner sanctum and dine Thai-style with low tables and floor cushions (there are several matching conventional tables and chairs too) or do you enjoy your meal under the stars, surrounded by utterly breathtaking views? It’s something you’ll have to decide when you get there!

Traditional Thai cuisine tends varies across the four main regions of the country. The northeast is where the fieriest dishes are found, in contrast to the central region where garlic, fish sauce and

black pepper tend to predominate. The north is cooler and hosts the mildest dishes of all, deploying a lot of ginger, turmeric and tamarind.

And the south boasts possibly the most varied cuisine of all, drawing heavily on the plentiful seafood and coconuts, but also with influences of Malaysian and Chinese ingredients and flavourings. And the varied menu at the Rice Barge offers a selection of not just traditional dishes, but also a number of unusual ones, from all four regions of Thailand.

The menu is organised into the familiar sections of appetisers, salads, soups, curries and noodle dishes, ‘general Thai’ dishes and desserts. There are also two exceptionally good set-menus, which I’ll cover in just a moment. It’s impossible to discuss all the dishes in detail, but one thing will strike you immediately. The architecture, design and styling here is outstandingly attractive, but this doesn’t stop with the décor. The food also is

carefully and lovingly arranged with similar aesthetic awareness. The plates are decorated with ‘food arrangements’ and, more often than not, vegetables and fruits are presented to you after having been elaborately carved. This is the type of Thai cuisine you usually see illustrated in the expensive coffee-table books and up-market travel guides. This is one of the reasons you came to Thailand, and when you come to this restaurant it’s imperative you don’t forget your camera. And that also goes for the traditional music played each night on an antique kim, a kind of bamboo xylophone.

Some of the dishes that really stand out are the ones where the southern influences are most apparent. Coconuts are used for their milk and their tender moist flesh, and when you combine this with Chinese hints, you end up with something like ‘Roasted and Marinated Duck Curry with Fruits’. This is a succulent breast of

duck that’s been double-cooked, firstly by marinating it in herbs and spices, then slow-roasting it in its juices and presenting it in combination with raisins, lychees and grapes. Or perhaps the ‘Pla Salmon Rad’. Tender salmon in a mild and richly creamy coconut milk curry sauce and comes presented with tiny leaf cups containing supplementary relishes. Another thoughtful element is that there are also photos of all these dishes – a must if you’re not sure quite what to order.

And so to the set menu for two people, which is equally impressive. There are two appetisers each, three main courses each (including rice), desserts, then coffee or tea. There are two different sets to choose from. (And these include the two dishes described above.) And it’s priced at just 499 baht for two.

elevated location, the quality, he service, the cuisine – except for one thing. When it’s time to reach for your wallet, then that’s the exception.

But then sheer value for money is one reason why Nora Buri Resort & Spa has become so successful!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 3555. www.noraburiresort.com

Everything at the Rice Barge is ‘High Thai’ – the

www.siamwininganddining.com 11

A Unique Koh Samui Experience at The Farmer The Farmer Restaurant & Bar is the only restaurant on Samui offering a unique natural ambience, set amid paddy fields and green meadows. It is perfect for a relaxed lunch, or dinner under the twinkling stars.

Visit The Farmer and experience the real meaning of “Back to Nature” whilst enjoying the best of local Thai, Western seafood dishes.

Farmer’s Duck

Exclusive Lunch Promotion at The Farmer

Pizza Margherita

Crispy fried duck served with herb sauce, rice, gourd soup, fresh tropical fruit, 1 bottle of water.

299 Baht

12:00-15:00 daily

1 scoop ice cream, 1 bottle of water.

250 Baht

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Ta o.1 N rm ’s Fa amui S d te o V

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The Farmer Restaurant & Bar 1/26 Moo 4, Maenam, Koh Samui Tel: 077 447 222, 077 247 979 www.thefarmerrestaurantsamui.com email: info@thefarmerrestaurantsamui.com Free transfer for dinner guests Nathon - Maenam - Bophut. Other areas 300 Baht return. Для гостей из районов Nathon - Maenam - Bophut - трансфер бесплатный. Гостям из других районов острова мы возвращаем 300 батт от стоимости такси.

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TOP TEN 2011 www.tripadvisor.com

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E

Tandoori Jumbo Prawn

Signature Dish

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Food for thought, as well as unique Indian cuisine, at Noori India.

Prego Italian Cuisine

Ask Ask A anybody anyb yb bod odyy what their cuisine favourite cuis isin inee is - other than their own, in much-loved fare, that is. Half H lf a century Ha cen enttury tury aago, go, th go the h top answer would probably have been ‘Italian’ – these distinctive flavours had already spread all over the world. But times change. Not so long ago the reply would have been a toss-up between Chinese or Indian. Today the aromatic and spicy cuisine from Thailand has also risen to vie for the top-spot. And that’s what the majority of visitors to Samui look forward to enjoying during their stay.

But one of the best things about our little island is the sheer variety of different cuisines on offer.

And that means a great many people get a sudden yearning for a really good Indian meal while they’re here. For those in the know this can only mean one place and one person. The place is Noori India and the person is DD Pande. Yes, just DD. He actually really does have two first names but everyone’s long-since forgotten them; probably even DD himself.

Mr. Pande is an unusual man. He’s not only warmly outgoing and conversational, but he’s an absolute font of philosophical gems, too. Which, once you discover a little of his background, is hardly surprising. He had an academic upbringing, and prior to coming here was teaching School of Hotel teac g at tthee Sc oo o ote Management a age e t and Catering Technology at Jaipur University. As well as being a philosopher, he’s a published poet and writer, and initially came to Samui about ten years ago to help his brother, Peter, in his restaurant for a few weeks. DD is still here.

