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Many hands make light work …and enable you to have a great holiday You may have thought before you arrived on Samui, that being a small island, you’d probably have to make a few sacrifices in exchange for staying in such a place. But once you’ve actually spent a couple of days here you'll recognize that Samui isn’t just any old island. It turns out to be a lot more sophisticated than many people think. And the food and drink is as varied as it is back home.

speed and quality of delivery. It’s an enormous task but one that’s carried out brilliantly – day in day out, 365 days a year.

You might wonder how all this food gets here in the first place. Okay, some comes from Samui itself – especially items like fruit, vegetables, chicken and fish.

But everything arrives either by ship or by plane.

It’s a choreography as complex as ballet, where everyone knows his or her role, and where the entire dance has evolved over the years. And it’s still evolving. The results speak for themselves, and it’s quite astonishing just how good the food and drink on Samui has become!

And to get fresh bread or coffee to your breakfast table in your hotel ultimately involves many, many teams. All have to work in unison, ensure freshness,

The pages you'll browse in our newspaper are all about food and drink, and celebrate the diversity you'll find on this small island. But behind this, stand the people who make it all possible.

SAMUI

Graeme Malley Editor

Catch of the Day Look out for Thailand’s gender-bender fish – the colourful and transsexual tilapia!

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

Natalie Hughes Feature Writer

Peter James Feature Writer

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

Henrik Bjørk Managing Director

Siam Map Company Ltd. 52/6, Samui Ring Road, Moo 3, Bo Phut, Samui, 84320 Thailand Tel: (66) 0 7742 2201 Fax: (66) 0 7741 3523 email: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission from Siam Map Company Ltd. Whilst every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. c Siam Map Company Ltd. 2015

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What’s in a name? Well, when it comes to Thailand, quite a lot! Thai tradition and culture are deeply-rooted. And therefore many things we’re familiar with seem unknown in this country – until you use their Thai names, that is!

And if you’re not convinced, try asking for a bottle of turpentine, a couple of grapefruit, or a kilo of eels. Many of the Thai names for fish are quite apart from their Latin classification, or their common English names, such as ‘pla krapong deng’, for instance, which is the ubiquitous red snapper. In the Thai language, the name of every type of fish begins with the word ‘pla’, meaning simply ‘fish’. However, there are two very common fish that you’ll find over here which do, in fact, have universally recognisable names - well, almost. And both of these are in the family of ‘tilapia’.

The first is the Nile tilapia – Thai name, ‘pla nin’!

This small, flat, meaty fish is one of the oldest recorded types, having first been documented in ancient Egypt, and being of such importance that it even had its own hieroglyph. It was also found in the Sea of Galilee in biblical times, when it acquired the name ‘Saint Peter’s Fish’, after the Bible story of Saint Peter catching a fish with a coin in its mouth. This type of tilapia is recognisable by a clear silvery body with black highlights.

And the second type found in Thailand, instantly recognised by the pink/red layering around its fins and tail, is the ‘Red Devil’ or ‘pla taptim’ in Thai. There seems no particular reason why these are less popular, as both types

are identical in every respect. Neither are native to Thailand, by the way, but the manner of their arrival and introduction may be the reason that pla nim seem to have gained the upper hand.

But more of that in just a moment.

These fish were originally discovered inhabiting fresh-water rivers, estuaries and lakes in and around the continent of Africa. And from there they have spread across the world, particularly in the last 50 years or so. The reason for this is straightforward – they thrive in tropical and semi-tropical climates, and have proved easy to manage in fish farms. They eat just about everything from water weed to micro-organisms, and require very little maintenance. Although, in fact, it doesn’t pay to leave them completely alone, as this approach is counter-productive.

They breed once a month, so before you know it, you’ve got a pond where there are only a few adult fish and far too many tiddlers taking up all the space. Plus the female fish are smaller, and develop at a slower rate.

The solution to this, however, is also quite straightforward. Get rid of the female fish so that they can’t breed! And this is done chemically, with a synthetic testosterone compound, when the very young ‘fingerlings’ are no more than three weeks old. The effect is that all the females suddenly become male. They then all develop at the same rate, and need the same amount of nutrition and aeration space, making everything very straightforward and simple. Up on dry land, all the previously-male ‘cabaret’ performers are chewing oestrogen tablets and

heading in the opposite transsexual direction.

But down in the fish ponds, it’s a totally different story.

And so with that, back to the here and now. In his many years as the world’s longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol has done a great deal to alleviate the poverty and struggles of the nation’s poorest. His Royal Highness has established and sponsored projects and schemes, replacing failing or traditional crops with viable low-maintenance alternatives, and working to assist with marketing and selling the new produce abroad, too. In 1951, Nile tilapia were being imported from Malaysia. This was well-known around the world’s diplomatic circles and, in 1965, the Emperor of Japan presented 50 prime mating pairs of Nile tilapia to the King, who later extended this breeding stock. And, today, fish farms stocking pla nim are found all throughout central and southern Thailand.

Head into any local restaurant, in central Thailand, particularly around the region of Bangkok and northwards, and you’ll find pla nin on the menu, usually offered deep-fried with garlic and pepper or salt-baked with lemon grass. Also, try to spot the crusty, salted and skewered fish at temple fairs in particular, which are renowned across the nation for their cheap and robust food offerings!

Tesco-Lotus and Big C, chilling out, glassy-eyed, on beds of ice. But the local fisherman’s markets don’t sell them. Nor do many of the restaurants.

And the reason is disarmingly simple. Samui is an island. The seafood markets are just crammed with all sorts of still-wriggling seafood – it’s plentiful, and it’s not expensive. Even the red and white snappers are considered to be juicier and have more flavour than the Nile tilapia. Plus, of course, you can’t catch tilapia in the sea.

Thailand is currently the fourth-largest world producer of tilapia, with China being far in the lead, and Indonesia a close second. One of the main selling points is that these fish are not subject to the rising levels of mercury contamination that affect such a large sector of the world’s fishery industry. Additionally, they contain iron and selenium – good for strengthening teeth and bones. And on top of that there’s a high level of Omega 3 fatty acid and virtually zero starch or carbohydrates, making them high-protein, low fat and really very healthy. And that’s more than you can say about a great many things we eat today, produced in Thailand or not!

Rob De Wet

However, here’s an interesting fact: you’ll rarely, if ever, see them in restaurants on Samui.

They’re in all the big supermarkets, like

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Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.

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

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3

Not All Hot

A closer look at northern Thai cuisine.

Thai food – we tend to think of mounds of chillies and burning spices permeating through fiery dishes. But if you think all Thai food is pretty much of the same spicy variety then it may be a good idea to explore the delights of northern Thai cuisine.

The north of Thailand is a mountainous region that was essentially isolated from the influences of the rest of the country. However, it was also a crossroads for trade and culture between neighbouring countries, Burma and China, and also between the hill tribes of the region. Not only did they bring their wares to trade, but also their unique cooking styles, thus you’ll come across food here that is hard to find in other parts of the country. This style of cooking is known as Lanna cuisine, and the best examples of it can be found in the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. This cuisine should not be confused with Issan cuisine which is from the northeast.

Add to these influences the temperate and slightly cooler climate of the north, and you have a unique cuisine. The favourable

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conditions for agriculture ensure an abundance of fresh local produce, such as rice, soybeans, garlic and cabbage as well as wild mushrooms and herbs from the forests.

the cooking style of the region immensely, and most curries of this region are simply prepared and cooked slowly. The lengthy process of roasting and braising meat is also popular.

The most outstanding feature of Lanna cuisine is that it’s not too spicy. Some speculate that the reason for this is the ample supply of fresh vegetables - there was no need to encourage people to eat more rice by making the food spicy. In fact the characteristic taste of northern Thai food is slightly sweet, and even at times almost bland. Northern cuisine also tends to be salty thanks to pounded soybeans, fermented fish or salted land crabs. They generally do not like to use sugar, spice or coconut milk in their cooking which can also be rather oily. This arises from the large number of pig farms in the region which means there is always a plentiful supply of pig fat for cooking and deep frying.

People in the north generally sit on the floor for their meals which are served on a low table and they use their hands instead of spoons to pick up the food. The north of Thailand is famous for a particular style of eating known as ‘khantok’.

A khantok is actually a round wooden tray with five or six legs that is used to carry dishes, and a dinner where one is used is known as a khantok dinner. At the dinner the guests sit around the khantok which can hold dishes for five to six people. On the tray you'll usually find sticky rice, a couple of curries, a sauce of minced pork, tomatoes and chillies (man prik ong) and the famous khao soi – noodles in a mild curry soup. Again the guests eat with their hands and first take a handful of sticky rice, using their right hand and dip the rice in a curry or chilli sauce and eat.

