TOP SPOT

Great views and even better cuisine at Dr Frogs.

Just a couple of kilometres south of Chaweng, Dr Frogs is strategically placed high on a cliff next to one of Samui’s most picturesque viewpoints. Take a seat at the restaurant and you can gaze out on the sea far below and let yourself be bewitched. Dr Frogs, despite its odd name, radiates a mix of eye-catching beauty, cosiness and extraordinarily good cooking. It has the sweetness that a place acquires when many people declare it a favourite spot and linger there; the appeal of just being able to leave your worries at its doors and then – always, always – the food, memorable in the ways that count. Dr Frogs focusses on both Italian and Thai fare. It gets them both right and even manages to bring them together in some very remarkable fusion dishes.

Highly professional teams are behind the success – people who are inordinately dedicated to getting the best food to the diner. Observe the Thai staff in the kitchen, and their work is a kind of choreography. You might even think that they are from a single family. They make an entire range of foods that are traditionally Thai and fragrantly tempting. It’s epicurean and satisfies the palate. The Italian fare at Dr Frogs is similar in the sense that it’s traditional, too – well mostly. Some of the dishes have modern twists and some straddle the immense distance between the Mediterranean and Thailand.

Something that unites everything here is the way that Dr Frogs is now even more actively pursuing the idea of using fresh, local produce. Everything possible comes from local markets or as close at hand as possible. Dr Frogs has also been certified by Ocean Wise, a group that operates a program to ensure that seafood will be abundant in years to come, and which ensures the health of the species that are used as food. Meat, meanwhile, is also as sustainable as possible.

Many ideas to do with ecological soundness have come from the new chef here, John Des Biens, who has run many restaurants in his native Canada and the USA. He’s been part of the bio-dynamic movement since its earliest days, and combines its concepts with bringing extremely tasty food to the table. Great flavours abound with his style of cooking, so be prepared to be utterly seduced by mains such as a seafood platter with mussels, clams, giant Silva tiger prawns and poached white snapper. Even the rice is tastier than it has any right to be: it’s both jasmine-scented and coconut flavoured.

If you’re into fusion food, you’ll maybe want to opt for the ‘Angel Hair Pasta with Barbecue Duck’ which comes with local Thai vegetables and pineapple in green curry sauce. There are incidentally a growing number of vegan and vegetarian items on the menu.

For desserts try the ‘Toasted Coconut Banana over Mango Sorbet’ – no doubt delicious enough by itself, but here it’s set alight with dark rum. A fulsome flambé – all done tableside, of course, and perilously gorgeous when it comes to tastes. Wine is plentiful at Dr Frogs, with a choice of 60 varieties. Then there’s beer, all manner of cocktails and even a dozen types of grappa.

Lunch and dinner have always been extremely satisfying here, and thanks to the management opening Boujis Boutique Resort next door, everyone’s welcome to enjoy the resort’s luxury breakfast too, with à la carte choices from 7:00 am to 11:00 am, served at Dr Frogs. The hours are generously long and you’ll probably want to linger as the food is so good. Dr Frogs is then open from midday onwards for lunch and dinner. The kitchen closes at 11:00 pm. For something really special, you can even hold social events here, such as weddings, birthday parties or corporate gatherings.

Dr Frogs guarantees sumptuous food and drink every time. With all the care and love that’s gone into this restaurant over the years of its operation, this is one place that you will want to return to, whether for beautifully fragrant Thai fare or Italian dishes that are equally sure to please.

 

Dimitri Waring