(Samui seems to have this effect on people!)

straightforward. straightforw rw ward.. “Hmm . . .” he mused with a familiar fam amiiliar and faraway look in his eye. . . . It’s a stamp: a eyye.. “A A signature sii hallmark. It’s unique. It’s highly personal. h It’s not like writing your name naame – anyone who can hold a pen en can do that. But a signature is a badge; adge; a symbol that represents who o you are . . . your honour and integrity.” I spent a few moments trying to jostle DD D back on track with food and nd a signature dish from Noori, but it was like trying to sink nk the Titanic without the usee of a handy iceberg.

Stylish, classy and fun Italian restaurant with attention paid to every detail, combined with superb food.

The main kitchen is open from 11:00 am till midnight, with pizzas and drinks available until 2:00 am.

For reservations and further information telephone 0 7742 2015.

Chaweng Beach Road (North)

Lamb Rogan Josh

“You see . . .” he turned to o me and beamed, “We don’t have ve a signature dish. There isn’t something here that I can hold up and say, ‘this is a dish that’s ’s unique; it’s i ’s it custom-created by our cheff and you won’t won o ’t find anything like it anywhere offer here else.’ We o f er ff Indian food here. But it is unique to Samui. F For o or a start, it’s the real thing, from rom the Rajasthan region of northern India, mainly – although of course we also feature the pickles and chutneys, bhajis and biriyanis, from the south. And, more to the point,” DD added, “our our chefs here are Indian. They grew up with this cuisine, learning every prepare eve y trick t c aand d ttip p about how ow best to p epa e and make it. And that’s all we offer. We don’t have a Thai menu, or any other sort of food, for that matter.”

Usually when I ask someone to present me with their signature dish so that I can highlight it on these pages, they scramble for a menu and instantly point to one of the listed items therein. But not DD. I should have realised it wasn’t going to be so

But But th tthere ere is no keeping a good philosopher down! “W “Where Whe here re do do you y u draw the line yo lin ne about abou ab outt ou authenticity,” DD pondered. “Look at Chicken Madras – is it an ‘authentic’ curry? It’s a traditional vegetarian dish. But after the last war, the t e Indians d a s and a d Pakistanis a sta s who w o went we t to Europe u ope took their cuisine with them. And it became adapted to a different way of life. But even stranger than this is chicken tikka

Chicken Tawa

English, Engl glis gl ish, is and so the became two be ecame combined combin ned ed together ‘authentic’ as one ‘au autthentic’ Indian au think dish. I thin nk the only real way to judge all of tthese hese considerations is to he off p people study the sort o eople who eat at Noori.

Visitorss ffrom rom India make a point of coming here ro dine. to d ine. We are asked to cater for Indian weddings. This is our hallmark – our ‘signature’, if you like. Everything we serve here stands out from the crowd. And all our dishes bear the Noori signature of authenticity, quality and individuality.” d v dua ty. (although it’s always a pleasure It took a while (a company of DD Pande!) but I finally to be in the comp All of the dishes at Noori are got my answer. A offerings. However I couldn’t just ‘signature’ offerin leave it at that. I’m a professional on assignment and the Mountie aalways gets his man. Thus, (and with DD’s arm pushed up after a while (an his back) I managed to single behind hi out a ccouple of outstanding offerings your consideration. You just have for you sample the succulent lamb or to samp chicken rogan josh. Or, even better, how about the fish tikka masala? This is h ow abou fish marinated in rich herbs and ccubes ubes of fi spices, then grilled in the tandoor and served with the initial sauce on a sizzling Wonderful! hot plate. W Or – just go for the ‘Set Menu for Two’. If your brain iis buzzing with all these exotic names and ttechniques, then take the easy way out. The set menu is an assortment of eight separate dishes, plus a beer or soft drink d rink each. And it all costs just a bit less than 5500 00 baht. Oh – I have to add that not only is exceptional but so are the prices – tthe he cuisine excep other ‘signature’ of Noori India! and that’s the oth

Rob De Wet masala. ma asala. sa A ‘t‘tikka’ tik ikka’ is a dish, dryy d ish, and a ‘masala’ ‘mas asala’ is a curry as sauce. sauc uce. The plain uc chicken chic ick ic ken tikka was just dry too od ry for the gravy-loving

For reservations or further information, 7741 3108. telephone 0 774 www.nooriindiasamui.com www.nooriindia

SUNDAY SESSIONS: 11.30AM TO 3.30PM FEATURING THE ULTIMATE SUNDAY BRUNCH CLUBTM. LIVE DJs ‘TIL SUNSET. OPTIONAL FREE-FLOW FINE WINE & BUBBLES.

Red Snapper Restaurant & Bar Mediterranean Cuisine Smart establishment in the heart of Chaweng with live jazz entertainment complementing the excellent dining experience.

Red Snapper is open from 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm) For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 2008.

Chaweng Beach Road

Rice Contemporary Italian Cuisine Opened in October 2005, Rice offers the lot. It’s fun and trendy, plus it has the perfect central location. Laid-back atmosphere, glass floors, crystal elevators and excellent cuisine all combine to make Rice a very special restaurant.

Rice is open from noon till 2:00 am, with the kitchen stopping serving main meals at 11:30 pm (snacks available till 2:00 am).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 1934.

Chaweng Beach Road

EVERY DAY - 10.30AM TO 10.30PM ALL-DAY GRAZING AND DINING. FEAST ON FINE TAPAS, MEDITERRANEAN, AND THAI CUISINE.

