October 2015.

Seafood Beach BBQ Buffet, Mondays & Thursdays NEW DISHES AVAILABLE

SAMUI

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OCTOBER 2015

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

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Samui’s Rise and Rise From simple rice dishes to international gourmet cuisine, the food on Samui keeps on getting better.

Samui has taken a while to become the place you see today, and it’s been through all the stages of development from unknown backwater to a world-class tourist destination.

The food has also evolved to become a gourmet’s dream. You'll love how eating is incorporated into island life, just about everywhere you care to look. This is because

Thais love food, and it’s an essential part of their culture.

It may be small, but Samui certainly is a food and beverage powerhouse, and its chefs are easily on par with those in Bangkok. They pack a punch when it comes to cooking – and there are many different varieties of cuisine to try

out. That’s apart from the ever popular Thai, that many visitors want to learn to cook for themselves.

Browse the pages of our October edition and you'll see there’s plenty on offer when it comes to eating. Not only are you spoiled for choice but the quality of dining is excellent. Enjoy!

SAMUI

Graeme Malley Editor

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

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

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

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

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A drink from Paradise...available on Earth

Located at Tesco Lotus Chaweng, Tesco Lotus Lamai and Central Festival 2

www.siamwininganddining.com

Cruise to Coast There’s a little patch of indulgence in the middle of Chaweng – its name is Coast.

We’re in a golden age – when it comes to food and drink, that is. We’ve trudged through decades of frosty formality. Crawled through the doldrums of indecision. And now, finally, emerged into the sunshine of a new dining age. At one time quality dining was stiff with ritual, and cost the earth. But now, if you catch a sight of Silver Service, it’s quite likely to be set on the beach or under the stars. And, hand in hand with these new heights of quality informality, the spirit of accessibility has emerged. Fine dining is no longer for the few, and has become the playground of the many – an equality of quality has occurred.

There are few than can conjure this cornucopia with more élan than Coast Beach Bar & Grill. The name itself is comparatively new; the layout having been re-shaped, re-modelled and re-invented from a previously existing corner of a paragon of Samui hospitality, the prestigious Centara Grand Beach Resort down at the southern end of Chaweng Beach Road. That name might not be familiar to you, but the brand (Central) is one of the nation’s foremost megaliths, also being responsible for our own Central Festival shopping mall. And this company spent a long time thinking and planning to revitalise the concept and presence of its luxurious Samui resort. The result - Coast.

Coast is a winner in every way. Parking at Centara Grand is a dream anyway. But head over to the right-hand side of the car park. The signpost for Coast is clear to see. You’ll meander through the lush grounds for a moment. Then you’ll come across the wooden decking leading into Coast. And the whole sunny vista will open out in front of you. It’s all very cunningly designed and laid out. A large central area that edges onto the beach has been broken into different areas and levels, with a series of very attractive modern canopied spaces in the middle.

There are actually four buildings around the edge, all of them clean, white and very Mediterranean in feel. The open-sided bar features some very chic hanging seats, and this is next to a lower beach level with rows of modern scooped daybeds, each in their own little niche.

They’ve actually brought the beach further inside, and there’s another cosy sitting area with soft white sand where you don’t expect it! Plus there are two separate air-conditioned dining rooms with walls of opening glass doors, if they’re needed.

All these things in combination – the styling and the feel of the place – are just fabulous. It’s bright and airy in the daytime and warm and mellow with its nighttime glow. And the food? Well, it’s world class. There are several key stations dotted purposefully about; an air-conditioned wine and cheese room, that glass-sided lounge, and an air-conditioned pizzeria and grill room. Plus there’s an outside BBQ section with a specially imported gigantic gas-fired barbecue grill – one of only two in all of Thailand. Needless to say, this is all in addition to the outdoor seating areas already mentioned. There’s an enviable à la carte menu that is always available, and there are different themes and events running every evening.

Guido Campigotto is the General Manager at Coast. “Our guests are our life blood,” he remarked. “But of equal importance are the people who live and work here. If you’re only with us for a week, then you’ll enjoy splashing your money around for a one-time event. But residents have to be more thoughtful. So not only have we made all our prices realistically affordable for everyone, but we are offering a resident’s discount of 25% on top of that, running through to the start of the high season in December. This isn’t some kind of beach club for the carefree young and trendy – we’re thinking about families, too. And that’s why we have a kiddies’ club and nannies for some of our more popular happenings.”

And by far the most acclaimed of these is the Family Brunch that runs every Sunday from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. There are three different price formats; the basic one lets you loose on the gourmet offerings, the next price also includes free-flow selected wines, beers and cocktails, and for only 1,000 baht more, you’ll additionally get a bottle of Veuve Cliquot thrown in. Wandering passadors circulate, offering a never-ending food

fest, there’s that kiddies’ club for the little ones, and you’re welcome to use the pool or the beach and the sun loungers (towels included). Music is soft and mellow and the atmosphere is just so tranquil. And with that resident’s discount card, this pinnacle of 5-star Sunday indulgence kicks in at just 1,200 baht.

But the following evening (and every Monday night) is proving to be something of a crowd puller, too. That’s when Coast runs its ‘Little Black Dress Party’. The offer here is simple enough: ladies wearing the aforementioned get to eat for free, and at 9:00 pm, one winner is selected. The fun comes when each of the black dresses is asked to explain why she thinks she should win. Every time it’s a different set-up and great fun, as Guido is an entertaining and outgoing MC. Every evening is a new day! There’s something on the go each night, and for full details of current events, check their comprehensive Facebook presence. Also worthy of mention is the ‘Italian Aperitivo’ that’s held each Thursday.

It’s essentially a running buffet of Italian antipasti, 15 different dishes in all. It’s a kind of . . . very happy hour, running from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

But in this case you order a drink and you get a plate of food, free. It’s a “ . . . very Milanese event,” as Guido will be more than pleased to explain to you.

The barriers are down and its truly a place that upholds ‘the quality of equality’ It’s accessible and affordable, and one of the island’s most happening places – as you’ll discover for yourself when you cruise across to Coast!

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

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

Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.

Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort 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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Holy Halibut, Batman!

From holy to truly wholesome, the strange story of the fish with the wandering eyes For those oldies among us who remember the Batman TV series, one of the iconic phrases of a surprised Robin to his buddy was, “Holy mackerel, Batman.” But perhaps it should have been, “Holy halibut” instead. Okay, granted it doesn't have the same pizzazz but it would certainly be more accurate. The name halibut is derived from Middle English ‘haly’ (holy) and ‘butte’ (flat fish). This was because it was deemed by Christians to be a sacred fish, and was often prepared and served on religious holidays in medieval Europe.

In the past, halibut provided subsistence for several Alaskan native coastal areas and tribes of the Pacific Northwest, with much folklore surrounding the fish. In the creation myths of some Kwakiutl tribes, their first ancestor was transformed from a halibut into a man. To the Haida tribespeople, halibut are a symbol of prosperity. And in some tribes each fish hook used was carved with special designs to bring good luck and large fish. In Norway meanwhile, depictions of fishermen carved into the rocks have been found alongside very explicit carvings of a sexual nature. It has been suggested that for these northern tribes, the way to ensure a good catch was to have sexual intercourse the night

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before fishing. Something that it’s perhaps best not to think about as you eat your next halibut meal.

So what exactly are these extraordinary fish that have spawned such myths? The halibut is the largest of all flat fish, and can grow up to an astonishing eight feet and weigh 700 pounds.

Halibut weighing more than 100 pounds are often called whales, soakers, or even barn doors, while smaller halibut, less than 20 pounds, are often called chickens. Halibut live a long time.

Females grow faster and live longer than males.

The oldest recorded female was 42 years old and the oldest male 27 years old.

The eyes of the halibut are to be found on both sides of the head when the fish is first born and they swim upright. But then, within six months, the left eye of the halibut migrates to the right side and the fish becomes a bottom dweller, swimming horizontally along the bottom of the ocean. The upper side of the fish is a mottled brown colour, camouflaging it against the sandy bottom, while the underside of the fish is a whitish colour that is ideal for blending in well with the sky when viewed from below. The halibut is an opportunistic feeder and eats

anything that will fit into its mouth, such as crab, small fish, shrimp and even other halibut. It has only a few natural predators: the sea lion, the killer whale and the salmon shark.