The surrounding forests of the region have also played a part in not only supplying the local bitter herbs that the northerners like to use in their cooking, but in also providing lots of firewood for their stoves. This has influenced

During the dinner it is customary for northern dances to be performed to entertain guests. The

fingernail dance or ‘fon lep’ is the most popular of these, and you may have seen images of these traditionally dressed women dancers with their long brass fingernails. If you have the chance to go to a khantok dinner it is certainly a worthwhile experience.

Perhaps the most famous dish of northern Thailand, and the one most popular with visitors, is khao soi. The literal meaning of the name is ‘enter the lane’ so the theory is that the name refers to the food stalls where it was first available. Khao soi is a mild, soupy curry usually made with chicken or beef served over soft Chinese egg noodles and topped with a sprinkling of crispy noodles. The curry is made from coconut milk which is brought from the south of Thailand, since this region cannot grow coconuts. You may add lime, chilli and onion as well as pickled cabbage to suit your own taste.

The dish is found both at street stalls and also served in restaurants throughout the region. This is a particularly famous dish in Chiang Mai, and many restaurants have it on their menus.

For a taste of the north then you should also try

‘sai oua’ or ‘Chiang Mai sausage’ as it is often known. This is a spiced pork sausage that can be found everywhere in the north and is not to be missed. It blends together the sour taste of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf with the heat of chillies and the kick of young ginger (galangal).

It’s sold in spiral lengths at most local markets in Northern Thailand.

After a meal a typical northerner will like to chew on fermented miang, which are wild tea leaves, in order to prevent bad breath.

Dining out in the north is a culinary and cultural experience, and one that's not to be missed.

Especially if you've firmly believed that all Thai food packs a mighty punch when it comes to spices.

Natalie Hughes

Poolside Perfection Poolside Restaurant at BayWater Resort Koh Samui raises the bar for island dining.

Some new enterprises hit the ground running, while others have to take their time before they're ready. BayWater Resort Koh Samui is one of the former – most island residents didn’t even know it had quietly opened. Its Poolside Restaurant is already getting rave reviews; it has plenty of great recipes that you're sure to enjoy, and in addition it has its own recipe for success: passion, dedication, creativity and an engaging maestro chef. New kid on the block it may be, but Poolside will seriously engage your taste buds – as well as your eyes, thanks to its setting.

The restaurant is aptly named; it’s located by the side of a pool, which makes it a very relaxing place to be. You can look out onto the spacious area that contains the pool and the frangipani trees that grace it, and you'll quickly begin to feel at ease. All the more as you know the food that's shortly going to be served to you is dependably good. That's because it comes from the kitchen of a chef who oozes talent and imagination. His name’s Joseph Spiteri, though his friends call him Pulito. He’s a self-taught cook who hails from Malta, but went to the UK to be an apprentice chef. Returning to Malta, he opened his own restaurant. It thrived and was shortlisted in less than a year for the prestigious Malta Restaurant Awards. He eventually sold up, and after learning about Thai food, he moved to Samui to head the opening of Bully Steakhouse, which quickly gained rave reviews. You might wonder how he can achieve such speedy results. Dedication is part of that, so is talent.

Then there’s innovation and, last but not least, going the extra mile or three.

He thinks deeply about the ingredients some chefs might just be content to order from the nearest suppliers. Just take one example, something that most people wouldn’t think much about: the bacon you have at breakfast.

Poolside Restaurant cures its own bacon, something that not many resorts do. But the process of bringing the best to the table starts with the selection of the type of pork. “We use the best pork available on the market,” says Joseph. “Thai Mebekudu Pork from Chiang Mai,” Okay, so far, so obscure, but just listen to the description: “It is an extremely high quality black pig, a mix of four pedigree blood lines: Chinese Meishan, English Berkshire, Native Thai Kurobuta and New England Duroc. The Mebekudu pig takes the best quality of each pedigree line and together makes an even better pig that is packed with flavour and juiciness…”

Joseph continues, “We then cure it using a dry, sweet and salty rub for around 12 days, after which it is hot smoked for six hours.” The results speak for themselves.

Extremely tasty ingredients make for great dishes, and Joseph has been putting together some great dishes at Poolside; he offers a tempting range of delicious classic and gourmet fare for a light lunch or a casual dinner. You'll

find plenty of Thai and Western dishes on the very eclectic menu.

By the way, this isn’t one of those restaurants where the menu is set in stone and the chef won’t even consider a departure from it - quite the opposite, in fact. This restaurant caters to clients’ special needs and requests, so no worries if you’re allergic to certain foods or have a dietary concern; the staff here are able to accommodate just about everything – all you have to do is to tell them. So whether you're a vegan, gluten intolerant or whatever your requirements, Joseph and his team will be able to cook for you, following your guidelines. Or perhaps it’s the case that you'd like something that isn’t on the menu? Again the staff will do their utmost and in all probability you'll soon be tucking into the dish you wanted. Poolside believes in two-way communication, and they want to hear what’s on your mind. The service is extremely personalized, with waiting staff catering to your every need. You'll feel truly relaxed and at ease.

The restaurant has several recommended dishes that are quite special. Try the Chateaubriand steak; it’s the most succulent and tender part of the fillet, and at Poolside it’s grilled to perfection and carved tableside. It’s a dish for two by the way, and is definitely a romantic choice, something to be accompanied by a good bottle of wine. Poolside also specialises in different cuts of steak, and highly recommended is the 120 day grain- fed beef, which is dry- aged for nearly a month before being chilled and exported – it’s not frozen as this would take away quite a lot of its great taste. As you can see, Poolside is not a place that cuts corners.

But that doesn’t mean dining here is expensive.

In fact, you needn’t worry about costs; here they believe in value for money; what you see is what you pay for and there are no hidden charges of any kind – all prices are net. It’s a surprisingly affordable place to go and eat, and brand new it may be, but word on the island is quickly getting out.

Poolside also offers some highly tasty gourmet sandwiches. With generous sized portions, they're a hit with casual diners, especially during the day. Try the BayWater Club Sandwich, made on toasted white bread with spur chilli mayonnaise, guacamole, grilled chicken breast, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, beef tomatoes, lettuce, onions and more. Also recommended is the Mediterranean Tuna Sandwich. This time the bread’s sourdough with tuna confit, tomato paste, olives, capers, spring onions, cannellini beans, Italian basil, and garlic-infused olive oil.

There’s plenty of Thai food, too, and you'll enjoy dishes such as Pad Thai, an exquisitely tasty treat which comes wrapped in a gossamer net of omelette. Or you can enjoy the popular Special Egg Fried Rice which contains seafood,

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.

egg fried rice, curry powder, spring onions, cashew nuts, raisins, carrot, and is served in a freshly-sculpted pineapple bowl. The restaurant has all the well-known Thai delicacies on its menu, and each comes beautifully presented.

Poolside has a wide array of wines to go with the food. You'll find wines from all over the world and they've been specially selected to complement the fine food. You can safely say that this is a wine lovers’ paradise. You can opt for classic French and Italian wines as well as superb new world wines from Chile, South Africa and Australia.

For desserts you'll be spoiled for choice and you can enjoy classics such as Vanilla Crème Brulée, Authentic Italian Tiramisu and Valhrona Chocolate Fondant.

Since the resort is new, it’s still in the process of developing: an in-house bakery is in the pipeline for the future, along with a fantastic wood burning oven for cooking pizzas. At the moment they get all their bread and pastries from their sister resort, Samui Palm Beach.

But already, most things are up and running.

There's plenty that you wouldn’t find in most restaurants, such as hot stone cooking. Says Joseph: “We’re introducing the idea of an ancient method of cooking – on stones.

Basically a stone is heated up to about 300° Celsius. The meat is placed on it and it goes out sizzling to our guests’ tables. The guests will then continue to let it cook until the desired temperature is reached. We’ll also be using it for salmon, tuna, prawns and so on. The stones bring out amazing flavours and smells, as well as adding excitement to the whole experience.”

Poolside Restaurant is also a place to come, not just for a meal, but for a drink. “Our venue is most beautiful when the sun starts to set,” he says. “The pool area is very inviting with bean bags, loungers and so on. We also have cocktail tables set up, with a happy hour and different promotions on cocktails and wine. Finger food and tapas are served throughout the evening, and we will have different food stations set up around the pool for our guests to sample and enjoy.”

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit Poolside Restaurant, so what are you waiting for?

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information telephone 0 7724 3888. www.baywaterresort.com

(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 5

The Monster in the Pantry An informed look at why MSG does you no harm at all!