SOULFUL SATURDAYS POOL PARTY: 1PM TO SUNSET LIVE DJs. SPECIALS ON FOOD & DRINKS ALL DAY LONG. OPTIONAL FREE-FLOW WINE & BUBBLES.

EVERY DAY - 5PM TO 7PM SUNDOWN SALUTE HAPPY HOUR. YOU KNOW THE DRILL - 2 FOR 1 CHILL.

WEDNESDAY PRESIDENT’S ASIAN BUFFET: 7PM TO 10PM A HUGE SELECTION OF MOUTH WATERING ASIAN CUISINE.

LAMAI BEACH, KOH SAMUI . RESERVATIONS: +66 (0) 77 458 100 . BEACHREPUBLIC.COM www.siamwininganddining.com 13

SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS E

RockPool R kP l Tapas and European Cuisine Outstanding contemporary restaurant in a unique location high above the rocks with a 360 degree view serving oysters and tapas alongside an innovative European menu. And it’s got the best cocktail list on Samui.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 4500 ext. 71.

Off the Chaweng to Choeng Mon road

Worth Every Rouble A look at Russian cuisine and where to find it.

Saffron S ff Contemporary Thai Cuisine It has the lot! Idyllic location, intimate seating, unrivalled Thai cuisine, a complete wine and drinks list, and exceptionally friendly and professional service.

Saffron is open from 6:00 pm with the kitchen closing at 10:30 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7791 5333.

Laem Nan

Anyone living here, or returning for another holiday, will have noticed a new phenomenon.

Over the last couple of years there have been increasingly larger numbers of people from Russia visiting Samui. Of course, looking at Thailand in general, this isn’t something new. Russian tourists and business people have maintained a presence in places like Pattaya and Phuket for more than two decades now. Going back only about three years, four at the most, it was rare to come across a Russian visitor to Samui. But not any more!

SALA Samui Intl., Seafood & Thai Cuisine Beautiful beach restaurant that’s become a Samui favourite. Outstanding cuisine in a trendy environment.

The kitchen’s open from 6:30 am - 11:00 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 5888.

Choeng Mon Beach, North-east Coast

If you ask Oleg Grigorev about this he’ll merely smile and shrug. He’s been here now for several years, and acts as a link between Russian newcomers and their general Samui experience, working closely with the tour operators and offering advice and guidance to those who need it. And he’s at the forefront of the blossoming Russian influx, not only in person, but also via his website and magazine. “The island has now developed to the point where it offers everything that Russian tourists want,” he explained, “that’s all that’s happened. Look at how many international 5-star brand names have appeared here in the last few years. These people spend millions on researching potential new locations.

The tour agencies in Russia have done their own research and come to similar conclusions.”

Spagó S ó Mediterranean and Thai Cuisine This restaurant offers excellent cuisine, friendly service, comfortable seating set over two floors, live entertainment, a vibrant location and terrific value-for-money. Great!

Spagó is open from 10:00 am – midnight (main kitchen), with pizzas being served until 1:00 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7796 1648.

But these are early days. Samui just isn’t as densely populated or as built-up as other established tourist areas. And, travelling around the island, signs and notices in Cyrillic are about as common as hen’s teeth. There are hardly any restaurants that cater to Russian-speaking visitors – Oleg reckons there’s just three at the moment – and it seems that most of the large numbers of

Chaweng Beach Road

Russians who are staying here either favour Thai restaurants or cook for themselves. (Certainly I can also add to this the fact that all my little local restaurants now have their menus in Russian, too.)

All of which prompted me to wonder quite what sort of fare our Russian guests are accustomed to back home. Which, after I thought about it for a moment, seemed to be something of a silly question. In a country which is absolutely enormous, and runs all the way down from the Arctic Circle and across to Alaska in the east, and Turkey in the west, the answer to the question is . . . everything! And, as well as this, some of our Western perceptions are a little out of date. If you take a look at what’s considered to be ‘traditional’ Russian food, then most of this became established during the long period of not only the Czars, but also the various deprivations of the Soviet Republic. Add this to a country which has some heavy-duty winters, and the outcome is a so-called traditional diet of foods that are low in protein, high in carbohydrates, and with lots of sour dairy products and meat and fish jellies.

Today’s Russian cuisine is actually very cosmopolitan, healthy, appetising and well-balanced, and many of the old traditional elements have either been adapted or brought up to date. To find out what the taste bud reality of this was all about, Oleg took me along to one of those few Russian eateries, Bakal, in Bophut. Lake Bakal (in English, ‘Baikal’) is the largest and oldest lake in the world, and it’s also the region where the restaurant’s owner, Alexander Sorokin comes from. He set up here back in September 2012, and was fortunate to find a location which

is both central, right on the ring-road, and yet terraced with several outer layers that insulate it from the bustle of the traffic outside.

I have to say right away that the menu simply doesn’t hint at the wonders it contains. Although there are some words of English under each of the bold Cyrillic dish titles, they just don’t do the cuisine justice! (Alex tells me that very soon there’ll be a new design which includes photos of each dish.) The contemporary Russian offerings here are sectioned into appetisers, soups, salads and a whole range of meat, fish and seafood dishes. But, much in the same way as the Thai ‘khantoke’ presents you with several dishes at the same time, the best approach is to go along with company and tuck in to a selection of this wonderful food.

‘Pelmeni’ is similar in appearance to Chinese-style dumplings and comes in a small bowl of light, clear broth. Available with different meat and fish fillings, this is one of the more traditional offerings, has a nice firm dough, is mildly rich, slightly savoury, and has just a hint of spiciness.

