Sabienglae Story

How one of Samui’s longest-running traditional Thai restaurants came to be in a prime spot at Fisherman’s Village!

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a Thai family. They had always been on the island of Samui, down in the south-east part of the island, and they made their living by fishing. Then, one day, one of the men in the family had a new idea. Khun Amnart decided to try his hand at a restaurant on the beach. He toured around and collected the seafood every morning, and his wife worked on it in the kitchen. But she also made her own special sauces and dips, and the locals loved them. It was a success, and the restaurant grew in size and popularity.

I first came across this little place (as it was then) in about 2004. Back then there were no smartphones and no social media, and this restaurant wasn’t on the map. Well, it wasn’t on any of the tourist maps, anyway, and very few ‘farangs’ had heard of it. But I recall talking to a friend who was the manager of one of the bigger hotels. He showed me a hand-drawn map with perhaps ten or 12 dots marked on it. This was what he handed out to all his new Thai staff, and it was where to find the best Thai restaurants around Samui. And the biggest of the spots marked on it was Sabienglae.

Back then it was truly rustic. The menu was in Thai (a list of words with no pictures), none of the staff spoke English, and it was rare to see a white face. But the atmosphere was wonderful, the prices remarkable, and the food absolutely marvellous.

Time passed and things changed. But, with the exception of the menu now being upgraded to include English, and a few of the ‘specialist’ staff being able to speak it, this gem of a local restaurant remained the same. More and more expats began to visit, and Sabienglae became one of those special little places that ‘people in the know’ liked to smile about. And then, only a few years ago, Khun Amnart made a big decision. The Wharf at Fisherman’s Village was opening – and thus a new branch of Sabienglae appeared, this time up-front and in the limelight.

Now there’s a big, fresh, modern Sabienglae, cool and open-sided and just a lobster’s throw from the beach – this is still essentially a seafood restaurant. It’s open from the early morning though into the night. And so there’s also big range of snacks and nibbles; sandwiches and burgers, fries, chicken in the basket, salads, pastas and different sorts of all-day breakfasts.

Now the menu is a mini work of art, with most of the dishes illustrated with crisp, clear hi-resolution photos, and presented in English, Thai and Chinese. There are salads, soups, deep-fried dishes, curries, stir-fries, noodle dishes, steamed and fried seafood meat and poultry, noodle dishes and curries, plus the international dishes mentioned already, and more.

But, naturally, it’s still the seafood which draws the crowds. You can choose from lobster, rock lobster, king prawns, giant river prawns and shrimps – all available by weight (and at very reasonable prices). Giant crab and king crab. And you’ll spend forever deciding between tuna, shark, barracuda, pomfret, red or white snapper and black or red grouper. Not to mention oysters, cockles and mussels; just check the menu to see what’s available.

And then you can have them cooked just about any way that’s imaginable – fried, boiled, steamed, barbecued or salted. Or even cooked and then chopped and curried or stir-fried or souped – you name it! You can go about this in two ways, depending on the size of your group. Firstly, select a couple of items (say, lobster and giant crab) and have them as a centre-piece, Thai-style, with several side dishes in the middle of the table. Or, if you’re here solo, check the ready-made dishes that are listed on a separate page.

And then the drinks list has expanded way beyond the beer and whisky of those old days back down in Lamai, in the original restaurant, close to the ‘Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks’. There’s big selection of red and white wines, together with lots of beers, spirits and cocktails, plus smoothies and juices for those who are so inclined.

But here’s the best bit. Go to The Wharf at Fisherman’s Village and enjoy a really good meal. And then, a few days later, treat yourself to an evening out at the original Sabienglae in Lamai, which is still going strong. It’s delightful and you’ll love it! Plus you can then also tell people, “I know the story of Sabienglae!”

Rob De Wet