Why are children scared of monsters? Because monsters are scary, that’s why. They were scary long, long ago. And they’re still scary today. At some point, one way or another, every little kiddie discovers this. And, for a while, they believe it. But then children grow up to be adults, and are scared of monsters no more. The point is . . . ? Everyone’s still scared of MSG. There has been 50 years of ongoing fear. And for no good reason at all!

The whole business of MSG, and the dark mystique which still shrouds it today, represents something of a turning point. It wasn’t just that it became the ‘monster in the pantry’ – ironically unknown by children, but believed in by adults all over. The entire snowballing eruption over the MSG controversy – some 40 years or so after its discovery – led to the first real outbreak of consumer rebellion. This was the first time that a nation, in this case America, got all hot and bothered about food. And not only did the resulting social pressure create a nationwide word-of-mouth ban on MSG, but it set the scene for Joe Public to wonder what other nasties he was being unknowingly fed. But did MSG kill people? Did it make them sick? Did they break out in numbness, boils, rashes or pustules? No. Not at all. But one or two of them did sometimes

get a headache after eating Chinese food.

All of this began with a piece of seaweed, at the turn of the 20th century. After a long day working at Tokyo Imperial University, Professor Kidunae Ikeda returned home to yet another delicious meal prepared by his wife. Being a sensitive kind of a man, on this occasion, he enquired, pondered even, as to why it should taste so good. What is the secret of all this deliciousness, he wondered. Whereupon Mrs Ikeda shook out the contents of her pack of dried seaweed, and explained to her husband that, when boiled, this creates the stock that is the basis of all broths and soups.

It just so happened that, as well as being something of a philosopher, Professor Ikeda was also one of a number of biologists worldwide who were working to analyse the biochemical connections with the brain that influence human perception – including that of taste. Already it was known that different areas of the mouth detect the four primary tastes of sweet, sour, bitter and salty. But was this something new?

Something towards the edge of savoury? A taste that is common to tomatoes, cheese, asparagus, fish and meat, amongst others – yet not among the four basic tastes? In any event, he called this fifth taste ‘umami’, part way between savoury and

delicious, and then set about finding a way to make basic foodstuffs taste a lot better.

In 1909, he announced the formula for monosodium glutamate to the world. But rather than jumping on this right away, let’s just pause a moment. Let’s consider what he began with and what he then created. The essential ingredient in the boiled seaweed, the flavour enhancer, the professor’s umami, was an amino acid produced naturally by the human body, and also found in many natural food sources.

When this is broken down by boiling, it turns to what is known as glutamate.

Unfortunately, although it’s easy to extract, glutamate is unstable and doesn’t last long before decomposing. However, if it’s combined with a solution of common salt, it forms a much more long-lasting crystal by the name of monosodium glutamate. And after the water of the solution has been boiled away, the remaining salt can be bottled and stored. And thus it came about that, instead of having to boil your tasteless rice and noodles with seaweed, all that was needed was a sprinkle of umami to make everything taste so much nicer.

Fast-forward to 1969. The ‘New England Journal of Medicine’ published a letter from a doctor

who stated that he experienced symptoms similar to those of an allergic reaction every time he ate in Chinese restaurants. The publication was deluged by correspondence reporting similar reactions. Triggered by this, a neuroscientist, John Olney, published his experimental findings. He injected MSG directly into lab rats, which reacted by responding with brain lesions or impaired development. The outraged correspondents and Olney’s study blamed MSG. The public went crazy.

artificial chemical compound. You cannot develop a sudden rash or headache in response to either salt or glutamate, or both in combination. Many of those who say they can actually taste it in their Asian food are imagining things – glutamate has no taste by itself. What is possible, however, is that highly spiced food, or dishes with a lot of chillies, can cause a bodily reaction that includes sweating, an increased heart rate, mild headaches and sometimes a feeling of torpor and/or nausea.

And, despite the fact that numerous important studies and comprehensive experiments have since shown that this was all hasty, biased and utterly inconclusive, the mass hysteria of the early 1970s remains today, with nine out of every ten Asian restaurants including in their signage the legend ‘No MSG Used’. Even the fact that the lab rats didn’t actually eat MSG, but were injected with enough of it to make a horse sick, has had no significant impact on public opinion: MSG remains the bad guy.

Simply put, you’ll find MSG added to anything that by itself tastes bland. Rice. Noodles. Yeast extract. Doritos. Big Mac sauce. (America’s fast food industry still uses 10,000 tons of MSG every year.) Even Heston Blumenthal and his ‘Fat Duck’ extol its use – although he emphasises traditional sources like boiled seaweed. If the entire population of South East Asia have never had a problem, then why are we, in the West, still afraid of the monster in the pantry? Makes no sense at all to me!

Let’s put it this way. What do the following all have in common: breast milk; parmesan cheese; tomatoes; asparagus; mushrooms; yeast; dried meat; soy sauce, fish sauce? Yes – they all contain natural glutamate. MSG is not an

Rob De Wet

Your private Holidays in Samui

THE SIAM RESIDENCE B o u t i q u e

R e s o r t

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

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Magical Tipples Drink, eat and be merry – at Samui’s Magic Alambic Rum Distillery!

It’s funny, isn’t it? The way that sunshine breaks and alcohol go hand-in-hand. And perfectly normal; upright people will take a beer or two by the pool. Or look forward to cocktails at sundown. And, of course, when it comes to dining-out under the stars, then corks pop and the wines come out. But, apart from a few very robust wines and maybe a beer or two, Thailand doesn’t produce much in the way of fun drinks.

Nearly all of what you’ll see at the bar comes in from outside. However, there’s one huge exception. And that’s rum. This fact isn’t very well-known. But believe me; it will be, one day.

Hidden away, down in the deep south of the island is a real, genuine, Caribbean-style rum distillery. The French have been perfecting this art since the days of Blackbeard and the buccaneers. Many of today’s so-called ‘rums’ are made from the cheaper molasses. But that’s not the French way at all. Their genuine rum is made from sugar cane – and the process of fermenting and distilling in this way has produced some of the world’s most-legendary beverages. Add this to the fact that Thailand has the perfect climate for growing the sugar cane that’s needed, and you’ll start to get the picture!

The Magic Alambic Rum Distillery came into being in 2003, originally set-up and run by a

husband and wife team from France. And it has to be said that this was a bold venture. The Thai regulations that govern a business such as this are lengthy and detailed – it’s the only ‘foreign’ liquor producer in all of Thailand. And it took several years before all the paperwork was sorted out. But when everything was finally settled, the huge fermenting still, imported from France, went into production. And it did very well – in its own sort of way. The smooth and distinctive rum made here is featured in many of the islands better resorts and restaurants.

But, right at the start of 2014, everything changed. The business was taken over by Ludovic Trantoul and his business partner, Martial Leplatois. Ludovic has upgraded the original still and expanded the production capacity by more than 400%. Each batch is double-distilled, with the fruits being added after the first fermentation.

The distillery is in its own landscaped grounds, delightfully set with cropped lawns, colourful flower borders and several sets of living accommodation, as well as the distillery building, over to one side. And then there’s a light and airy open-sided restaurant and bar in the middle. And that got the new partners thinking.

The result is that now the delightfully-set restaurant (which at one time was merely just for customers to sample the goodies) is now a fully-featured, tip-top eatery in its own right, with a comprehensive menu of Thai and French dishes on offer.

amongst others. There is a comprehensive range of aperitifs, main dishes, soups and stews, plus some exquisite desserts – like the ‘Crepe Flambé with Rum” (guess what sort of rum!). And, of course, an extensive offering of all the expected Thai dishes.

the meat, fish or seafood and various salads, sip a bit more, get a nibbles top-up, and sip again.

Not only will you be able to select the best of the rums (pineapple, coconut, lime, orange or natural) but you’ll enjoy some very genial company and eat well at the same time.

In fact, it’s hard to work out which is now the greater attraction – the wonderful rum or the excellent restaurant. What used to be at one time something of an island curiosity, a nice little daytrip to buy a souvenir of Samui, has turned into a fully-fledged eatery that draws folks from all over. And Ludovic has some serious plans to expand the rum side of things, as right now there is no exporting or international marketing.

Twice a week they run a different feature, and these are becoming increasingly-more popular events. Every Thursday is ‘Rosé Night’. For some time now, Ludovic has made it his hobby to scout around and source different and interesting rosé wines. Not surprisingly, when this started off, the patrons were mainly those French expats who were in the know. But, lately, word of mouth has spread to a wider audience, and now the evening sees a cosmopolitan turnout to explore and enjoy this unique event.

As a rule I don’t talk about prices. But, if the food is excellent and the price is outstandingly modest, then I do. The setting here is idyllic.

The portions are sound. The quality is super.