It’s delicious by itself. But dip it into the dish of sour cream that comes with it and it just sings! Try it with a couple of spoonfuls of the simply-named ‘Fried Potatoes with Mushrooms and Pork’. It’s much akin to sautéed potatoes but cut into small strips and comes mixed with lightly-fried onion and herbs.

The Russians are famous for their salads and one of the tastiest here is just titled ‘Vinaigrette’. It’s a fabulous mix of peas, apple, beetroot and tomato, just slightly sweet and not too vinegary, and a perfect complement to its companion, the ‘Salad:

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www.impiana.com 91/2-3 Moo 3, Chaweng Noi Beach, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Thailand [ T ] 077 448 994 [F] 077 448 999 [E] info.kohsamui@impiana.com 14 www.siamwininganddining.com

Chicken Breast’. This is potato salad gone wild. I want the recipe! It’s another traditional salad and it looks much like coleslaw at first glance, but coming pressed all together firmly into a mound.

And then to the seafood. You just have to try the ‘Mussels with Spicy Sauce and Parmesan’. It’s an instant mouth explosion, vigorously strong and tangy, not at all rubbery and only slightly and pleasantly spiced. And with four huge mussels on the half-shell, that’s a big serving. But, saving the best for last, there’s the smoked fish. It’s a white snapper and sold by weight, but 250 gms is quite enough for two. This is another traditional preparation: it’s cooked by smoking it over chips of oak that Alex specially imports from Siberia.

There’s the faintest tang of vanilla in the firm succulent flakes, a hint of the aroma of butter, and it’s utterly mouth-watering.

I could go on like this for another page. But all I’ve got space left to add is that the five dishes above totalled not a great deal more than 500 baht. Amazing value for money for such excellent cuisine. If this is Russian cuisine – bring it on! I’m craving more already. It’s not only outstanding but it’s worth every rouble, too!

Rob De Wet

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Spirit House Thai Cuisine Unique restaurant that, although being in the very heart of Chaweng, is set within its own ‘ruined’ city walls, complete with small lake and rice paddy. It offers a totally authentic Thai dining experience and is already becoming one of Samui’s ‘must-visit’ restaurants.

For reservations, free transport and further information, telephone 0 7741 4101.

Off Chaweng Beach Road

Book Your Place At Buco

Tamarind Pacific-rim, Asian-influenced Cuisine Just minutes away from the hustle-bustle of Chaweng, this restaurant caters for gourmets who appreciate the best.

The kitchen is open from 6:00 – 10:30 pm.

For further information, transport and reservations (which are advisable), telephone 0 7742 2011.

Chaweng Noi Beach

The Beach Club International, Seafood and Thai Cuisine

Fine dining on the beach at Buco Restaurant & Bar, Chaweng Noi. Fine dining on the beach is in abundance on Samui. The options are infinite, with an array of International and Thai menus available round-the-clock. For an exquisite, dazzling dining experience stop at Buco Restaurant & Bar, located on the beautiful and secluded beach at Chaweng Noi. It’s just past Impiana Samui Resort & Spa on the main ring road, going from Chaweng to Lamai, on the left-hand side.

The extensive menu offers numerous tasty delights, the view is stunning and the service is warm and polite. What more can you ask for!

During the day, the beach is home to ample sun loungers, available to all of their customers who wish to enjoy their broad menu or a refreshing beverage. And in the evening this is transformed into a dining haven. Buco is an open sided restaurant, half covered and half in the open-air, offering dining on the wooden decking area, or the ever so popular natural setting on the beach.

Khun Cholatis Chokkanapitak is a very successful businessman; he’s not only the owner of Buco but is also the founder of Bistro Samui Restaurant, just down the road, and Thai Taste Restaurant on Chaweng Beach. Along with creating eateries aplenty, he’s also well-established in the accommodation market, being the owner of Le

Murraya, a boutique serviced residence & resort in Chaweng, and Synergy Samui Resort, on Chaweng Beach.

As you can imagine he’s a very busy man, and is constantly commuting between Bangkok and Samui. He frequently visits all of his projects here on Samui; however, it’s unlikely that you’ll be lucky enough to have the pleasure of bumping into him, because his time is so limited. On the plus side his second-in-command, and resident on Samui, is the very competent and completely charming Khun Khajohn Eakintumas. He’s the general manager of the businesses, and an absolute pleasure to talk to, willing to answer any questions. This attitude is also apparent in the staff that work with him, they’re very competent and offer an efficient, happy, smiling service to all of their customers.

Pizza is an extremely popular selection from the varied menu. The toppings offered are the usual delicious delights, but also include a few Thai twists. These Thai classic variations include: Phad Kra Prai, which is spicy meat or seafood, fully loaded with mozzarella and basil. Then there’s Phad Khee Mao; chicken or seafood with tomatoes, mozzarella, broccoli, onion, baby carrots, chilli and basil. And finally the Green

Curry Pizza; chicken or seafood green curry combined with tomatoes and mozzarella.

If you’re looking for something a little bit different, then treat yourself to the crispy grilled duck with pineapple, tomatoes and assorted vegetables, served in a thick, creamy red curry sauce. The combination may sound unusual, but actually the flavours compliment each other very well, and the end result is a delicious tasty dish that will leave the rest of your party wishing they had ordered the same!