Halibut has been fished for centuries, at first on a subsistence level from small boats, because reeling in a big fish could result in capsizing the boat. Commercial fishing of halibut in Northern America and Alaska began in the 1890’s. Halibut is found in waters off the coast of the United States, Canada, Russia, and Japan. However halibut do not reproduce until they are eight years old, when they are approximately 76 cm in length, so capture of any fish below this length is internationally forbidden since it would prevent breeding, and it is against regulations supporting sustainability. Therefore today, all commercial fishing is regulated by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, which meets every year to review the regulations and to decide on a sustainable quota for the number of halibut caught.

Sport fishing for halibut is extremely popular, and some say it’s an experience you’ll never forget. To have a huge 100 pound fish fighting you on the end of fishing line is quite

something. It can also be profitable, by the way, with money being paid for the best catches. The Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby is the longest running of all the contests and has the biggest pay out in Alaska.

As a food it’s extremely popular due to its delicate sweet taste, snow white colour and firm yet flaky meat. But not only is it great tasting, it’s extremely good for you, boasting a high protein to fat ratio. And the tiny amount of fat that you will find in a fillet is the good fat, omega-3, that will help lower your risk of heart disease and promote overall wellness. Halibut is also rich in essential nutrients, especially magnesium which improves blood flow and distribution of nutrients to the body.

When buying halibut look for white glossy flesh and avoid any fillets or steaks that have a dull, yellowish or dried-out look. Halibut also retains moisture well when frozen. It can be cooked in a variety of ways such as frying, grilling, broiling, roasting or steaming, but the lean meat soon dries out if it’s overcooked.

There’s no doubt that you already know that you can buy halibut in fillets and steaks. And the

experts among you may even know that you can buy the large fillets known as fletches (there are four fletches to one fish). But how about halibut cheeks? These are the parts just behind the eyes.

At one time these were discarded, but now they are considered a delicacy amongst connoisseurs, and are more expensive than other parts of the fish due to their sweet taste, though they are stringier in consistency. Each cheek will range in size from two to four centimetres in width, and for a more mature fish from five to 13 centimetres.

If you thought that a fish was just a fish then the halibut may make you think again. The myths and legends that grew around this giant fish added a certain mystique to it. In the modern age that aspect is all but forgotten, but for sheer size, versatility and healthy properties, halibut is a great fish to have on your plate.

Natalie Hughes

Cutting Edge Cooking Class Learn to cook Thai dishes at Nora Beach Resort & Spa and you’ll have the best possible souvenir to take home.

The ultimate holiday souvenir perhaps isn’t an object that’ll collect dust on a mantelpiece but a take-home skill. Something that’ll always bring back the sunny coastlines and carefree days of your holiday on Samui, but which can be rendered time and time again as a superb lunch or dinner that’ll bring pleasure to family and friends. Increasingly, many holidaymakers are going back home with the knowledge of how to make some of Thailand’s best loved dishes. Thai cooking isn’t inordinately difficult, though is best learned from the hands of maestros who can pass on the knowledge they’ve acquired over decades.

All over Samui, there are hotels and restaurants where you can take time to learn how to make Thai dishes that’ll stand you in good stead when you don your apron at home. It’s a hands-on affair, nothing academic about it. A bit like watching a cookery show on TV, except this time the cook’s right in front of you. Your job is simply to copy what he or she does, and by doing so you'll soon get the hang of how to make highly tasty dishes.

At Nora Beach Resort & Spa, an experienced sous-chef’s in charge of the cooking class, Khun Walai Tubtavee, more affectionately known as Khun Paula. She’s an affable person who takes her time with each of her students. She’s able to cook both Thai and international dishes, but for the cooking class, it’s Thai cuisine that she’ll show you how to prepare. She’s a highly trusted figure at Nora Beach, as she has been with the resort for over ten years. She started cooking when she was young, learning wherever she could, often letting magazines inspire her and gradually honing her craft.

The classes take place at the resort’s restaurant, Prasuthon. You may well be thinking that you'll be indoors, in the kitchen, surrounded by lots of aluminium shelving and hidden away out of sight. But this isn’t the case; all the classes are held right in the open on the terraces of the restaurant. It’s a beautiful setting with views out to the beach just a few metres away and the island of Koh Matlang, just out to sea. It certainly

beats learning cooking indoors in an urban setting back home. By the way, Nora Beach couldn’t be easier to find: simply head north out of Chaweng along the beach road, go past Samui International Hospital, and you'll see it just over a kilometre later, on your right.

You'll arrive at the class to find that everything you need has been prepared for you. Each person has a portable gas burner, utensils, and the ingredients are all ready for use; they've been cut and chopped and placed in small covered bowls. Which brings me to the next point; as you may know already, one of the best things about Thai cooking is that mostly everything’s still made from scratch. This means that you don’t start with ingredients that are already processed. It’s all about working with natural flavours and then balancing them till they're just right.

If you make a mistake, don’t worry, as Khun Paula will show you how to proceed. And by the way, you won’t end up with a poor imitation of what an expert can do – mirroring her steps, you'll have dishes that are restaurant standard.

Even though Thai cuisine has stayed close to its centuries-old roots and traditions, the modern age has thoroughly embraced it, without trying to change it, and it’s popular everywhere. So you can now find Thai ingredients in Asian supermarkets the world over. Once, you might have taken a Thai cooking class, knowing that once back home, half the ingredients would be hard, if not impossible, to find. That’s no longer the case. Once you've completed the class, you'll be able to head for the Thai section of your local Asian supermarket with confidence.

Basically, you'll be cooking an appetizer, a soup and a main course. The appetizer could be salmon with mango salad, chicken satay, or the Golden Three (a fried starter of scallops, prawns and crab). For the soup you might cook chicken in coconut milk or spicy prawn. And for mains, there are favourites such as pad Thai, chicken massaman or chicken penang.

Classes are held daily, and run from 1:00 pm and last an hour, winding down at 2:00 pm, by which time you'll have prepared a thoroughly Thai three-course meal, which you can now eat.

Learning to cook Thai is definitely a skill worth taking home. And it’d certainly be hard to come up with a more profitable way to spend an hour or so of your holiday.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeachresort.com

You'll need to phone ahead to reserve your place at the cooking class. A day’s notice will suffice. Groups are kept small, with roughly six people at any one time. The minimum number says Khun Paula, is just one person – yes, she’s happy to go ahead if there’s even a single student. There's a cooking class program that’s roughly adhered to, with a different menu for each day of the week, but at Nora Beach they’re happy to make exceptions when it’s possible.

Located in the beautiful Fisherman’s Village on Bophut Beach.

Our experienced chefs proudly present authentic Thai cuisine and Southern Thai dishes. Fresh seafood is a must with great quality at reasonable prices.

Enjoy the tranquility of the beach, the twinkling stars and the whispering waves along with the beautiful music. A superb dining experience and great memories.

Fisherman’s Village

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

Free Parking available at The

Wharf!!

www.siamwininganddining.com 5

Cocking a Tail

Cocktails range from fun to functional, but some of today’s trends will blow your socks off!

Someone once said that there are only two sorts of cocktails – the ones that work, and the ones that don’t. But, today, the whole business of cocktails has gone a bit extreme. On the one hand, the old grannies are sipping the same kind of Bloody Mary they’ve been enjoying for the last half-century. While at the trendy beach club, they’re all giggling coyly at what they’re getting – because the drinks all have names you can’t repeat in front of your mother. And then, somewhere between the two, chemical engineers are working on ways to freeze alcohol, or make clouds of gas taste like pandanus juice.

Even trying to work out where the name itself comes from causes headaches. Somewhere down the line is a story about French soldiers in one of the wars against the British, sometime around the end of the 1700s, celebrating a victory by raiding the local henhouse. The ensuing festivities included mixing up whatever alcohol was left, whereupon the tavern owner got into the spirit of things, and cheerfully started stuffing handfuls of cock feathers in each glass.