There’s a tapas menu (big portions!) as well as the à la carte offerings. The average ‘mains’ price is around 280 - 300 baht and a plate of ‘Lite Bites’ (tapas) is around 100 baht. There are no ‘fruit wines’ to be seen, and all of the wines here are pitched in the same sort of affordable price range. Only one thing left to say – the Magic Alambic Rum Distillery, together with its La Route du Rhum restaurant is a Samui must!

The restaurant here is known as ‘La Route du Rhum’ and partner, Martial, is the man in the kitchen. He’s something of an expert in French cuisine, having previously had over 30 years’ experience, including working in two Michelin-starred restaurants. Rather than classical cuisine or a ‘nouveau’ approach, Martial leans towards what can only be described as ‘traditional’ French cuisine. To outline this further, a look at the menu reveals items such as ‘Salmon Stuffed with green Asparagus and Scallops’ and ‘Sausages with Creole Spices’,

Then, every Sunday, you’ll find the same sort of attendees at the simply-titled ‘Sunday BBQ’. And I have to say that, if you’ve read this all and been tempted to venture out and pick up one of Samui’s most practical mementos, then this is the day to boogie on down and do both.

Indulge yourself with the ‘Rum Degustation’ to begin with. This is a sampler of each of the types of rum on offer, in shot glasses; get six for the price of five! Sip each of them, get a plate of

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 918 167 416.

WAT

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Brunching

A look at how brunch has become an established event – not merely a late breakfast!

Like so many things, ‘brunch’ originated in England. And then, like so many things, it became famous in America. Today, it’s come to mean more than some kind of an around-midday meal. It’s become an event.

Anyone can eat a late breakfast . . . but a brunch has to ‘happen’. It has to be enacted and displayed. It needs to have more than just you present – it’s an ‘almost party’ kind of a thing, to be shared with like-minded others. It might include your family. It might be a singles event.

But, whatever it actually is, we’ve got brunches on Samui, if you know here to go!

Interestingly, although the origins date back to the late 1800’s, the spirit of the occasion continues and it’s bang up to date. It began by being pinned to tradition, to family, to church on Sunday, and to Victorian ‘black sheep’.

Today we have party people. Back then, we had ‘rakes’, ‘fops’ and ‘men about town’. The moneyed young gents of the middle classes had an obligation to go slumming it on a Saturday night. I don’t know what it is about Saturdays – even on Samui, on holiday (the island vibe and

all that) somehow Saturday is still a kind of special reason to head on out.

And so they did, in their Victorian regalia, in their groups, the young men out on the town.

From tavern to tavern they went. And then they tumbled back to their houses in the small hours, very much the worse for wear. The next morning they were dragged out of bed to go to church. And on their return, they had to face the traditional English Sunday lunch. England has been often criticised, and for many things. But none more so than traditional English food. And the pinnacle of such culinary ineptitude is exemplified by ‘Sunday lunch’.

Slabs of roasted meat, odiferous gravies, opaque soups, pies skinned like concrete, suet dumplings, mushed vegetables and potatoes roasted beyond resuscitation. Claret and Burgundy. Was it any wonder that, every Sunday morning, so many thousands of young Englishmen longed and hoped to see a new meal, served around noon, that started slowly “. . . with tea or coffee, marmalade and other

amenable breakfast fixtures, before moving along to the heavier fare? By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday-night carousers.

It would promote human happiness in other ways as well. Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” So wrote Frank Ward O'Malley in The New Yorker in 1907.

And he might well have been penning it about life today, such was the timeless perception of his observation. “Promoting human happiness.”

That rather sums it up. Anyone can get up late for breakfast, any day of the week on Samui.

But if you want to go the whole hog and also make it “cheerful, sociable, inciting, and talk-compelling”, then you just gotta get up late and go for brunch! Fortunately, there are several places here on the island that have established a weekend gathering-spot for empathetic brunchers.

There are, in fact, more than just a couple of places to go. But things keep on changing all the time. And so all we can do in the face of this is to highlight one or two that we know will still be here next month. These are the ones which have stood the test of time and which are guaranteed to draw more than just a few passers-by.

The Centara Grand Resort has been here so long that it’s become one of the sumptuous pillars of gentile Samui society. In many ways, it’s the epitome of 5-star opulence - hugely spacious, ever so refined, gracious and, indeed, grand. It’s in the middle of Chaweng but on the southern reach of the beach road. Here, at Coast Beach Bar & Grill, you’ll find the most definitive of all gourmet brunches, every Sunday. The food is . . . ethereal – of emperor standard. The cost is high but not prohibitive (including free-flow drinks), far less than you’d pay for a gourmet 5-star dinner, and that’s not a lot to fork-out for the most lavish daytime spread you’ll find anywhere.

And then there’s where the expats and those in the know go - Beach Republic in Lamai. It’s half way between a pool party and a tapas convention, but there’s an excellent restaurant and also a lavish brunch buffet every Sunday from 11:30 am on, with live music, DJs, mellow vibes, bikinis, and lots and lots of locals nibbling, sunning and chilling. It winds up at 3:30 pm, but if you want to stay the course, a happy hour appears between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The surroundings are beach rococo, the furnishings padded red Bauhaus, and the whole vibe enjoyable to the max.

Or you could just stay at home and eat cornflakes instead. But then you’d be squandering the essential brunchfulness of it all.

Where’s the cheerful, talk-compelling sociability in that! You’ve no excuse at all – not now you know where to go for a big, beautiful brunch!

Rob De Wet

CHAWENG BEACH LAND FOR RENT

Currently houses a resort but is perfect for redevelopment as a restaurant or wedding venue etc.

Land for Rent: 15-20 years Plot 1: Land Size: 30x110m (Beachfront 30m) Plot 2: Land Size: 8x110m (Beachfront 8m) Chaweng Beach Road, Chaweng South

The restaurant where every evening becomes a memorable occasion.

Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui

Poppies Hotel

Plot 1

Kirikayan Boutique Resort

Plot 2

Contact: Mr. Saroj 081 536 2015 Ms. Siri 088 882 5636 Mr. Wiroj 081 307 2122 E-mail: srn123456@gmail.com, sissysiri888@gmail.com, mpisit2600@gmail.com

8 www.siamwininganddining.com

For reservations please contact: Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa, Koh Samui Tel: +66 (0) 77 428 300 Email: bophutsamui@anantara.com Skype: bophutsamui

Thai / Chinese Seafood Perfect venue for weddings and other events.

Bang Por Beach Tel. 085 9468456, 077 602 227

Big Business Beans Boncafe’s Bophut showroom sells more than just coffee beans – it’s the inspiration behind many a successful coffee shop.

‘Things aren’t always what they seem’. How many times have you seen this tagline, or something much like it, accompanying a film or novel? The theme’s usually something dark, like goings-on in a haunted house, or a perhaps a crime committed in some otherwise amiable white-picket-fence neighbourhood. But that tagline doesn’t need to have anything to do with horror and crime - far from it. It could be positive. It might even be to do with coffee. Yes, still a dark subject, albeit one that excites rather than terrifies.

surprising is that a huge amount of the coffee that’s drunk on Samui comes via a single small showroom on the ring-road. You may well have driven past it. Called simply Boncafe, it’s almost opposite The Wharf in Bophut. If you’ve drunk any coffee at all on the island it may well have some connection with Boncafe.

You might think that the coffee you're drinking here comes from a huge variety of sources; after all there are a lot of countries producing a lot of different beans. And you will have noticed – if you come to Thailand often – that there are many, many new coffee shops around. Lately, there's been an explosion in coffee culture, and the drink itself could hardly be more popular. So there must be dozens and dozens of suppliers, you would think.

The small centre, and the people who run it, handle an enormous amount of trade. They're responsible for more than just bags of beans; they stock and sell just about everything that has to do with coffee, right down to the tiny accoutrements you'll need to clean a coffee machine. They can also offer you plenty of know-how to do with anything from preparing beans to serving them up. They have a wide range of commercial and domestic machines to make coffee, including coffee grinders. They can also help you in practical ways, such as train you in the ways of coffee culture. And last but not least, they can clean, service and repair machines you buy from them.

It turns out that there aren’t. The good supplies come from a few very trusted sources. And this especially holds true on Samui. Here you can now get a decent cup of coffee almost anywhere (not the case just a decade ago) and there are new outlets opening every month. What’s most

If you doubt Boncafe’s dedication and their knowledge about coffee, then there’s no better proof than to look through their free monthly magazine. Like many a trade journal, it’s all about what they sell. But there’s a lot of enthusiasm going on there too – this is no dry

and dusty catalogue of items, services and prices.

They love coffee and everything to do with it.

Just reading it will make you want to get more into coffee. Passion is always persuasive and very often infectious. At the very least, you soon realize that there’s a lot more to beans than just combining them with water to end up with a nice pick-me-up drink.