Along with a selection of desserts, there’s also an extensive variety of homemade cakes to tantalise your after dinner sweet tooth. This assortment of sweets includes all the classics such as tiramisu, chocolate brownie, chocolate mousse and cheesecake, along with some Thai traditional treats such as mango and sticky rice, fruits in season and taro in coconut cream. At the end of your meal enjoy a tasty coffee, a refreshing cocktail, a fresh fruit smoothie or all three!

wide selection of a la carte options. Later in the afternoon, or as a starter to your main meal, you can order from the wide-ranging appetiser menu.

Go on, indulge yourself at anytime of the day!

One of Samui’s fine dining institutions has a fabulous beachside location within Buri Rasa resort, and offers food at terrific value-for-money.

The restaurant is open for dinner from 6:00 pm till midnight, with last food orders at 10:30 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 0222.

Chaweng Beach

Kathy Ross For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7741 4558 or 0 7741 4561. www.facebook.com/bucosamui

The Cliff Th Mediterranean Cuisine Popular grill and bar overlooking a scenic bay.

Great place to spend a lazy afternoon and an up-beat evening.

The Cliff Bar & Grill is open from midday – 1.00 am with the kitchen closing at 9.45 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7744 8508.

Ring-road between Chaweng and Lamai

Buco is open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm every day, so the opportunity to enjoy a delicious breakfast is also available. Basking in the morning sun, you can select from the three different set menus; American, Continental or Asian, or from a

www.siamwininganddining.com 15

SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS E

Leaving the Nest Bird’ss nest soup is a Chinese delicacy – Bird so what’s it got to do with Samui?

The Dining Room French-Mediterranean Cuisine Reputably Samui’s most beautiful restaurant, with every justification. And the food’s excellent too, courtesy of Executive Chef - Aziz Awang, and is complemented by some superb wines.

The restaurant is open from 7:00 am until late (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7741 8367.

South Lamai (off Ring-road)

The Farmer Thai & International Cuisine One of few Samui restaurants with that elusive ‘Wow!’ factor. The chef serves some of the world’s finest Thai cuisine in a unique rice-field setting making The Farmer a totally memorable dining experience.

The Farmer is open from midday until 10:00 pm (kitchen).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7744 7222.

Ring-road, Ban Tai

The Five Islands Restaurant Seafood, Thai & Fusion Cuisine Idyllic south-west coast restaurant looking out across the islands. Natural beauty, great sunsets and the freshest-of-fresh seafood make it an excellent dining venue.

The Five Islands Restaurant is open from 12:00 noon until late.

For reservations, transport and further information, telephone: 0 7741 5359 or 0 814 775 371.

Five Islands Beach, West Coast

The H Th Height i ht International & Thai Cuisine Set on an idyllic hillside overlooking a private bay and with superb food, this restaurant has become one of the most popular on the island.

The Height restaurant is open from 7:00 am, with dinner from 6:00 pm (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm). For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7796 0555.

Laem Nan, Lamai

Long ago in China, there was an emperor who delighted in all the gourmet dishes that his royal cook made for him. The emperor had decreed that only the best cook – his cook – was able to make a different dish every day, and this he demanded. But one day the cook finally ran out of ideas. In despair, he ran down to the harbour to see if any merchant ships had new ingredients.

And, lo and behold, he came across a sailor who showed him a bird’s nest from Borneo. “But how do I cook this?” he asked. “How the hell would I know!” swore the swarthy sailor. “You’re the cook!

All I know is it has the special power to make life longer.”

The cook decided that all he could do was to boil the nest and make soup out of it, adding herbs and spices and presenting it on a plate with magical symbols. “It’s long-life soup,” he nervously explained. The emperor was furious. “It tastes of totally nothing,” he ranted. “I’ll have your head off over a bed of hot ants!” “It’s from Borneo,” the cook stammered – “from the exotic Forbidden City.” “Ah. An exotic and magical dish, now I understand,” beamed the emperor. “From now on I want you to make this for me every day, so I shall live longer.”

And so the cook kept it all secret and made sure that all those who brought him bird’s nests were killed. The emperor went on to live a long and healthy life, and the cook became rich and famous. And the secret soup and its recipe were kept inside the royal court. But the Emperor’s successors were the ones who truly benefited; as if it is ever served to their guests they can be sure that their host is taking good care of them. After all, the dish is fit for an Emperor!

What a charming load of twaddle. But there are many thousands of people all over the world for whom, even today (no doubt along with powdered rhino horn and slices of grilled bull’s penis), the legend rings true and they’ll swear by the esoteric properties of all of these things. It has to be said that (except for a few isolated tribes scattered across the Amazon Basin) the upholders of these beliefs are invariably either Chinese or of Chinese descent. And the majority of these (and the restaurants that cater to their tastes) are to be found in Hong Kong, Singapore and several North American cities.

But is this so far removed from eating haggis, hedgehog skin, cock’s combs, roosters feet, camel hump, liver, tongue or kangaroo tails? Answer – yes it is. Because all these items have their own defined flavour, and are sought-after as delicacies for gourmet reasons. Bird’s nest soup has no taste at all, and is sought-after only for its magical properties. The bird’s nests are not just any old raven’s thatch, found up a tree somewhere. They are the nests of the swiftlet, a tiny bird, commonly found throughout southeast Asia. The swiftlet lives in caves and makes its nest from strands of its own gummy saliva, which hardens when exposed to air. Inevitably their nests are of a red hue, because the exertion of sucking up the necessary amounts of saliva draws blood out of its body and soul – this has magical properties, which is the reason why the best bird’s nest soup is red. Really?