A more sober anecdote relates to one Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a New Orleans apothecary, who served medicinal brandy mixed with bitters in eggcups, in the late 18th century. The French word for eggcup is ‘coquetier’, and was pronounced in the everyday English of the time as ‘cocktay’. Another one that seems plausible was the habit of innkeepers to chuck all the slops and drippings from the beer taps (the ‘tailings’) into one big jug, the contents of which was later sold off cheap to those in need. This makes sense when you realise that the spigot from which the beer flowed was known as a ‘cock’. But what we actually do know is that in 1862, a bartenders’ guide was published in America that, in addition to listings of recipes for a variety of mixed drinks, listed 10 recipes for drinks referred to as ‘cocktails’.

I rather suspect that your personal view of cocktails depends very much on your age. Those of us of more advanced years have become content to chug along with the basics. Names like G & Ts, Vodka-Martinis, Piña Coladas and Whiskey Manhattans are all known, trusted and loved. A couple of retired shopkeepers from Stuttgart might chuckle socially at having a ‘Screaming Orgasm’, but would draw the line at shouting across a crowded bar to order one.

It all has a lot to do with marketing. When the first theme restaurants appeared in California, they were seen as a new idea, and good clean fun that attracted the touring hordes. But a couple of generations later they were ten-a-penny and far too dull. So the new themes had to be verging on the outrageous to draw sensation-seeking customers from the newly emergent video generation. Thus it was with cocktails, too. Vodka with some kind of fruit juice once used to be called a Vodka Collins, a Screwdriver or a Twister. But how much more attention-grabbing if you add peach schnapps and call it Sex on the Beach instead. Or add coffee liqueur, and it’s suddenly a totally modern Screaming Orgasm. Just the thing if you’re on a

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gap year away from home (very daring!) or an aging ex-18 – 30 clubber (boring, but give me another one).

And, like all new and challenging things, after a while we all adjusted to it and they all become totally normal. Which (he wrote with a shudder) makes the cycle begin all over again with even more extreme – dare I say ‘blasphemous’ (it’s almost a medieval sentiment today) – names, that even hard-nosed newspaper reviewers have to spell with lots of asterisks. The Anus Burner, made with chillies for instance. The Duck Fart (whiskey, coffee, cream). The Leg Spreader, with tequila vodka gin and rum. And then all the expected ones that exploit that done-to-death little Anglo Saxon word meaning ‘to copulate’ – F**ed by a Rockstar; F** Me in the A** Sideways; Death by Cluster F**, and on and on and on, sounding like the mumbled soundtrack of a bad recording by a well-stoned rapper. At least the flatulent duck had a touch of wit in him.

And, sadly, that’s about it, as far as us ordinary day-to-day folks are concerned. It’s a choice between the old people’s home and fashionably-mindless obscenity. However . . . away on the horizon, at the cutting edge of gastronomic mixology, some serious advances are being made. For example, it’s now become practical to freeze alcohol (at something like -30˚C) so that, instead of diluting your cocktail, the flavour is actually enhanced as the ‘ice’ melts (but it may be best to keep your lips on the outside . . .).

Molecular mixology equipment ranges from simple blowtorches to vacuum chambers, ISI Whips, sous-vide machines, candyfloss makers, liquid nitrogen canisters, rotary evaporators, dehydrators and so on. The end result is that leather and cigar flavours and aromas pervade, and powdered cocktails, cocktail gums, paper cocktails, solid cocktails, cocktail marshmallows and glasses filled with candy floss are all now on the drinks menus of the hippest bars of New York, Hong Kong and London. And you’ll revel in the crossover of nibbles and high-class booze when you get stuck into White Russian Krispies, Earl Grey Martini, Johnny Bee Good, Bramble Gel and Kandy Korn Shooters, amongst many others.

However, if all this deep trendiness is making you feel just a little bit weary, and possibly longing for a shot of reality, we’ve got the answer. Get yourself over to Drink Gallery in the middle of Chaweng. Yes, the cocktail menu is right up there with the best, and custom-commissioned from a renowned mixologist. But you’ll find the drinks are on the correct side of insane, come in all sorts of glasses and tubs, and are terrifically tasty as well as affably affordable. Oh – and to round off where we came in – these are the sort of cocktails that most definitely do ‘work’. Trust me, I’m a writer.

Take it easy getting home!

Rob De Wet

Heavy Duty Boncafe has it all wrapped up – from household machines to the ones which keep going all day!

Many of you reading this won’t know the name.

But ‘Boncafe’ has been the word for ‘coffee’ in Thailand for many years now. Unlike discount stores and hypermarkets, Boncafe is also able to run a full service and maintenance schedule. And that means anyone who has a machine that’s sprung a leak, right through to a 24-hour callout for heavy-duty users such as coffee houses and big hotels. In fact, the chances are that every time you’ve had a coffee while you’ve been over here, it’s had the Boncafe name on it somewhere: either in the excellent blended beans they offer, or via that gleaming chrome machine behind the counter.

Boncafe has been around since the early 1960s, although it started up in Singapore. At that time, it wasn’t possible to find good roast and ground coffee. And so, after a frustrating evening trying to find a place to chat over a good ‘cuppa Joe’, resident and businessman, Werner Huber, did some digging around and began to import and blend Arabica and Robusta beans. In 1962, he set up a processing company, although it was nothing much to look at – a kind of big shed with a blending and roasting line inside, and just four staff. But it was an immediate success and the company expanded. It issued shares and spread into Malaysia. And then onto Hong Kong and Australia. And in 1993, Boncafe Thailand Ltd. set up a huge processing plant in Chonburi Province. Since then, it’s become Thailand’s biggest coffee company, with the memorable slogan, ‘Swiss quality Thai elegance’.

Samui has its own Boncafe outlet and service centre, which means you won’t need to wait for weeks to get your machine fixed. It’s located right on the ring-road, heading away from Chaweng, just past the traffic lights by Fisherman’s Village, on the left hand side. There’s a nice little area outside with tables and chairs, and a glass-fronted showroom alongside displaying some serious hardware. Plus a big workshop around the back.

And one of the most pleasant things about this set-up is that anyone can sit and sample any of the different coffees while they decide on what to buy, or even check out the teas and choco-drinks.

Sitting back and looking at everything analytically, the elements here are three-fold.

Firstly, there are the consumables. The coffee blends alone will surprise you - in addition to the gourmet ‘Premium Blends’ (and there’s four of them) there’s another five ‘Classic Blends’, and these double-up as either beans or ready-ground.

And then there are the pods and the capsules that go together with different types of machines. Oh – and instant coffee, too.

doesn’t happen, as one of the options on their service contracts is an immediate replacement machine while the dead one is being fixed.

And, talking of heavy-duty applications, now Boncafe have gone one step further. For a long time they have stocked a limited range of industrial coffee machines which are engineered to withstand the rigours of knocking out up to 400 cups of coffee every hour. These machines are some of the sturdiest in the world and crafted in Italy, Switzerland or Germany. But now they are offering an order service from a wide range of renowned coffee juggernauts. There are machines from the Swiss Jura range (as endorsed by Roger Federer!), and from the world-famous Italian name of Saeco, plus the German precision-made WMF – all the Rolls Royces of the coffee world.

The plan is for you to browse through their new catalogue, and then negotiate the ordering of the one that takes your fancy. The huge advantage, of course, is that this will then come will a full service and maintenance contract from Boncafe – no need to ship it back to Europe if it needs a new water hose.

The WMF 1500s in particular is outstanding at the top of the company’s range. It’s fully automatic. It has a state-of-the-art computerised touch-screen settings display. It pre-heats the cups to a pre-set temperature. It has programmable cold milk, hot milk, or hot milk-foam settings, with a percentage adjustment. There are two hoppers for the coffee, so that individual grounds can be inserted and/or blended. And there are eight beverage buttons on six different levels so that you can program-in a total of 48 permutations. Not only that, but it also has a database function that allows you to store and later replicate your own beverage recipes, together with photo-images and notes. There’s even a built-in digital instruction manual. If you think of it as a sleek, slim, gloss back coffee machine connected to your computer, you’re on the right lines.

It’s a real heavyweight, although you wouldn’t guess so from the sleek design. But it’s totally solid, and guaranteed to deliver the goods, day after day, week after week. Set it up, program it, and forget it. And it’s just one of the heavy-duty gems available to order, courtesy of Thailand’s very own Boncafe!