Boncafe Academy is a fully-fledged institution within the main company offering courses that can really boost performance for those running coffee shops. They offer courses from how to open a coffee shop, to how to make the beverages themselves. They're also big on design, and can offer many tips to do with making a coffee shop look as attractive as possible. Their advice goes all the way from the overall ambience and service quality, right down to the miniscule details of toned colours for furnishings, use and type of light bulbs and what to do about customers’ special needs when it comes to sugar and sweetness. So they turn out to be experts not just on coffee, but also on sales, marketing and teaching. They can tell owners what a ‘signature’ drink is and why it’s good to have one on the menu, exactly where to place items like cakes and freshly-baked bread, and why flavoured syrups turn out to be such a desired staple. It’s not really surprising they're so

successful in the coffee trade – they're single-minded in their pursuit of excellence and they know also how to make it fun, too.

Every three months on Samui, Boncafe holds a one-day workshop for customers and anyone else interested in coffee... just call and book. It’s free. People learn the basics of coffee and how to make coffee interesting. You'll also learn how to make the best smoothies, mocktails, and iced coffee.

As you'd expect, Boncafe keeps abreast of the latest developments and trends as well as offering various promotions. As an example of what’s current now, you'll find they are just about to launch a new line of flavoured fruit infusions, made by Lyons in California. You can use them to create iced teas, lemonades, sodas, shakes, cocktails and more. The infusions are actually fruit purées and are extremely versatile.

Raspberry, mango and strawberry are some of the flavours you can add. Lyons also produces a range of sauces, including sea-salt flavoured caramel, blackberry and strawberry.

If you're looking for a coffee machine, they stock a wide variety. They're also currently selling the Saeco Aulika for a massive discount. Instead of 69,900 Baht, it’s on offer at 56,500 Baht, saving the purchaser 13,400 Baht. This gleaming

machine, with its LED display and very dependable coffee quality, is as stylish as it is professional – exactly the kind of coffee machine that looks good in a coffee shop and ensures many a repeat customer.

The showroom’s open Monday till Saturday, from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm, except bank holidays, and it’s worth dropping in just to see what’s new and notable in coffee culture. You'll be assured of a very friendly welcome by Khun Nicha Sriprom, the assistant manager, and the entire team here. And by the way, you can also get a cup of coffee as the showroom doubles as a coffee shop. It’s guaranteed that what you drink here will taste just great – the staff here are naturally experts when it comes to being baristas.

It might not seem it from the outside, but once you step inside you'll see that Boncafe is a powerhouse of the coffee industry.

Dimitri Waring For further information, telephone 0 7742 7486. www.boncafe.co.th

An outstanding menu of International & Thai cuisine prepared by master chef Joseph Spiteri

Choeng Mon, 88/18 Moo 5, T. Bophut, Koh Samui Tel: 0 77243888 Email: info@baywaterresort.com www.baywaterresort.com www.siamwininganddining.com

9

Up We Go! Just up Chaweng Beach Road, to explore a hidden dining gem – Chef’s Table at Sareeraya.

Chaweng is bright, dry and dusty in the day. But at night, it’s a neon trove – an Aladdin’s cave of treasure, bright, glittering and enticing. Shops, stalls, and side streets, all filled with glittering goodies. If you like the bright lights, and you have an eye for shopping, you’ll love it.

Everywhere there’s stuff to catch your eye.

Clothes and bags, gems and jewels, shiny junk and momentous mementos. Everywhere you look, there’s more and more. It’s all out on show. And that – unfortunately – spoils you, somehow.

Because, if there’s nothing to see, there’s nothing there! You’ll skip past the dark parts. Side streets, shop fronts - no lights means no fun. But . . . this is true for dining also. There are 84 brightly lit restaurants on this one road alone. Some big, some small, some with dancing troupes, others, romantic. In one month of holidays, you can’t try them all. So why look elsewhere? Why scout around? All this is too much already!

Because . . . big, bright, and flashy doesn’t always mean good. All these restaurants want to snare you. They’re all competing. They don’t care if you come back again – and with most of them, you won’t – they just want you for tonight.

Tomorrow there will be a thousand new diners, just like you. That’s how they exist. Bad food, bad service and a big bill at the end, but who cares! However, the solution is easy. The best ones are hidden away. They rely on their reputation, not their superficial shine. These are the places where the residents go. And one of these most-excellent restaurants is at Sareeraya, in the north part of Chaweng.

‘Sareeraya Villas & Suites’, to give it its full title, was part of the first wave of cleanly-designed resorts to appear on Samui, several years ago.

The theme throughout is low-key, and that includes the understated and gentile frontage, which is easy to miss if you rush. It’s a grey granite wall with discreet golden lettering, right opposite the small Samui International Hospital.

Going in behind this wall is a surprise: you’re in a huge Japanese-style grey stone vault, with a high ceiling and feng shui water sculptures on each side. And this is the theme throughout – ‘Sareeraya’ means ‘princess of the sea’.

After spending his early years in Bangkok, working his way up from kitchen helper to assistant sous chef, and with 10 years of progressive advancement in the 5-star Bangkok Shangri-La, he came to Samui. He’s worked intensively with top European chefs for a decade or more and absorbed all they could teach. At this year’s ‘Thailand Ultimate Chef’s Challenge’ – a competition that called on 1,092 chefs from all over Asia to compete in Bangkok, Chef M came away with two bronze medals. One was for Asia’s best chicken dish. The other was for the best Thai Modern Presentation.

Everything is a contrast of simple scrubbed concrete and plain polished marble, and there’s a constant interplay of contrasting textures. The reception area is similarly understated and leads to a thru-bar and lounge with a small library attached. Continuing seawards you’ll twist and turn on the path, past glowing lily ponds and tinkling under-lit water features, until you arrive at the resort’s signature restaurant, ‘Chef’s Table’.

The décor is consistent, the lighting is warm and inviting. The furniture is sturdy and comfortable.

It’s open on two sides with a backdrop of the sea. It’s quiet, it’s refined, but it’s really not much to write home about - until you sit down to eat!

Look at his menu at Chef’s Table. It’s International and Thai – as in contemporary Thai cuisine. The quality of the ingredients is beyond dispute – Australian imported grain-fed beef, and seafood so fresh it’s kicking. There are the usual sections, as in starters, soups, mains and desserts.

The Thai-modern items sound familiar – until you try them. How about: the medal-winning ‘Green Curry Trio’. At first sight, it looks like three small cups of food, swimming on a green lake dotted with snow peas and coconut. It’s actually the traditional Thai green curry, but with a really fresh presentation. All the three beef, chicken and prawn mains are wrapped and cast to stand upright. The chicken breast is rolled and topped with coconut foam, plus red chillies and grated kaffir lime leaf. The prawn is set in tempura and rolled in a long slice of cucumber.

The grated beef is a wonton of green curry paste. They’re all dotted with vegetables: three sorts of eggplants, mushroom, tomato. After eating this, Thai green curry will never be the same again.

Although the Executive Chef’s full name is Khun Thitipong Worakham, he cheerfully goes by his nickname of Chef M. There are ten thousand Thai chefs on Samui, working in three hundred quality restaurants. Out of all these, most are acceptable and a lot are quite good. There are very few, however who truly stand out from the crowd. Chef M is one of them.

Or you could have a go at Chef M’s ‘Grilled chicken breast with wild mushrooms, rocket salad, roasted shallots, truffle oil and pesto’.

Third place out of over 1,000 chefs from all over Asia means this item is special. Don’t just read my words. Come here and eat it! Only three chefs out of more than one thousand can cook like this. He has the medals to prove it.

Or try the combination dishes. There are two European tasting menus with three courses.

There are two Thai tasting menus with a pick from six dishes – and with both you can swap items around if you wish. Plus there’s ‘Thai tapas’ – a ‘kantoke’ presentation with six different dishes all in one basket. Or the two different seafood platters for two people – a life-size photo just couldn’t fit on this page!

A final word: it’s not expensive, but it’s certainly not a budget menu. Although come once and you’ll probably come back again, and then on that special last night of your holiday, too. It is special. It’s Chef’s Table at Sareeraya. And it’s just up the road in Chaweng!

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

Weddings, Celebrations, Parties & Honeymoons 2014

River Prawn Tom Yum

Rock Lobster

Sunset Dining in Spectacular Surroundings

Sea Food Taco

Lamb Chop

Beef Lasagna

Phuket Lobster Thermidor

Carbonara Pizza

This epicurean dining nirvana serves up the finest catches from the sea so our guests can Enjoy breathtaking sunsets while discovering our culinary delights at The Terrace, one of Koh Samui’s best beachfront feast like kings. Pay homage to our specialty – the royal triumvirate of lobster, tiger prawns and dining destinations. oysters.