No. That’s just another tale woven into the story, lending even more weight to the exotic nature of the fable. The reality is that cave nests will turn red only due to the moist surfaces inside the cave and the surrounding mineral content of the rock,

which seeps into the nest. This is the ideal – a red nest – and what’s in demand, because of this blood-mystique. But the majority of swiftlet nests remain their natural bird-spit-grey in colour. And so enter the entrepreneurs, who then proceed to colour the white nests in order to command top-dollar. The harvest is deliberately delayed to let the gas from the swiftlet’s droppings react with the nest. This gas is ammonia – an aggressively toxic compound mainly used in chemical fertilizers and household cleaning agents. Not surprisingly, it has been found that long-term consumption of bird’s nests that have been contaminated in this way leads to adverse effects on health – the exact opposite result from that which is desired! And the above information comes to you courtesy of Pureness Bird’s Nest, a world-wide organisation dedicated to stamping out the unethical harvesting of these prized gourmet items. (Personally, I’m bemused as to why they go to all this effort. A couple of drops of food colouring would do the trick and save a ton of time and money.)

land a boat on these few islands. These are the ‘Five Islands’, off the west coast of Samui, close to Ban Taling Ngam. And here’s the kicker – if you know the right people you can actually take an afternoon boat trip, which lands, on one of these sacrosanct islands for lunch. Really! There’s some kind of arrangement between the boaters and the guards – your Thai captain will yell chummily at a couple of guards perched up on the hill, and shortly afterwards a little white beach appears.

Time for a break and some snorkelling. There’s a small reef here and the water’s teeming with colour – with the guard’s shotguns perched safely on a ledge way up above your heads.

Just Google ‘Five Island’s boat trip’ to see what I mean. It’s a bit of a secret really, but you’ll go out on the boat with this wealth of local knowledge under your belt – and might even get to see the swiftlets leaving their nests!

Rob De Wet

And money it is! The ‘Caviar of the East’ is one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird’s nest soup costs between $10 and $30 a serving.

Wholesale, a kilogram of white bird’s nest commands up to $2,000, and a kilogram of the red stuff can fetch as much as $10,000. To put this into context, gold is currently $55 a gram. One bowl of red bird’s nest soup is quite literally worth its weight in gold.

And so to Samui. Did you realise that we have our own bird’s nest soup farm here? It’s protected: closely-guarded by armed overseers (who live in shacks on the cliff-edge) and it’s totally taboo to

Authentic Thai Cuisine California Cuisine Succulent BBQ Seafood 16 www.siamwininganddining.com

SAMUI DINING GUIDE E RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Larger Than Life

The Page Thai & International Cuisine Part of the amazing minimalist resort – The Library, this restaurant has an extensive beachfront location and is refreshingly different, in a great way!

The restaurant is open from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm), with the dinner menu being available from 7:00 pm.

To book a reservation, telephone: 0 7742 2767-8.

Chaweng Beach

The Patio Restaurant Italian, Seafood, European & Thai Cuisine Unquestionably Lamai Town’s finest restaurant.

Beach frontage, water features, delicious food and live entertainment are just some of the reasons why.

We chat to the charismatic Khun Kittirat Suksomboon at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa.

The restaurant’s open from 6:30 till late, with the kitchen closing at 10:30 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 4420, ext. 916.

Lamai Beach

The Terrace General Motors. That’s what Khun Kittirat says his title of ‘GM’ stands for as he bellows a laugh and introduces himself. Of course, it’s general manager that the title represents, and a more fitting personality for the position you couldn’t find. After all, the general manager’s most important role is to keep guests happy, and Khun Kittirat welcomes them as if to his own home – which it is, as he lives on site!

Although he’s been general manager at Baan Haad Ngam, in northern Chaweng, for nearly three years, his career in the hospitality industry started several decades ago. We won’t reveal his age, but let’s just say that if ‘life begins at 50’, his started a few years ago. Khun Kittirat’s family have a hotel business in Phuket, so that’s where his training began – right at the bottom, cleaning pools, even though he had a degree in political science. He learnt all angles of the business from ground level for seven years in the family business, before heading to the Sauerland Stern Hotel in Germany for a year of in-service training.

He picked up some basic German language skills, which he takes delight in practicing on his German guests.

On returning to his homeland, Khun Kittirat started his 12-year stint with the Dusit Hotel Group, with the first five years as a guest activities manager in Phuket. Here he was in charge of organising themed parties and events, cooking classes, managing the ten staff in charge of Kids’ Corner, and arranging indoor activities to keep guests entertained and happy during the rain – not an easy task when visitors are after sunshine!

After proposing to the love of his life, she agreed to marry him - on condition they live in Bangkok, and starry-eyed, he obliged. So staying with the Dusit Group, he headed the sales and marketing of Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket from the Bangkok office. He became the Southern Regional Manager of Sales for all the group’s properties, learning as much as he could about marketing while on the job, from a company that has excellent systems in place, ideal for training. He was frequently sent on training workshops, even abroad, so Khun Kittirat feels his years with the Dusit Group were invaluable.

Phuket Fantasea is one of Thailand’s most popular attractions, and this may partly be due to the fact that Khun Kittirat was in charge of the production’s marketing for its first year. Once everything was set up, he started searching for something to scratch his creative itch, and moved through several hotels, staying a couple of years at each. One such job included three years as assistant general manager with the Springfield Group’s three properties in Hua Hin, which include a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus designed course.

But then the opportunity arose to join a boutique resort here on Samui, and Khun Kittirat jumped at the chance to run Baan Haad Ngam (which translates to beach house).