Rob De Wet For more information, telephone 0 7742 7486-7. www.boncafe.co.th

And there’s an entire range of teas and syrups and juices and cordials, all aimed at the catering industry. In the main, these are intended to add flavour to shakes and frappes or liqueurs (with or without coffee). There’s Bon Chocolate and Bon Fruit Tea mixes. And the existing range of ‘Bon Juice’ has been extended to include orange and pineapple. They’ve also recently added a new range of Lyons products that are being specially imported from America. There are ice-cream and hot fudge syrup toppings, fruit concentrates, and even cans of real fruit pie fillings.

The next element here is the full servicing, maintenance and repair facility. Which leads us onto the third element of the Boncafe ethos - the hardware. It all sounds quite industrial so far, but don’t forget that their customer-base extends right the way from you and your family buying a couple of bags of beans a month, up to commercial users who need to keep a busy restaurant or kitchen running with the minimum of machine downtime. Imagine a resort with 200 guests and no coffee at breakfast because the machine is having an off day. With Boncafe, this

Manathai Koh Samui

Samui Ring Road

Lamai

Telephone 0 7745 8560-4

www.manathai.com

Opening Times 10am – 1am www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Meals on Wheels A look at some of the delicious street food you can find on Samui.

You may not know it, but the original Thai greeting was not ‘Sawadee’. That came along after World War Two. The original greeting was, ‘gin khao reu yang?’ which literally translated means ‘eaten rice yet?’ If you have Thai friends, or spend enough time in the country, you’ll realise that it’s a question that still gets asked a lot. It was one of the first phrases I learnt in Thai. And it sums up the Thai culture, one where food is a major part of outdoor life. So it’s no surprise that there are a myriad of street stalls, from those that appear on the sides of the streets with their plastic stools and fold out metal tables to the roving vendors with their carts.

Some of the most popular stalls focus on barbecued chicken and somtam (papaya salad).

These often start very early in the morning selling the barbecued chicken on a stick with bags of sticky rice to the labourers and school children who are all up at that time. The chicken is cooked there on a large open grill.

You may also find fish being grilled alongside the chicken. If you order only chicken on a stick you’ll have a choice of different parts of the chicken from leg to breast to liver and heart. All of them will be served to you in a plastic bag that will also be filled with fresh cabbage leaves and green beans.

Lunch time in Thailand generally starts around 11:00 am so these places can be quite busy for a second time then. If you order papaya salad,

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make it clear just how spicy you’d like the salad to be. If you want to try an authentic Thai style papaya salad that usually means a generous handful of chillies, so you have been warned.

You can also see vendors selling barbecued chicken and papaya salad from carts that they drive through the streets. They grill the meat on a small grill that they have secured onto the side of the cart, with the meat cuts displayed in a glass case at the side of the bike. On Samui, street food naturally extends to beach food, so if you’re on one of the major beaches, you may spot a person walking along with a portable grill, setting up shop wherever she finds customers.

You can find a lot of places that have prepared food on offer, with large vats of soup with a leg of pork, or steamed chicken hanging in glass cabinets, or large metal pots of curries. All of the prepared food is made fresh that day in the early morning. Just make your choice and you’ll be handed your dish. You can take your plate to one of the tables that have been set out and sit on one of the plastic stools. You’ll be given a plastic glass or perhaps tin mug which will be filled with ice and you help yourself to the water in the pot that’s on your table. This is free. If you’d prefer a bottle of water you’ll be charged. You may also see a plate of green vegetables which are there for everyone to take and enjoy with their meal. You may have to share your table with someone - this is very

normal - but you don’t have to start up a conversation, it’s not expected.

Snacking is a mainstay of Thai culture and their term for it is ‘play eating’ or ‘khong kin len’.

And that is really how they view it, that it should be fun. You can see this most in the number of stalls that sell nibbles on sticks, everything from pork balls to dried squid. It is all cut up into bite size pieces and served in a bag with a few leaves of cabbage to balance out all the oil used in making them. On Samui you can see these places most often at temple fairs, where they usually have the food displayed on metal trays. You take the sticks you’d like and place them on a plate that they’ve given you.

They will then be deep fried again and you’ll be a choice of sweet or spicy sauce that will come in yet another small plastic bag. Nathon’s evening food market has many such stalls and is very popular with locals and tourists alike. You can also see them at the night markets known as walking streets around the island.

An all-day favourite on the snacking front though has to be fruit, and the fruit vendors in Samui are to be found on the beach as well as the street. There’s no better way to combat the heat of the day than a slice of fruit. The vendors are truly skilled in preparing the fruit. They deftly peel, cut and dice the fruit of your choice, whether that’s pineapple, mango, or watermelon, and hand it to you in a plastic bag with bamboo skewer to eat it with. Small bags

of sugar, salt and chilli serve as a dip, great to replenish the body of its nutrients during a day in the heat.

To truly combat the effects of dehydration nothing can compare to the coconut. The fruit vendors also sell these. But you can also find the fresh coconuts at drink stalls dotted around the island. The tops of the coconuts are shaped into points and then when you order one, the top is hacked off and you can enjoy the fresh coconut juice through a straw. You’ll also be given a spoon to eat the flesh of the coconut with.

Drinks on the go are another staple of Thai culture and you can find many places along the sides of the road of the island selling drinks in a bag. Very often these may be premade drinks that are lined up in their containers. Some of these can be very sweet, such as Thai tea. A plastic bag will be filled with shaved ice and the drink poured over the top. And then, just for good measure, it’s topped off with yet another shot of sweetened condensed milk. There are sometimes herbal drinks among the sweet teas and coffees, such as lemongrass or roselle so it’s worth asking what else is on offer.

But if sweet is your thing then you can’t go wrong with Thai desserts. If you’re lucky you may come across a Thai dessert cart, though these seem to be dwindling in numbers as the roti carts and convenience store snacks seem to

enjoy more popularity with young people. The vendor will have a wide showcase delicately balanced on the side of a motorbike. Inside the display you can see an array of traditional Thai desserts, from jellies to Thai custards and my favourite, Thai custard and sticky rice, all cut up into squares. Be warned however that these are very filling sweets and while appearing to be quite small they are more than enough to satisfy most people’s craving for something sweet. Or how about the ever popular coconut ice cream sold from a large vat and served in cones or hotdog buns and drenched in condensed milk and a variety of toppings such as nuts, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and lychees?

Street food is extremely popular throughout Thailand, and the same can be said of Samui. In a culture where people tend not to invite guests to their home but instead gather round stalls that have set up shop at the side of the road, you can be guaranteed some great flavours.

Indeed some people have gone as far as to say that street food is the only truly authentic Thai food and that restaurants have become too westernised. If you’re worried about hygiene, one thing to remember is that generally all street food is bought, prepared and eaten on the same day. So if you’re looking for a good night out head out onto the streets and see what’s cooking.

Natalie Hughes

Kitchen King We head to one of Samui’s best-known landmarks, The Barge, and talk to the man running the kitchen.

Thai food. Do you like it? Silly question! It’s like saying . . . “do you like European food?” There are so many different cuisines it is impossible to answer. And so it is with Thai food. Really, if someone asks you this, what they probably mean is, “do you like spicy food?” And then it’s an easy yes or no answer. But when it comes to food in Thailand, there’s a similarly huge variety of styles, regional variations and presentations to go for.

With Thai restaurants in Thailand, the ‘good’ ones tend to ignore comfort and decor and focus on the food instead, having bare walls, strip lighting and plastic chairs. Yes, there are many up-market Thai restaurants, but you’ll mainly find them in Bangkok, and not so much on Samui. The Thai restaurants you will find here can be split into two: eateries for the locals, and nicely décored restaurants for the visitors to the island. But that’s not to say these aren’t the real thing. There are a great many quality Thai restaurants here, but the problem is to pick out the ones that are presenting authentic cuisine. There are numerous variations, ranging from the blistering ‘laab’ of the Issan region, right through to the languid and refined dishes and presentation of Royal Thai Cuisine – plus innumerable shades of grey

between. However, some of the best eating, plus probably the most attractive design, decor, and presentation, not to mention quality of service, can be found at the Rice Barge & Terrace.