A holiday or a visit to Mövenpick Resort Laem Yai Beach Samui would not be complete without sampling the food at Indulge yourself with a journey of culinary discoveries at Mövenpick Resort Laem Yai The Terrace. Nestled on the beach, this majestic open-air restaurant affords diners a perfect view of the spectacular Beach Samui. The Terrace perfectly blends a selection of Thai classics with international dishes. sunset over Laem Yai Bay and the distant islands.

10 www.siamwininganddining.com

Mövenpick Resort Laem Yai Beach Samui is the perfect destination for a dream island wedding, unforgettable honeymoon, anniversary getaway or private birthday party.

Exchange vows on Koh Samui’s most beautiful sunset beach as the sky turns to a thousand shades of brilliant colours.

Mövenpick Resort Laem Yai Beach Samui Phone +66 77 421 721 resort.samuilaemyai@moevenpick.com www.moevenpick-hotels.com/samui-laem-yai-beach

www.siamwininganddining.com 11

Potent Rice You’ve got to be seriously desperate to try it but, if you must, here’s some information about lao khao.

It’s one of those drinks you might see briefly mentioned in a travel book. Or hear about from someone’s errant kid who’s been back-packing across Asia. Lao khao is a Thai alcoholic drink (and I use that description sparingly) that really shouldn’t be touched by foreigners. But there will be some amongst you who want to try a little taste of the ‘real’ Thailand and so I feel duty-bound to give you a heads-up.

In reality, there should be a government health warning on the label, but if you indulge in this stuff your health is clearly the last thing on your mind. There are two broad categories of lao khao – legal and moonshine! It translates as white spirits, for a very good reason. Buy some and try throwing it onto a painted wall. Now imagine the lining of your stomach as that wall.

Are you starting to get the picture? Your local 7-11 or mini-mart will stock the legal type, generally on the shelf behind the till. Made from sticky rice it’s around 35% alcohol. How you drink it is up to you, but a sitting down position is usually recommended. Motorbike taxi-drivers mix it with Red Bull, and are not averse to putting some in the fuel tank when they want to go racing. This is usually around midnight with some hapless first-time visitor hanging on to the back screaming for their mum. A couple of the big supermarkets carry a fair bit of it in stock. All the labels are in Thai, but you’ll know that’s what it is. With prices starting from around 70 baht for a small bottle, you might think that it’s worth a try. Please, be my guest.

As for the illegal stuff, you can forget pharmacy bought headache tablets. Think brain transplant or, even better, watch someone else drink it first and monitor the effects. It’s known as lao theuan (jungle liquor) and is made from various agricultural products including sugar palm sap, coconut milk, sugar cane, taro and rice. Alcohol content can vary from as little as 10% to as much as 90%. Even street dogs know this stuff makes you go blind – instantly. I know the odd place

or two where you can get it, but I use it to light the barbecue and generally set fire to things. But we do like to publish recipes so if the mood takes you and you somehow get bored, here’s how to make it!

When made from rice, the process begins by steaming the rice. It’s then cleaned with cold water and put into a bucket. Yes, a bucket, any old bucket will do, it will be completely sterilized by the end of the process - by the jungle juice itself! A powdered blend of herbs known as bang lao is then added to aid fermentation. God alone knows what it contains but apparently it is ‘medicinal’. After a week, five litres of water are added and the bucket is sealed for another week.

Now it gets slightly scientific. The fermented rice is ladled into a ten-gallon drum set over a gas flame. No, that doesn’t sound dangerous to me either! A pot is balanced on the top and hooked up to a constant flow of cool water – more often than not an old discarded washing machine! Try your local tip at home. As the evaporating liquor condenses on the underside of the pot, it drips onto a wooden paddle inside the drum. This feeds into a bamboo pipe protruding from the drum’s side. And, thus, it runs down a piece of string and slides into a glass bottle. Voila! You are now ready to rock and roll.

Sang Som, the Thai rum/whisky sold in bars has its own unique effects, but is generally okay-ish.

Compared to lao khao it is like manna from heaven. If you have to ‘go native’ at least start with this. Losing a limb is bad; lao khao is in a whole different league of nastiness!

Johnny Paterson

Sabeinglae Restaurant

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

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

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

12 www.siamwininganddining.com

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

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

SIP, SAVOUR, LOUNGE, AND LINGER Stay all day and move your mood, exploring our range of indoor and outdoor settings, right on Samui’s beach with panoramic view of the coastline. Enjoy a casual lunch in the shade, experiencing our eclectic menu of international cuisine or lounge away the aſternoon on a sunken daybed in the sand, steps away from the beach.

For evenings, COAST transforms into one of Samui's most attractive dining experiences, showcasing grills and seafood with great beach chill music to help you relax.

A variety of dining zones make it either the ideal venue for a memorable evening out with family and friends or an equally cool place to celebrate that special occasion party.

The focus at COAST is always on views of the beach and your effortless glide through the day.

Open Hours: 12:00 – 23:00 hrs.

www.centarahotelsresorts.com/csbr E: coast@chr.co.th T: +66 (0) 77 230500

www.siamwininganddining.com

13

The Italian Connection Olivio Italian Cuisine adds French dishes to its sublime menu.

Chaweng seems to have no secrets. It’s a single street lined with resorts, bars and restaurants.

And if you drive down this road, long though it may be, you'll get a good impression of what’s on offer. A busy, busy seaside town, you might conclude, and you'd be partially right. But things aren’t as obvious as they seem; there’s plenty tucked away in side streets, and even after living here for years, you might be in for a surprise if you start really exploring.

It certainly true of Olivio Italian Cuisine, a mid-size restaurant in the north of Chaweng. It’s at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa and you almost certainly won’t have seen it, precisely because it’s hidden away down one of those easily-overlooked turnings.

Drive up the beach road northwards out of Chaweng and turn right where you see the sign for the resort. Once you go down the hill, you'll find Olivio just to the left as the road bends round. There’s also a car park here, but you don’t really need to bring your car as Olivio offers a free round trip transfer for customers in the Chaweng area.

Walk through the hotel’s lush gardens and you'll come to the restaurant itself, housed in a large pavilion, open to the views of the sea; it’s one of the few Italian restaurants that are right by the beach. Come at night and you'll see the coast to the south, illuminated by necklaces of light – it’s a beautiful vista. Naturally there’s no need to be a resort guest; everyone’s invited. The staff at Olivio are extremely friendly and welcoming, and

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will make you feel very much at home. You don’t need to come for a full-scale meal either, as there are plenty of snacks and drinks on offer. Olivio specializes in Italian and Thai cuisine, and they're both excellent. With the restaurant being open since 2003, it’s naturally got a name for itself – an excellent one. Some of the dishes have been on the menu since the start. Take the excellent lasagne, which is done Toscana-style.

It lacks the heaviness of some lasagnes, but is filled with great taste - you'll love it.

But traditions aside, there’s always something new going on at Olivio, and things never stay quite the same; improvements are always possible and they like to be innovative. They’ve recently acquired a new sous-chef, Khun Arthom Wichatham, more usually known as Khun Tom. He was working at The Whale’s Belly in Bangkok when a diner tipped off Baan Haad Ngam’s owner that there was a brilliant chef at work there. The owner went along to taste his food and was instantly hooked, and made sure that Khun Tom was snapped up.

Chef Tom is an expert in French cuisine as well as Italian. At the time of going to press, he’s working on a new set dinner which will mix elements of both French and Italian cuisine.

He’s particularly good at dishes like confit of duck and osso bucco, and is sure to wow diners with the new additions to the menu.

But most items remain unchanged. Many Italians come here to eat, but it’s popular with all nationalities. A lot of people enjoy cappelli

d’angelo, or angel’s hair pasta, which is prepared with seafood, garlic and chilli. The pasta is made in the kitchen, from scratch.

Olivio don’t cut corners and also make their own fettuccini and ravioli as well as baking their own bread and cakes.

You'll also find plenty more on the menu, such as antipasti, soup, risotto, pasta, a variety of pizzas, meat dishes, as well as Thai salads, soups, curries and stir-fries. Desserts should be considered unmissable – just try the tiramisu for a memorably wonderful way to round off a meal.

If you're here at Olivio in the afternoon, you might want to avail yourself of the happy hour deal. It’s every day from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm, and for cocktails and beer it’s a buy one, get one free deal. Naturally, Olivio’s beachside setting makes it a prime spot to have a drink or two while you watch the sun set.

Olivio is now starting a Thai cooking class, where you can learn how to make a starter, soup, main dish and dessert. It’s held daily between midday and 2:00 pm, and includes a market tour, so you can see exactly what you'll need to make the dishes, and have fun choosing your own fruit and vegetables.