As we sit chatting over lunch in the resort’s Olivio restaurant (the pasta is delicious, by the way), Khun Kittitat takes the time to greet each guest that walks past, asking them what they are up to for the day, making recommendations, and ‘ordering’ the rain away at their request. His

enthusiasm and laugh are both contagious. He loves planning events, and according to his assistant, Khun Sunny, the staff find it hard to meet his expectations when it comes to what he envisions. When asked how she would describe him, she says, “Crazy and creative.” She means it in a good way. There’s no black and white with Khun Kittirat, so when he wants something done, there’s only one way – 100%, nothing less. His style with both staff and guests is easy-going however. He jokes about living in the ‘cave’; his room under the cascading waterfall feature of the resort. Thankfully, the water feature gets turned off at 8:00 pm, or he’d get no sleep!

As Khun Kittirat says, a GM cannot work without his staff, so once he’s trained them to his way of working, they are part of an important team, with happy guests being the common goal. He has an assistant that handles most of the operations side of the job, allowing him to focus on the guests, dealing with important decisions, as well as marketing. “They got two for the price of one,” he says, referring to the fact that he has experience in both marketing as well as general management.

He’s not a GM that stays behind his office desk, preferring to mingle with the guests, and he personally travels to do the marketing of the hotel. Currently, a target market is Asia, and as we chat, Khun Sunny is frantically getting all the paperwork together for his next trip to China.

move to Bangkok. Nowhere in the contract did it say I have to stay there,” he jokes as he lets out another of his loud and contagious laughs.

Luckily, he manages to accumulate his off-days and fly to Bangkok once a month to see them. An interesting fact that he let slip is that he once played on the Thai National Rugby Team, and his favourite team to watch is the South African Springboks!

The owners of Baan Haad Ngam are open to letting Khun Kittirat do his thing, and he’s taking steps to update the ten year old resort. As beautiful as it is with its manicured gardens and abundant water features, there are plans to build more pool villas on the beachfront, as well as a new free-form pool. But when that’s done, we’re sure to hear about something else on the cards, as with ‘General Motors’ Khun Kittirat in charge, his vision and creativity are sure to deliver interesting results.

Rosanne Turner For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 1500 www.baanhaadngam.com

Thai & International Cuisine The perfect place to spend an afternoon before watching the sunset and enjoying a fabulous meal at terrific value-for-money prices.

The Terrace is open for lunch from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and for dinner from 5:00 pm (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm).

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 1721, ext. 7.

Laem aem Yai, West Coast

Tree Tops International Cuisine One of the most unique dining experiences you’ll ever have as dinner is served in individual ‘tree houses’ high up amongst the tree tops looking out across fine views. The food is excellent too, and that’s courtesy of German Executive Chef, Matthias Mittnacht.

The restaurant is open from 6:00 pm with the kitchen closing at 11:00 pm.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7791 3900.

North Chaweng

Always on the go, there’s little time for family life.

Khun Kittirat’s wife is still living in Bangkok with their adopted child, where she runs her own business. “The deal of the marriage was that I

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17

SA SAMUI DINING GUIDE D RE RECOMMENDED RRESTAURANTS E

Zazen Restaurant International & Royal Thai Cuisine Exceptionally stylish beachside restaurant, part of a unique boutique resort. Very talented international chef.

For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7742 5085.

Bophut Beach

A look at the lesser known wine region of Tasmania.

Le Salon de Ti International Cuisine This fabulous first floor Le Salon de Ti transforms every evening into the exclusive 12-seater Chef's Table offering both 5-course degustation and 7-course tea-inspired menus.

The restaurant is open for tea from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, and for dinner (not Mondays) from 7:00 pm (last orders at 9:00 pm).

For reservations (highly recommended) and further information, telephone 0 7742 5085, or 0 872 817 276 (F&B Manager).

Bophut Beach

Today, many of us are accustomed to drinking great Australian wines. Wine lovers have come to wholeheartedly trust in their favourite winemakers from the Hunter, Barossa, Clare and Yarra Valleys. And seek out with wine radar precision the pulsating bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Western Australia’s Margaret River. Scramble at the chance of acquiring the highly-sort-after Shiraz and Grenache from South Australia’s McLaren Vale, and salivate at the prospect of the best Cabernet Sauvignons grown on the ‘terra rossa’ found on the nearby limestone coast of Coonawarra.

Zico’s Brazilian Barbecue Cuisine Totally unique Brazilian barbecue and huge salad bar complemented with exotic samba dancers and lively Latin music.

The restaurant is open from 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm (bar closes at 1:00 am).

For further details and reservations, please telephone 0 7723 1560.

Chaweng Beach Road (South)

However, there is one other lesser-known wine region, more than worthy of joining this very impressive list - Tasmania. Admittedly it has arrived on the wine scene a little late, but nonetheless, its gorgeous wines have been well worth the wait. Already popular in Australia, the rest of the world is now starting to wake up and smell the subtle nuances and refined complexities of Tassie wine. I have yet to notice any Tasmanian wines available in Samui.

Although, if they are not here already, I’m sure they will soon find their way onto the wine lists of the island’s more innovative establishments.

The Rieslings could work particularly well here.

Despite appearing on the wine scene fairly recently, many people would be surprised to learn that Tasmania has a long wine heritage. In fact, Tasmania can claim to have founded both the Victorian and South Australian wine industries. Wine was commercially made and

sold in Tasmania several years before vines were planted in either of those states, and was the source of their first vines, with a number of cuttings obtained from the Port Arthur colony in southern Tasmania. Despite this, Tasmania’s own wine industry didn’t really get going until the mid-1970s, when the well-known Pipers Brook Vineyard was established. By producing excellent wines and marketing them effectively, Pipers Brook vineyard brought Tasmanian wine to prominence in the minds of wine drinkers in Australia. Since then, their reputation has grown, gaining outstanding acclaim for their premium Pinot Noir, Riesling and sparkling wines.