This takes a bit of explaining! The restaurant itself – all of it – is known as ‘The Barge’. But this ‘restaurant’ is actually a building that houses three separate restaurants. And, in some kind of mysterious Oriental way, the Thai restaurant here is named ‘Rice Barge & Terrace’, with the others sitting down on the levels below. It’s the flagship restaurant of Nora Buri Resort & Spa, just a short way north of the main Chaweng Beach Road. It’s a stunningly beautiful piece of contemporary Thai architecture on split-levels. This building is award-winning in its design, featuring a stunning lofty and spiralling roof-space that’s all hand-sculpted from rich, dark wood - amazing.

Rice Barge itself is actually in two sections. The inner area is air-conditioned, and lined with floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. There are triangular Thai cushions and low tables, and a unique walk-in wine cellar at the far end. The colour scheme matches the wood-tones perfectly: there are lots of earth-hues, but also bright dashes of

primaries to offset these. Alongside this room is an adjoining open-sided dining terrace, with a panoramic view over the whole of Chaweng Bay. And the man who is in charge of all of this is Thai Executive Chef, Khun Surachai Katanyutanont.

Khun Surachai is a veteran of 38 years kitchen experience, and has studied under numerous European master chefs during his working life. He was born in Bangkok and, even when he was a young boy, loved helping his mother in the kitchen and knew he wanted to do this for a living one day. Upon leaving school, he began as a simple kitchen helper in one of the big hotels.

Then moved to the northern city of Chiang Mai, where he continued to accumulate experience.

He was good at what he did, and quickly advanced through the ranks. And when an opportunity opened at Bangkok’s Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, he jumped at it. At this point, he’d climbed to the rank of sous chef, directly under the hotel’s executive chef. And then a sideways move to Pattaya, before eventually being appointed kitchen king – executive chef at a 5-star resort in Phuket. He served his time there prior to coming to Samui 12 years ago, beginning

with a post at Baan Samui Resort in Chaweng.

From there he moved to become executive chef at the prestigious 5-star Muang Samui Spa Resort, where he remained until The Barge opened, in the early part of 2009. And he’s been the executive chef here ever since.

At the start, his duties were easier: the resort was created in two phases, the first part including The Barge and a handful of pool villas alongside it on the sea side of the road. This wonderful building has three floors, and his initial task was to establish Rice Barge. But there was also the Euro/Thai restaurant on the bottom floor to manage, which catered for the resort guests. But, a little over a year later, phase two was completed. This was an extensive 5-star hillside development across the road, and included two more restaurants plus a banqueting suite, all of which he was responsible for.

But, out of all of this, Khun Surachai’s greatest love and strongest endeavour remains Rice Barge.

It’s his baby, and he’s modestly and rightly proud of it. The setting is superb, and the service is, as you’d expect, 5-star. Rice Barge offers a selection of not just authentic traditional dishes but also a

number of unusual ones, from all of the four regions of Thailand. And there are two set-menu combinations, which are hard to beat. Each of them feature a seven-dish (or ‘courses’, as us Westerners think of them) selection, with different choices: one of them is a ‘spicy’ option and one is a mild.

But, when you come here, whatever you decide to take from the menu, look for his crab dishes.

They are utter bliss. Plus the pricing of all the menu items here is far less than you’ll be expecting for 5-star cuisine and service. And all of this comes courtesy of executive chef and kitchen king – Khun Surachai Katanyutanont.

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

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

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Going to Extremes RockPool’s Fire and Ice menu assures you of amazing food in the most beautiful surroundings.

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.

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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

Fire and Ice? If you imagine fire and ice being in the same place at the same time, you might be tempted to think of extreme geography, say, Iceland, where lava and hot springs are combined with icy torrents and snow fields. But fire and ice can exist together on a much smaller scale – in a kitchen. They are two components of modern-day cuisine that can truly complement each other in quite unusual and decidedly enjoyable ways. ‘Fire and Ice’ is the name given to the menu at RockPool restaurant, which is located at Kanda Residences Samui. You'll find it three kilometres north of Chaweng. Simply drive along the beach road and keep on going northwards until you the resort. Once there, hop into a buggy and you'll be driven to the restaurant itself.

There’s something about the approach to RockPool that’s reminiscent of being on a Greek isle. You find the same winding lanes, walls of stone and villas with lush gardens stacked on a hill slope overlooking the sea. There is plenty of greenery too, and between the villas views of the strikingly blue sea, just a few metres away. But then you come to a door in a wall and you step into a world apart, RockPool.

You'll see that the main dining room is a pavilion, with a canvas tent-like structure for a ceiling, allowing for cooling sea breezes. It gives RockPool a very open-air feel whilst being totally contemporary and comfortable. And you can also eat outside, too, on the split-level decking that

looks right over the sea. It’s wonderfully romantic and definitely a place to bring your partner.

Turning to the menu, let’s start with the dishes that come under the ‘fire’ section. Fire doesn’t just mean the food’s hot; it describes the way it’s cooked, as in flames. On the restaurant’s decking, you'll find a wood-fired oven and you'll be able to watch the chef preparing all manner of mouth-watering foods. He deftly makes almost a dozen different types of pizzas, which range from the traditional Italian favourites through to RockPool’s own specials with salmon, avocado, ricotta and mozzarella or char-grilled squid, chilli mussels and garlic prawns, topped with mozzarella. The oven isn’t just used for pizzas, though. You can order lamb shanks, or a whole roast fish, a rich stew of octopus and spices, or a salmon filet béarnaise, as well as lasagne, lobster, and eggplant parmigiana. Sounds good? The oven, simple in design, is extremely versatile when it comes to the food it can produce.

The fire section also has many char-grilled items, such as chicken, beef, pork, octopus, calamari, prawns and scallops. There’s an entire range of vegetables, too, all perfectly seared to bring out their taste. You can order T-bone steak, spatchcock chicken, lamb chops and duck breast.

You'll find the foods on the fire menu gratifyingly tasty and sure to fill the hungriest of appetites.

The ice section might seem a bit puzzling. It might sound as if it just means desserts such as

ice-creams and sorbets? Not at all. This is food that’s prepared in cold conditions in order to ensure its freshness. You'll find some very tempting sushi here, including tuna, salmon, duck, and avocado and eggplant. If you're more interested in European-style dining you'll certainly enjoy the carpaccio selection. These include zucchini with roasted almonds, shaved parmigiano and mint yoghurt dressing or beef black truffle with mayonnaise char-grilled apple.

You'll also find a selection of tartar dishes, including the delicious beef caviar with quail egg and black truffle mushroom purée.

When food is this fresh, you need recipes that let the natural flavours shine through, and the ingredients RockPool use taste as if they’ve just come from a farmer’s market and have been cooked just right. Each ingredient has its own individual taste, but at the same time blends harmoniously with the others. Naturally there are plenty of wines to go with the food, and a dessert menu that includes handmade desserts, chocolates and ice-creams that are all sumptuous.

RockPool also puts on special events, notably the Fab Fridays with their special cocktails and entertainment from 5:00 pm till 10:00 pm. You can expect guest DJs, and also, depending on the program, a live act, which could be a saxophonist, a display of dancing, a magician or a fire show. Many who attend are people living on the island, who like to come after work to

relax, knowing their week’s work is done and it’s time to chill out.

RockPool is truly a place for lovers of food, with its blend of traditional and exotic cuisines; you'll enjoy the very relaxed atmosphere that the restaurant exudes. Even if you're not able to make it here for lunch or dinner, it’s fun to have a drink on the decking and hear the lapping of waves on the rocks just beneath. The RockPool Bar is a brilliant spot for sipping a Bellini or other cocktail and enjoying the sunsets. There are also frozen fruit Daiquiris, specialty drinks and a range of chilled beers.

En vogue with island residents and holidaymakers alike, there are plenty of reasons to head for RockPool and spend an amazing few hours here. Whilst the staff busy themselves with the extremes of fire and ice, you can sit back and enjoy the many treats on offer.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further informatio telephone 0 7723 4500. www.kandaresidences.com

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Untangling Wagyu The low-down on Wagyu beef, and why it seems to be different all over the world!

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Wagyu beef is shrouded in mystique and legend, and there are fables about the Japanese shrine of all beef – the Kobe region. These tales have expanded and broadened until the whole subject is a real minefield of misinformation and confusion. In fact, the only thing that can truthfully be said about the word ‘Wagyu’ is that you’ll undoubtedly be eating tender beef! But to sort out the turkeys from the ducks, you need to know some facts.

interlaced with a network of fat. (Run-of-the-mill beef cattle in comparison have thicker strands of fat and far less of them.) Thus, it was soon discovered that this type of fat-marbled flesh was really good to eat. And then, in 1910, the Japanese brought a halt to any further interbreeding programs, and began to concentrate on improving the diet and physical well-being of their Wagyu herds, in order to bring the beef to perfection.