Olivio always has promotions too. This July, you can take advantage of their special lunch promotion (midday till 4:00 pm). It’s an Italian set lunch, and at 350 Baht (+7% VAT), it’s extremely affordable. You can enjoy garlic bread, cream of mushroom soup, linguine crab ragu

and for dessert, green apple tart. Or you can also have Olivio’s Somtam Set (Thai style papaya salad). Again the price is very affordable, just 250 Baht (+7% VAT), with the set including papaya salad, deep-fried chicken with sticky rice, and a dessert of either mango sticky rice or the restaurant’s Seasonal Mixed Fruit Plate.

As you can see, Olivio has a lot going for it. The setting, right by the sea, is decidedly beautiful.

This is a place to come if you’d like to dine well, and experience dishes that have wowed diners for over a decade, as well as some new ones courtesy of Chef Tom!

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 1500. www.baanhaadngam.com

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

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

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

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Krua Bophut

An Acquired Taste More strange foods from around the world.

There are some foods that even in their native country are considered euphemistically as an acquired taste. You can always spot these ones because of the large shot of alcohol that is recommended to accompany said dishes. For some of them I think you’d need more than one shot. To begin another of our journeys of strange foods around the world, let’s start with fish and other marine life.

Hákarl or Kæstur Hákarl: This is the national dish of Iceland, and is basically rotten Greenland or basking shark. The shark is gutted and the head removed, then the open carcass is placed in a shallow hole dug in the sand. Heavy stones are used to press the carcass down in order to remove the fluids from the body. The modern method is to press the shark meat in plastic containers. It’s left to ferment like this for six to twelve weeks. After this time, it’s cut into strips and hung up to dry for several months, after which it’s chopped into small chunks and usually served on toothpicks with a shot of the local spirit, brennivin. There are two varieties, the meat from the belly which is chewy and reddish, and then the soft, white meat from the body. Unlike most fish dishes, Greenland shark meat cannot be eaten fresh, as it’s highly poisonous due to the high urea content. The

dish has a pungent ammonia smell that, in itself, can make people gag before tucking in. But I’ll leave the last word on this food to famous chef Anthony Bourdain who described hákarl as, “the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing” he had ever eaten.

Surströmming: Continuing with fermented fish is the Swedish dish, surströmming, or fermented Baltic Sea herring. The herring are put in a strong brine solution for 20 hours, after which they’re gutted and their heads removed. They’re then placed in weaker brine, in barrels or plastic containers, and left to ferment in temperature-controlled rooms for a couple of months. After this process they are canned, but the fish continue to ferment in the cans, giving the cans their unique shape, with bulging, rounded tops. In fact, the cans have been banned by some airlines due to the potential danger of explosion. This is yet another of those dishes described as a delicacy and an acquired taste. It is suggested by some that the best accompaniment to this dish is a beer, while connoisseurs of surströmming state you can only really enjoy the dish with a glass of cold milk.

Either way it’s not for everyone, due to its vinegary taste, and a pungent rotten egg odour.

This odour alone is said to be gag inducing. In

Barracuda

1981, a landlord was taken to court for evicting his tenant after said tenant spilled surströmming brine in the stairwell of the apartment block.

After the landlord’s legal team opened a can of surströmming for the jury, they decided in his favour, citing that the other tenants could not reasonably be expected to live with this odour.

German food critic Wolfgang Fassbender wrote that "the biggest challenge when eating surströmming is to vomit only after the first bite, as opposed to before".

Shiokara: This is a Japanese delicacy that even some Japanese have a hard time with. It looks like a bowl of cold noodles in a brown sauce, but in fact it’s a variety of marine animals, chopped up and served in a brown paste of their own visceral parts - literally swimming in their own intestines. As if that wasn’t enough the dish is served raw. And in comes the alcohol again. It’s said to be best eaten in one gulp followed quickly by a shot of straight whiskey.

No surprise there. There are some bars in Japan that specialize in this dish. The most common variety is squid shiokara, or ika shiokara.

Shirako: Staying in Japan there’s shirako, the milt, or sperm sacs of male cod. The word ‘shirako’ means ‘white children.’ It's served in a

variety of ways, and you can find it in restaurants all over Japan, though many Japanese consider it an acquired taste. The texture is creamy, and the taste is mild with a slight sweetness.

Muktuk: This is a popular Inuit dish of whale blubber and skin that is typically eaten raw, but can also be deep-fried. As stomach-churning as it may sound this dish is a very good source of protein, Vitamin C and, of course, fat. It’s found all over Alaska and is best eaten during the whaling season in summer.

Fugu: There’s nothing gag-inducing about blowfish, or fugu, as it’s known in Japan, unless you really dislike fish. But the fact that it’s the most poisonous fish out there makes it something that has to appear on a list of strange foods. With the potential to kill you, it makes you wonder why people eat it. Is it the danger?

Or is it the taste? It’s extremely popular in Japan.

From experience I can say that it has a delicate taste. Was I hesitant to try it? Well yes. All fugu chefs in Japan must be highly trained and licensed, to ensure that all of the poison is removed. Though some chefs leave just a little to tingle and numb your lips ever so slightly. So maybe the thrill of eating this fish is the fact it

Magic Alambic Rum Distillery on Samui

Pure alcohol made from a selection of fine fruits and sugarcane. Taste before you buy at the Garden Bar.

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Nathon

Visit our restaurant La Route du Rum for delicious French-style cuisine in a relaxing setting.

Tel: 0 91 816 7416, 0 7741 9023 E-mail: ludovic.trantoul@gmail.com www.rhumdistillerie.com 16 www.siamwininganddining.com

Taling Ngam

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could turn out to be the last thing you ever do. I ate the fish at a restaurant where everything on the menu had fugu on it. Perhaps the strangest thing was not the food, but the ‘fugu cocktail’. It was a tall glass of hot sake, and placed on the rim of the glass, where there would normally be a slice of fruit, was the grilled fin of a fugu fish, with its oil dripping down into the sake and down the outside of the glass. Maybe that was the signature of that particular restaurant, I’m not sure, but after one or two of those glasses you seem to forget all about the possible poison on your plate.

To generalize a little, the casual-sounding words ‘it’s an acquired taste’ or ‘it’s a local delicacy’ can sometimes be the most daunting words that you’ll ever hear. Beware when people insist on offering you spirits to go with certain foods and above all, if you’re in a restaurant, check out the faces of the other diners. Are they watching you as you prepare to tuck in? If they start eyeing the door, perhaps you should do so, too.

Natalie Hughes

Better Than Sex!

Unless you’re in your teens, an evening’s dining at Chez François will make you adjust your priorities!

That caught your eye, didn’t it! But I’m serious.

As young adults, we’re just too busy. But, as we get older, life gets less hectic. We start to look for and enjoy the finer things that it brings. And so, on Samui, we eat. Sometimes rustic on the beach. Now and then, 5-star. Back home, we don’t do this so much; it’s too expensive for an everyday thing. But over here, we get to indulge. Samui spoils us. Restaurants are so affordable. We try them all, and then return to the best. We venture further afield – people talk about new places or we read things in magazines. But – no matter how great the food and how tip-top the service – in one way they’re all the same. You go, you sit, scan the menu, order and eat. Even with a Michelin-starred chef in a 5-star resort, this is what you do. But not at Chez François.

At the hub of all this is just one man – François Porté-Garcia. And, yes, he’s a 5-star gourmet chef. And he’s French (although you might not believe it when you hear him speak – his English is superb). He’s had the usual start small and work up history, but work his way up he did. He was born in France, in a town not far from Toulouse, and in the mid-1960s, he headed

off, as a novice chef, to try his luck in England.

He was there for three years, went away, worked in the Caribbean, came back and opened his own restaurant in Brighton. He was successful there for nine years, which explains why he still has a strong French accent yet can cuss like a Jamaican-cockney. Not that he ever does, of course!

The bottom line: he was headhunted. It takes something special to drag a successful chef, with his own busy restaurant, away and off to foreign parts. And, no, it wasn’t a question of needing to sell. He was made a princely offer from one of his regular customers. Who just happened to be a VIP in Dubai, at one of the most prestigious venues in The Emirates. François took his time. Then he made up his mind. He sold up and set off to parts foreign, as the executive chef at the world-famous Emirates Golf Club – where he remained for the next 22 years. Almost a lifetime. Certainly enough of François’ life for him to want to retire at the end of it.

He’d already taken holiday breaks in Thailand.