The main feature that sets Tasmania apart from its sister Aussie wine regions is its cooler climate.

As Andrew Pirie, the founder of Pipers Brook, said, it’s a land where the grass stays green all summer long, as in northern Europe. And the evidence is that this is a very cool place to grow red wine grapes, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. But the conditions are perfect for Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, producing exceptionally lively and delicate aromas. Just as South Australian dry Riesling has little or nothing to do with Germany, Tasmanian Riesling could be growing on the Moselle. And Aussie sparkling wine makers believe they can taste Champagne in the island’s Pinot Noir Chardonnay blends.

The first all-Tasmanian sparkler, Clover Hill, appeared in 1994.

Unusually for a relatively large area, the whole island of Tasmania is an official wine zone.

At The Sea Koh Samui, Bang Por Beach

THB 800++ / person Every Saturday from 6 - 9 pm

There are no wine regions. However, there is a broad division between northern and southern Tasmania. And within this division distinct viticultural areas exist, with a wide range of microclimates and soil types. Tasmania’s complex geography has helped produce wines of extensive diversity and character.

Central to the vineyard areas of northern Tasmania is the city of Launceston, located on the banks of the Tamar River. The Tamar Valley lies to the northwest of the city, and to the northeast is Pipers Brook and Pipers River. These combined areas are commonly referred to as the Tamar Valley Wine Route. The area has a mix of players, from large companies such as BRL Hardy’s Bay of Fires and Yalumba’s Jansz Wine Company, to smaller wineries producing highly regarded premium wines. Southern Tasmania incorporates wine areas within easy reach of the state capital, Hobart. Top quality vineyards and wineries grace the Derwent, Coal River and Huon Valleys.

As you might expect with Tasmania’s distinctly seasonal, cool climate, vineyards need to be carefully located for maximum exposure to the sun, and protection from the cold southerly winds. Tending to reside around rivers and bays, the grapes experience the tempering effects of large bodies of water. Very much like in the north, key grape varieties are Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir with small patches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Pinot Noir is of particular high quality, providing complex

7/64 Moo 5, Bang Por, Mae Nam, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84330 Thailand 18 www.siamwininganddining.com

When it comes to wine production, Tasmania may be a late bloomer, but the future of their wine industry looks assured. It will probably never be known for big brawny red wines, but plenty of other Australian wine regions have that covered. No, the future vintages of the lighter wines, which the island does best, are certain to be a pleasure in store for well-informed wine enthusiasts. And Tasmania has embraced food and wine tourism in a major way, sponsored by a farming culture, hugely proud of its produce, both on land and at sea. Many wineries provide accommodation and sponsor cultural events, as well as establishing fine restaurants. Throw in travel times compressed from hours to minutes, stunning lake and mountainside scenery (not to mention devils), and Tasmania truly is one of Australia’s more unique destinations. Both a tourist’s and wine enthusiast’s paradise.

Peter James

Free flow delicious THApas (Thai Fusion Tapas) paired with 2 glasses of fine wines

THB 600++ / person Every Sunday From 10 am - 4 pm

T 077 960 567 E info@TheSeaSamui.com W TheSeaSamui.com TheSeaSamui

and rich refined wines. The one condition that seems to be a concern, in some of the island’s coastal vineyards, is sea wind. Screens are often necessary to preserve the vineyards on the seaward slopes. But this is more than outweighed by the advantage that grape ripening is slow and sure - any vintner will tell you this is highly desirable for intensity of flavour.

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Fine Dining Festival at The Barge Nora Buri Resort & Spa April 2013

Tuna Tartar Citrus Jelly Douglas Green Chardonnay Viognier (South Africa)

Duck and Goat Cheese Garden Salad Pierlant Blanc de Blanc Buit (France)

Samui Fine Dining Festival

Lobster, Butter Blackened Spaghetti & Bleurreblanc Lazo Chardonnay Central Valley (Chile)

Best of the Best by Chef Tonny

Beef Tenderloin Served Two Ways Rosemary Risotto, Artichokes and Beef Jus Cackle Berry Shiraz Western (Australia)

White Choco and Black Choco Kahlua

Baht 1,900 net/person - food only Baht 2,900 net/person - including wines (Prices include service charge and government tax)

For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 Ext 6401 E-mail: thebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North Tel: 0 7742 9400 Fax: 0 7742 9498 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com

It’s all happening at Nora Beach Resort & Spa Monday Night Buffet Dinner with South-East Asian Cuisine With live cooking Teppanyaki and entertainment by Flair Bartending Show Wednesday Night Enjoy our Beach BBQ with entertainment by Samui Dance & Fire Dance Show Saturday Night BBQ Seafood Buffet with entertainment by “The Beauty Cabaret Show” Daily Cooking Class & Fruit Carving Class Learn to cook 3 Thai dishes - Baht 1,500 net / person Fruit Carving Course - Baht 1,400 net / person Prices are inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate Advance reservation required Happy Hour Buy 1 Get 1 Free at Pool Bar 3pm - 5pm & at Lobby Lounge 7pm - 8pm and 10pm - 11pm Private Romantic Dinner Only you and your loved one dining on the beach with private chef and waiter/waitress Available daily. Advance reservation required For further information please telephone 0 7742 9400

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