And the first thing is that real and authentic Wagyu beef from the Kobe region might not be entirely to your liking! Yes, it’s so succulent and tender that you can cut it with a fork. But it’s also extremely rich in flavour and quite oily, depending on how it’s cooked. In Japan, it’s usually served as thin slivers on the plate. And it’s barely cooked; often it’s presented as sashimi, sliced raw, and is not cooked at all, with the flavour reminiscent of a quality, mild-flavoured calf liver.

But in 1975, things began to get confusing. This was when four Wagyu bulls were permitted to be exported to the USA, in a closely monitored program. Oddly, it was intended to encourage American farmers to produce quality Wagyu beef, to take some of the pressure off the Japanese industry – and 80% of the American-produced Wagyu was then exported back to Japan, until everything came to a halt with the international spread of mad cow disease (BSE), in 2003.

The Japanese Wagyu breed was initially developed over 500 years ago, as work animals, cross-bred repeatedly over the years, and selected for their stamina and endurance. One by-product of this was their muscle structure, which had become delicately and uniformly

Today things have changed dramatically. Firstly, any breeder, anywhere, is now able to produce ‘Wagyu beef’. However, the way that international conventions have evolved, this might not be quite what it seems. Over the past 10 years, farmers in Australia, the US and the UK

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have been taking advantage of the trend for high-end luxury meat and setting-up herds of their own. But if you talk to Japanese Wagyu lovers, they’ll just sneer about the quality of the non-Japanese stuff. Because, today, all that’s needed to do this is a couple of test tubes of Japanese bull sperm. The legal name on the menu (or in the shop) is the breed of the bull that fathered the animal. So that Wagyu steak on the menu will have had a pure-bred Wagyu daddy, but the mother could have been a Hereford or a Friesian. It’s perfectly legal, but it’s also somewhat misleading, as a pure-bred animal will not produce the same quality of meat as one that is mixed.

In comparison, over in the Kobe region of Japan, real Wagyu mummies and daddies are making real Wagyu babies. The Japanese animals are kept indoors for most of their lives, and fed an intensive high-grain diet to enhance the trademark marbling. They are given beer to drink in the hot summer months to increase their appetite, and have daily massages to reduce any muscle problems arising from the limitations of space and exercise. Whatever ethical questions arise from this are resoundingly overridden by the high level of personal care they receive – not to mention the

demand, which results in prices of up to $800 a kilo in Japan.

Just to put things in perspective, America is a steak-eating nation and each person consumes 120 kilos of it every year. They really value a good steak! They have three grades of steak; Select, Choice and Prime, the latter being the best and mainly sold wholesale to distributors and restaurants. Prime comes in at around 25% fat, scoring around five on the international Beef Marbling Scale (BMS). The Kobe Wagyu at its lowest supermarket grade begins at five and rises to the most sought-after quality, which scores 12 on the BMS. And the other very special thing about the Japanese Kobe/Wagyu is that the fat is not just any fat – this is a soft fat with a low melting point, due to its high proportion of monounsaturated fats, to go along with high levels of omega 3 and 6. Which means that it’s healthier than normal beef. And also, it’s where the flavour of meat is located, making it the juiciest, richest steak in the world.

Perhaps just too rich for some? A recent survey by the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper compared taste tests of pure Japanese Wagyu ($340 a kilo) with two different sorts of ‘hybrid’ raised Wagyu (USA costing $260 and Australian

at $110 respectively). All agreed that the Japanese Wagyu simply dissolved in the mouth, but had a strong flavour and was not easy to eat a lot of; it needed to be savoured – no half-kilo steaks here! The $260 cut looked less delicate and the fat felt soft and waxy, but when cooked it had a good beefy flavour and a rich juiciness, as if it had been cooked in butter. And the cheapest, at $110 a kilo, looked extensively marbled and was close to the pure-bred Wagyu in flavour and texture, although without quite the sumptuous mouth-feel.

The bottom line is . . . pure-bred Japanese Kobe Wagyu is an acquired taste, and too rich to just tuck into. The chances are that if it says ‘Wagyu’ on the menu then it’s a cross-breed, but a good one – one of the best steaks anywhere. It all depends on the circumstances. If you want to fill your belly like a cowboy, then this is not the way to go. But, if you’re looking for a leisurely fine-dining experience, just about anything on the menu that says ‘Wagyu’ will make you more than happy. So now you know!

Rob De Wet

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

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Caring and Sharing BayWater Resort not only cares about its guests, but now also offers extra discounts and privileges for card-members, too!

There was a time when a hotel was just a hotel.

It was a place to stay for a while. You slept there, went out in the daytime, then came back in the evening and ate there. You did that for a few days or a week, then packed up and went back home. The more expensive the hotel, the better the furnishings and food. You didn’t have a spa. There was no gym or library. And the restaurant was only there to feed the hotel guests. The service? Well, unless you were royalty or a film star, then you just accepted with a shrug whatever treatment you were given.

Sure, yes, the better places paid lip service to the notion of customer care. But the reality was that very few of the resorts on Samui back then had a public relations person, and most of the managers were too busy in their offices to be personally bothered with guest concerns or complaints. In any case, if the showers were old and the windows didn’t close properly, what did it matter? Who was going to know? There would always be a new planeload of guests coming in again next week.

Today it has gone to the other extreme. Fifteen years back, who could have possibly imagined an international notice board where all the faults and failings of a resort were being viewed by millions – a notice board where more millions went to read about other people’s experiences

before they made a booking? But that’s exactly what TripAdvisor has become today. Today customer care is what it’s all about. The low-grade hotels are in despair because of this.

And the good ones are working conscientiously to remain well thought-of because they know that if their guests have a bad time today, the world will know about it tomorrow. And that’s exactly the reason why BayWater Resort is doing so well.

It’s a new resort. It began to appear in the early part of 2014, and finally opened its doors in time for the Christmas season at the end of that year.

In fact, it’s still being built – but in a completely different way and with a lot more thoughtfulness than is usually the case – if you go there, there’s no indication of construction at all. It’s perfectly situated just outside Choeng Mon, just a few minutes’ drive from both Chaweng and the airport. And it’s on one huge plot, right on the corner of the main road, with loads of parking space outside and on the road.

The design concept here is one of light and space, with open areas dominating and stylistic elements kept simple. The previously trendy blobby-style of swimming pool design has been sidestepped in favour of a series of harmonious rectangles linked together at differing heights, with the largest of them having a grassed island

in the middle, complete with hyper-modern daybeds. The reception area and the restaurant are on either side of the central pool area, and the spatial theme extends here too, with both of them being open-sided and facing in towards the pool.

The main accommodation block is screened from this area, so you’ve no real sense of the scale of it. There are 100 suites and pool villas here, very neatly designed so that half of them have their own private pool access and edge onto one of the main pool sections. All of these 60-square-metre suites are similarly spacious and airy, and the décor, furnishings and fittings are top quality; elegantly cool and modern. One picture is worth a thousand words – so just log onto their website and see it all for yourself!

But BayWater also appears to be spearheading the most-recent wave of hospitality thinking.

Several years ago the age of ‘integrated management’ appeared – managers who worked as part of a team rather than as a superior issuing instructions from inside an office. Staff were encouraged to think and evaluate their own performance instead of being dismissively judged from above. And also encouraged by rewards, not disciplined by punishments. And so, now, building onto this, we have an added element. The manager who ‘manages’ from the

inside . . . inside his resort, not inside his office.

He spends his time moving around amongst his staff and his guests, offering encouragement and guidance to the former and displaying a relaxed and involved interest in the latter. And not only are the staff handpicked for their pleasant demeanour, they’re all intensively trained, too.

In practical terms, this means that the general manager here, Abdalla Yassin, at first sight might just seem like another part of the general staff.

He keeps his administrative duties and paperwork until the evening: yes, he usually works a 16-hour day. The rest of the time, he’s out and about. Even the usual office-bound daily briefings and staff meetings he’s broken down into a series of meetings and walkabouts, engaging with small groups of staff here and there, mostly on their own territory. And he’s continually stopping to chat with guests in the corridors, in the restaurant and around the pool.