And when he reckoned it was time to hang up

his pans, that’s where he went. He took a nice little house in Hua Hin, not far south of Bangkok. He watched TV and went for long walks. And at the end of six months, he was bored and had started to knit.

degustation meal just for you, and each time it’ll be different. He’s the artist, and he’ll paint you an entire meal – all he’ll tell you beforehand is that it’s going to be four courses. (You’ll also get the chance to tell him your likes and dislikes.)

After such a long time in Dubai, he was in regular contact with his previous ‘boss’, now his good friend, who suggested that François might like to begin working again - in a mild kind of way. On Samui perhaps – it’s just the place for a unique dining experience. It was a choice – either knit scarves or return to what he loves.

Thus, François came to Samui.

Forget what you think about restaurants – this is unique. “I have no interest in making money,” François will tell you. “I do this because I love to cook. Sometimes I don’t even make a profit.

If I decide to use imported lobster because it fits, then I just do it. I need to see people’s faces light up in delight. If they take a few mouthfuls but show no love, then I’ll take them into the kitchen and we’ll cook a new dish together, just for them. It’s as simple as that!”

He has a restaurant here – ‘Chez François’. Well . . . it’s a place where he cooks and you eat. But it’s like no other restaurant on the island. It’s essentially a house with a big front room and a kitchen attached. There’s no chalkboard of specials or romantic dining on the beach.

There’s not even a menu. The concept is ‘Chef’s Table’. And there is a table, a big one, which seats ten people. Plus François in the kitchen, together with one youngster scuttling back and forth with pots and plates. You book – he cooks. That’s it. He’ll make a world-class

Take a step back and think about this. Most restaurants need a profit. They submit their costings to the food and beverage department, and then have to adjust the menu to cut out dishes that aren’t so popular. Here, there’s no menu and no accounting. If you don’t have a culinary orgasm, you’ll get another dish to try (just don’t ask for sous-vide vacuum slow-cooked ostrich or else you’ll be staying overnight). It’s the most sensual, most enjoyable,

way to eat gourmet food known to mankind.

And it’s in Fisherman’s Village, Samui.

Sex? It’s what drives young people insane. But grown-ups, being wiser and calmer, have more choices than their kids do – and one of them is food! Thus if you can look Chef François in the eye and tell him you’d rather have sex than eat in his restaurant . . . well, then, you’ll hear him swear at you in fluid, colloquial and very explicit English – with a very big grin and a strong French lilt!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 960 711 800.

www.siamwininganddining.com 17

The Wine Page Romantic Roman whites - the feminine side of Italian wine.

I have long been a proponent of Italian red wines. I’m in love with Barolo and Barbaresco.

And the masculine red wines from Tuscany, comprised of mostly Sangiovese, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah grapes, also float my boat. But more recently, I have been exploring the more gentile, feminine side of Italian wine. And there are some gorgeous, delicate and charming examples to be found. Despite a brief encounter with extra dry Prosecco, I am, possibly, finding this out a little late. Talking to fellow wine lovers, it seems that it’s no longer news that Italy makes great white wines. But my reservations can be partly excused. I am old enough to remember the bad old days, when the Italian white wines tended to be insipid mass-marketed brands, or campy contrived bottles. But since then, a revival has introduced the world to wonderful selections from the Valle d’Aoste at the farthest reaches of Italy’s northwest, from Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the extreme northeast, from Sicily at the southernmost end, and from just about everywhere in between.

Not least among the excellent whites pouring forth from Italy, is Soave. A name perhaps a

Manathai Koh Samui 18 www.siamwininganddining.com

little too well known for its own good. In a seemingly perverse twist of reverse snobbery, popular wines that have transcended to generic shorthand, like Sancerre, Soave and Pinot Grigio, get little respect because of their commercial success. With a wine like Soave, it’s hard to justify the scepticism. But in the case of Pinot Grigio, perhaps the attitude is more justified. Sometimes, it’s awfully hard to find the good stuff amid all the dross. Although it’s definitely out there, Pinot Grigio styles can vary, from light bodied and fairly straightforward, to rich and complex wines that are almost overwhelming in their seductiveness. It’s well worthwhile doing some research, and reading some tasting notes about a particular bottle before buying.

Unlike Pinot Grigio, which is the name of a grape that can essentially come from anywhere in Italy, Soave is an actual place, in the northeastern province of Veneto. And the best examples of Soave can be outstandingly clean and fresh. Even though it’s a plain, dry white wine, made from the local Garganega grape, and usually blended with Trebbiano.

Contemporary winemakers maintain that by drastically reducing the amount of Trebbiano,

Samui Ring Road

Lamai

and renewing their focus on Garganega. Wines of greater character and intensity result. It’s difficult to characterize Soave in any really exciting way. And yet it clearly has something, like a particularly soft texture, that singles it out from many other white wines, and makes it memorable. Oddly, its plainness can be an advantage, especially when matching with food.

Going further into Italy’s northeast corner, you come to a region famous for its white wines.

The assortment of tempting white wine varieties in Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige encompass everything from international superstars like Chardonnay, to obscure cult classics like Vitovska, and feminine wine traits ranging from gregarious and voluptuous, to strict and unyieldingly dominant. And they are not cheap.

There is strong demand from both home and international markets, for these aromatic, naturally balanced and crystalline white wines.

These regions sit at the intersection of Latin, Slavic and Germanic cultures, and they share traditions, and expertise, that extend beyond the Italian winemaking experience. Sophisticated techniques are used, like extended skin contact, lees aging and bâtonnage - a French term for stirring the lees during the aging and maturation

Telephone 0 7745 8560-4

of wine. This creates rare and complex white wines that are unrivalled elsewhere in Italy. In addition, natural factors contribute to their uniqueness. Alto Adige and Trentino host some of Europe’s highest-altitude vineyards, 700 meters or more above sea level, nestled between the peaks of the Dolomites. Cool night-time temperatures allow for slow maturing fruit and heightened aromatics. The soils, rich in calcium and magnesium carbonates, add to the complexity and elegance of the wines. Many of the varieties planted here, like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, have been selected for their aromatic appeal. Meanwhile, grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, are valued for their superior textures.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia sits at lower elevations, a land of gentle, rolling hills and fertile valleys.

The main wine areas here, Colli Orientali del Friuli and Friuli Grave, offer even more indigenous grapes, like Friulano, Riballa and Verduzzo. And Friulano is a grape I would single out for particular attention, particularly if you have never tried it before. It’s among Italy’s best indigenous white grapes. In 2007, its name was famously changed from Tocai Friulano to Friulano, to avoid conflict with Hungary’s Tokaji

www.manathai.com

(pronounced “Tookare”, similar to the creepy sticky lizards, which like to inhabit rafters in Thailand.) Although the transition wasn’t smooth, most Italian wine enthusiasts now accept Friulano as a powerful statement on the winemaking prowess of Friuli, the region after which it’s named. The best examples have golden colours, display sweet white peach aromas, and an all-round aromatic intensity.

Indeed, a match made in heaven, is Friulano with sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele, fresh Italian tomatoes and pungent, aged cheeses like Montasio, the creamy local cheese.

Finally, with your kind permission, I would like to cement the theme of Italian white wine being delicate, feminine, and diva-like in nature, with a quote from Marco Del Piccolo, winemaker at Conti Formentini in Friuli: “Friulano is our Meryl Streep, because her range extends from a housewife in The Bridges of Madison County, to Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.”

Peter James

Opening Times 10am – 1am

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort

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

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

STAR

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

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs.

The Height

Sun Deck

Wine and Cigar Lounge

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

Open: 17.00-22.30hrs.

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

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

Open:18.00-22.30hrs.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs

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

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Monday - Cowboy Steak Night Assorted BBQ Meat Buffet Entertainment: The Barge Band Tuesday, Friday and Saturday Lobster Basket Set: 3,300 for 2 persons Seafood Basket Set: 2,300 for 2 persons Inclusive of Salad, Soup and Side dishes Entertainment: Duo Band Wednesday - Hawaiian Seafood Night Variety of Fresh Seafood & BBQ Meat Buffet Entertainment: Polynesian Dance and The Barge Band Sunday Chef Creation Set Dinner and A La Carte Menu

No visit to Samui is complete until you have dined at The Barge

Rice Barge Authentic Thai Cuisine

Fine Beach & Hillside Dining at Samui's Newest Venue Quality Thai, Seafood & International Dishes The Ultimate Samui Dining Experience!

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

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

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

Price THB 850 per person.

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

Fruit Carving Class Price THB 1,500 per person. Inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate.

Daily Happy Hour Beverages Special offer 50% off (Except wine, Corona beer, all spirits by the bottle) Pool Bar 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm & 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm. Prasuthon Restaurant 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm.

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

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

Thai menu THB 5,000 per couple.

International menu THB 6,000 per couple.

Advance reservation required

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

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