It’s quite believable when he says that he knows each of his guests individually by name. And this level of engagement reflects in the genuinely personal responses he insists on making to each and every comment about BayWater on TripAdvisor – all of which (the comments) are most positive, by the way.

is available to anyone, guest or not. All you need to do is to drop into reception, show some ID and complete an application form. At which point you will then have special access to numerous benefits. Such as three nights accommodation for the price of two. Free access to the pool and associated facilities, including the fitness centre and library. A 15% discount at the restaurant and spa. And free transport from your resort and back again if you spend a set amount at the restaurant and bar. And there’s more – contact the resort for full details.

We’ve come a long way in 15 years. And Abdulla and BayWater Resort are right up there with the new wave of resorts that today truly are truly caring and sharing.

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7724 3888. www.baywaterresort.com

And to cap this, Abdalla has now created a generous ‘Privilege Club Card’ for BayWater. This

Take a bread cake and bakery Tel: 088 502 3112

Location: Samui Ring Road (nearly opposite Big C)

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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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Going Native

Joining the locals at Long Doo.

“If music be the food of love, play on ...”

Some of the best cuisine in the world – and this goes for Samui, too – is to be found in tiny, quite humble settings that are easy to miss.

Some of them hardly resemble restaurants, but are literally hole-in-the-wall affairs. There's a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, for example, that’s hidden away up some rickety stairs in a labyrinthine building and has room for six diners. But it’s so good that word has gone round and you need to book weeks in advance.

Long Doo is a bit bigger, with seating for 15. It’s well worth a visit, and after you’ve been once, you'll probably want to go back again. It’s easy to tell you the rough location, but then once you're in striking distance you may be, like me, totally unable to see it. And that’s because it doesn’t announce its presence in any way. It’s on the ring-road in Chaweng. As you go past Bangkok Hospital Samui, heading towards Lamai, it’s right next to the building adjacent to the hospital, Bangkok Airways ticketing office.

You'll see a shack with a roof that’s part tin and part coconut palm fronds. This is Long Doo. If you're from the West, you probably won’t have eaten in many places as small as this - or as simple. The kitchen’s open plan and at first glance you'll see that there’s absolutely no fancy equipment of any kind, no gadgets at all. Every

single dish that requires cooking of any kind is done on a double gas burner. The only modern item is a fridge. Things can’t get any more basic than this, but that doesn’t mean to say the food isn’t tasty – it most definitely is.

In charge of the restaurant is Khun Aphisit Aphirating. He’s worked in some prestigious locations, and has climbed the rungs of the hospitality industry as a chef. And then climbed straight back down them again, preferring to run his own business rather than manage a massive restaurant in a hotel. It’s less stressful too, he says, and he can concentrate on cooking.

Long Doo, by the way, is a Thai expression, meaning quite simply, ‘give it a try’. It’s an unassuming name, but behind it is Khun Aphisit’s vast knowledge of cooking and close on 30 years of experience. “Gadgets aren’t important,” he says, “What’s essential are the techniques. If you know those, then you can get started and make good food. But that’s not to say it’s easy!” He is able to make virtually any Thai food, thanks to his training, as well as plenty of Western-style dishes. His menu reflects this; there are some hundred Thai dishes, but unusually for a roadside eatery like this, a good handful of international dishes, too.

When you arrive you're given water with ice and the menu, which you'll need to spend some

time browsing as it’s on the longish side. Once you’ve ordered you can watch Khun Aphisit preparing your choices, deftly chopping vegetables and then cooking them on the burners. The food is served on beautiful jet black dishes. Presentation is simple and attractive, and portions are on the large side.

The food is cheaper than you may be used to – the kind of prices you might expect from a novice rather than an executive chef. But the quality is all there.

You might think that because of the roadside location it might be a little stressful eating here.

It isn’t at all, and this is because Long Doo is actually located in a front garden facing an old-style house, shaded by trees. If you’re attentive you can see tiny birds flitting about between the leaves and occasionally coming down onto a small shrine to partake of their own meal, left for them on a miniature porch.

The entire area exudes an unexpected tranquillity, and you soon forget the ring-road just metres away.

Long Doo also provides take-away food and will even deliver in an approximate two-kilometre radius. It’s very popular with office workers including the staff of the very newspaper you're reading, as well as doctors and nurses from the neighbouring hospital. If you're eating at Long Doo, you're sure to see people arriving to

collect food while Khun Aphisit despatches boxes of food by motorbike to hungry diners at home or in their offices. This goes on all day, incidentally, as Long Doo is open from 8:00 am until 11:00 pm daily.

Aphisit looks faintly surprised. “Difficult? No, on the contrary, it’s really very easy. We can all take breaks, so it’s not like we’re all working all the time. My wife and I live just down the road, too.”

The menu is the same throughout the day, and you can feast on all manner of Thai favourites.

You'll find spiced stir-fry snapper, a traditional and mouth-watering pad Thai, tom yum goong and delicious crab in curry powder. These are just a very few examples. You'll also enjoy red, yellow and green curries – along with many other treats. Vegetarians are also catered for, by the way. You can eat well at Long Doo from 50 baht and up - all the prices are very reasonable.

For international food, served with French fries, there are sandwiches, such as ham and cheese, or chicken, and then larger meals such as grilled sirloin steak, sea bass filet or chicken breast.

The menu’s in both Thai and English so you'll know exactly what you're ordering. Khun Aphisit and his team speak enough English to understand all your requests. You can ask for your dish to be spicy or not, and in addition the menu contains helpful chilli symbols opposite the more fiery dishes.

Supplies are easy to come by too, he says. “For fresh fruit and vegetables and a lot of what we use, we simply go to Laem Din market. It’s not far away and we just go there on a motorbike and get what we need. The advantage is that because it’s so close, we never need to worry about understocking food.” Indeed the kitchen embodies the ethic of just having enough at all times. The fact that there’s no wastage naturally helps keep the prices down, too.

Khun Aphisit is helped by his wife, Khun Su, and just one other worker, and together the trio nimbly prepare food all day long. Asked if it isn’t stressful to work such long hours, Khun

Dimitri Waring

With many satisfied diners, Khun Aphisit knows his days will be busy making food and he doesn’t have to worry about seasonal flow, and all the difficulties of managing and running a hotel restaurant. And his diners can rest assured that they're being looked after by a true professional.

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

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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

Bring your Beloved Olivio is the venue for private, amazingly romantic dinners.

Just a five-minute hop away from the bright lights of central Chaweng, you'll find Olivio neatly tucked away off the main road, right by the sea. The restaurant is set in a small tropical garden, complete with stream, and opens up to Chaweng Bay and the sands that stretch all the way down to the rocky headlands in the south.

When evening starts to fall, you can see all the lights coming on down the coast and up in the hills, while the sea slowly darkens.

holidaymakers, but with residents too.

You can sit inside the restaurant itself or out on the small terrace, but if you're in the mood to celebrate, then Olivio has something entirely wonderful for you. Their private romantic dinner is something not to be missed: the staff put up a gazebo right by the swimming pool, just a couple of metres away from the beach. It’s beautifully decorated and adorned with seasonal flowers, making it not just a wonderful setting, but a private one as well. Just looking at it, you can sense that this isn’t going to be your average candle-lit dinner.

Choosing which options you'd like can take a little time, as everything looks equally good. The traditional Thai set begins with a trio of yummy hors d’oeuvres: chicken satay on sticks, vegetable spring roll and prawn cake, and is followed by seafood in coconut soup. For mains you'll be served fried king prawn with tamarind sauce or a sea-bass green curry. And for dessert, mango with sticky rice.

The staff are truly attentive, yet discreet, too.

They seem to know just when they are needed, and will do everything possible to make your evening special. Olivio is known as a relaxed place to be, where you can sit back and take all the time in the world over your food and drink.

The restaurant is elegantly decorated throughout with warm tones. It’s the very opposite of raucous and there's nothing to distract the eye, except of course, those views.

Diners make a beeline for Olivio, not just for the setting, but also the food, which is superb.

Olivio manages very successfully to do a juggling act and prides itself on both Italian and Thai cuisine – both are exceptionally good.

Flavours are mouth-watering but without any heaviness. And it’s popular not just with

Olivio has not one, but three special sets for the private romantic dinners, and the options reflect the cosmopolitan nature of the restaurant itself.

You can choose between Thai, Italian and European. But don’t forget to make a booking at least 24 hours in advance, as this is going to be a very special dinner and the staff need to set up the venue for you.

If you're in the mood for the Italian set, then you can instead have a mixed salad with mozzarella, followed by lobster bisque or veal with homemade spinach fettuccine. For the main course you'll be spoiled by Australian beef tenderloin with mushroom sauce, and then truly seduced by the dessert, a highly decadent chocolate mousse served with strawberry sauce.

Last but not least, you may be tempted instead to opt for the European set with royal chicken consommé to start with, then a mixed salad or pan-fried scallop. The main is a delicious snow fish with lemon and white wine cream sauce, served with grilled vegetables. You'll certainly need to save room for the pudding, a molten chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream.

All the menus are accompanied by a glass of house wine, and afterwards by freshly brewed tea or coffee.

Discover authentic

Indian Cuisine

Many Italians come here to eat but it’s popular with all nationalities. There's an enormous amount of dedication behind the restaurant, and this is reflected in the quality of the food. Olivio doesn’t cut corners and you'll find, for example, that the team also makes their own fettuccini and ravioli, as well as baking their own bread and cakes.

Olivio is part of Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa and is quite easy to find. Just drive up the beach road north out of Chaweng and turn right where you see the sign for the resort.

Go down the hill, and you'll find Olivio just to the left as the road bends round. There’s also a car park here, but you won’t really need to bring your car as they offers a free round trip transfer for customers in the Chaweng area.

On an island where Italian and Thai cuisine are so prominent, Olivio still manages to stand out from the culinary crowd. And when it comes to romantic dinners, the restaurant team are more than happy to cater for you and your beloved.

Naturally, you're also welcome to come for lunch or dinner – or anything in between. The restaurant is also popular with families and groups of friends – anyone who’s looking for excellent food in a beautiful setting.

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

Relax@Samui Thai food - Seafood - European food Romantic atmosphere Private seaview cottages The best seaviews on Samui Bang Por Beach, Tel. 0 7760 2228

Samui 2012 WINNER

2013 WINNER

2014 WINNER

Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng Center Chaweng Beach Road, opp. Chaweng Buri Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng South at Chaweng Cove Resort Noori India - Central Festival at Chaweng Beach Road 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

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The Wine Page Seek, and ye shall find!

Finding a cheap wine is not difficult, considering there is a sea of mass-produced wines that populate the shelves of any supermarket. Spending around 350 Thai Baht ($10) on a bottle, might feel like a good deal when paying the cashier, but it’s against our better judgment. And so often, as many a wine enthusiast has experienced, we instantly regret our scrimping nature, when we taste the awful wine inside.

Despite this, I'm always looking for a good bottle of wine at a great price. And over the years, I've developed a few pointers to finding value for money amongst the busy wine shelves.

Obviously, the very cheapest wines are rarely, if ever, going to satisfy a discerning wine drinker.

But it does not necessarily follow that the most expensive are the best. My tactic is to aim for something slightly obscure, in the middle of the price range. And certainly, nothing famous, the classic wines like Bordeaux, Napa Valley and Champagne cost so much because these regions have consistently produced high quality wines.

And the brands that have been built around their names (and to some degree, their mystique) drive prices sky high. So I overlook well-known names in favour of lesser-known wine regions (or appellations), to find hidden gems at half the price.

Here are 10 of my personal favourite bang-for-your-buck appellations, which offer wines in my mid-price range (500 – 750 Baht), and are well worth seeking out, when browsing in the better wine stores.

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Torrontes, Argentina.

Savoie, France.

Torrontes is a white grape that originated from the Ribeiro region of Spain. It’s believed that Basque settlers took it to Argentina when they emigrated in the late 19th century. It has since found a home in the Mendoza region of Argentina and produces high quality wines at low prices. Torrontes typically displays intense floral characteristics and imparts green apple and lychee on the palate. Try it well chilled, with sushi or smoked salmon.

The Savoie (or Savoy) is located in the far south of France. The white wines produced there are under-appreciated, and can be made from a plethora of grapes, including Rousette and Chardonnay. The wines are refreshing, with medium body, and are best consumed young.

Look for the label ‘Vin de Savoie AOC’, and try with any delicate fish dish.

Alpine Valleys, Australia.

Its neighbouring region, Douro, where Port wine is made, overshadows the Dão region, but it’s fast becoming an important wine producer in its own right. It makes red wines with a smattering of grapes from its granite-based soil, yet the wines are typically elegant with high acidity, and are often compared to Burgundies.

Found in the northeast corner of Victoria, the Alpine Valleys is an emerging cool climate region, well worth looking out for. Vineyards are dotted in between mountains, valleys and rivers, each with markedly different style preferences. The more common varieties of Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot all produce fruit-driven and juicy wines with high acidity. It’s also a source of a number of alternate varietals that are performing well in the region, especially those originally from Italy, like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Pinot Grigio and Vermentino.

Gruner Veltliner, Austria.

This grape originated from Austria and thrives there because of its hardiness. It creates crisp, refreshingly zesty wines. Gruner Veltliner often features lemon/ lime acidity and a minerality that bounces off the cheek. This is a white wine that, unusually, pairs well with spicy Thai food.

many appellations that can be found along the Duero River. The red wines produced here are made primarily from the Tinto Finto grape, commonly known as Tempranillo. These are heftier wines that show tart berry fruits, with noticeable tannins and notes of leather and cigar box aromas. Another masculine, meaty red wine that should fully satisfy ‘big’ red wine lovers.

Shouts out for flavoursome food to join it.

Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

Dão, Portugal.

This is one of the most productive wine regions in the world. It runs along the Mediterranean Sea, and features most of the popular French grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, as well as most Rhone varietals, such as Syrah and Grenache. So much wine is produced here, that they have no choice but to export. Luckily for us, it’s often sold at low prices.

Langhe, Italy.

Prosecco, Italy.

The Langhe appellation, in Piedmont, is also often forgotten because of its more glamorous neighbours, Barolo and Barbaresco. Langhe is made primarily from Nebbiolo grapes, but can feature grapes such as Dolcetto and Freisa. The luscious red wines can show red cherry and raspberry tones, with a balance between finesse and power. It’s the sort of full-bodied red wine that will marry well with lamb and beef.

Admittedly, this is now a fairly well known grape, hailing from the Veneto region of northern Italy. But it’s made into a wonderfully affordable sparkling wine, which is great for whetting the appetite. It’s usually made to be a very dry wine, with hints of green apple, pear and peach, with ample fizz. Fine Prosecco is the equal to many types of champagne I’ve tasted.

Ribera del Duero, Spain.

Kangaroo Island, Australia.

Deriving from the Castille y Leon region of northern Spain, Ribera del Duero is one of the

It has only recently started gaining attention, but this region has enormous potential. The island is

famous for being one of the cleanest and greenest spots in the country. And this, combined with the cool maritime climate, and rich soils suggest that many great wines will be making their way to our dinner tables in the future. The red wines are particularly impressive, with elegant, earthy, and sometimes spicy Shiraz, well-rounded Cabernet Sauvignon, and some really exciting Sangiovese and Tempranillo. As in other notable Southern Australian regions, the white wines take a bit of a backseat here, but there is some lovely clean Chardonnay to be found.

Peter James

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort

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

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

STAR

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

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs.

The Height

Sun Deck

Wine and Cigar Lounge

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

Open: 17.00-22.30hrs.

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

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

Open:18.00-22.30hrs.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs

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

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Rice Barge &

Terrace

Fine Beachside Dining at the Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine Daily A La Carte and Thai Set Dinner No visit to Samui is complete until you have dined at the Rice Barge & Terrace

The Barge Western Cuisine & Seafood Every Monday Cowboy Steak Buffet Every Wednesday Hawaiian Seafood Buffet Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

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

Price THB 850 per person.

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

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

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

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

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

Thai menu THB 5,000 per couple.

International menu THB 6,000 per couple.

Advance reservation required

For further information please telephone 0 7742 9400 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com 20

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