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Papaya Pok Pok

If you want some really authentic Thai food, get yourself around a bowl of som tam!

It’s a fair guess, but many of you reading this haven’t heard of ‘som tam’. For a start it’s very much a local kind of a dish – even though its origins are far from Samui. And, second, when and if it does appear on the menu of upmarket restaurants, it rarely goes by that name . . . it’s generally titled ‘green papaya salad’. But, then, take a visit to any little Thai restaurant (usually the sort that has plastic garden furniture inside!) and it’ll be on every menu!

Buri Rasa’s Beach BBQ Spectacular

Another little gem – this time at Chaweng’s Buri Rasa family beach club.

Buri Rasa Village Samui has always been one of our favourites. Certainly there are a lot of other boutique resorts around. Some are showy and try hard to seem hip. Others are just plain ordinary, clinging to the word ‘boutique’ in the hope it’ll transform them, somehow. But this resort has a uniquely effortless charm.

Thai Recipe

Beef coconut curry.

Coconuts are used as a tempting sweetener – and for Thai curries they’re not just ideal but an integral part. Today’s recipe is a very easy to make, whether you’re here in Thailand or half a world away. The coconut used will bring depth and taste to a curry that otherwise would still be delectable, though on the dry side. For this version, you’ll be making one that’s slathered in juicy coconut milk with a finish that’s on the soupy side. It owes something to the ‘rendang’ curries of Malaysia. The coconut flavour is counterbalanced by plenty of aromatics such as onion and ginger. Use coconut sugar too, although you can easily get away with brown sugar (don’t opt for white; it’s not the same at all). Fish sauce brings out some saltiness, and then you can add chilli flakes for a touch of fire.

All Day, Family Style Sunday Lunch

Things are definitely different at RockPool.

Fancy a sophisticated but fun Sunday lunch with family or friends in an exquisite location, overlooking the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Siam, with no time limit and no set price? Then venture no further than RockPool, at Kanda Residences in Choeng Mon.

Remarkable Rice

The food that powers Thailand.

Chances are that if you are anywhere at all in South-East Asia, then rice will be on the menu. As a foodstuff, it’s ubiquitous. Thailand is often called the rice bowl of Asia, and with good reason. That’s because the country grows such an inordinate amount that it can safely export thousands of tons per annum. And that’s after feeding the country’s population of 60 million inhabitants.

Surprising Supattra

Supattra Thai Dining takes seasonal foods to new levels.

A casual first glance at this restaurant doesn’t give away its surprises. Sure, it looks both stylish and delightfully traditional at the same time, so it tends to catch the eye. And even more so once you’re inside the open-sided teak pavilion, and see how it looks out on a dense set of mangrove trees. The almost imperceptibly swaying greenery is incredibly restful, and only adds to the atmosphere here. But there’s a lot more to Supattra Thai Dining than its great setting and vibe. The real magic – and there’s plenty of it – starts once you try the food.

Don’t Drink the Water!

Perceptions, hints and tips about food safety and hygiene in restaurants.

Or maybe this should be titled . . . ‘how I drank the water and lived’? Putting that aside for a moment, I was trawling around the internet a while back and came across an article that caught my eye. It was a high-brow paper by the University of California entitled “Perceptions of food hygiene in Asian restaurants”. And it turned out to be much more entertaining than intellectual!

LET ’S HEAD FOR SAMUI !

At this time of year most of Thailand is getting rainy – but Samui is sunshine all the way.

People get all confused about the rainy season. And that’s because it’s not the same everywhere in Thailand. Right now, in Bangkok and the north it’s coming up to being wet for the next few months. And it’s the same for the west coast too, in the region around Phuket. But here on Samui we’re smiling. Because it’s not just sunny, it’s nice and warm, too! And, in fact, it won’t get rainy here for another four months.

Viva Italia

In wine terms, is this region of the Old World the new New World?

Given Thailand’s love affair with Italian food, it may seem surprising that Italian wines have languished in the background of the Thai wine scene. Thai people are as familiar with the famous classic Italian dishes as any other nationality, but not so the classic Italian wines. And although they have been imported into this country for many years, they are only just beginning to achieve real respectability.

Eating Out

Get the real flavour of Samui by eating out on the street.

Generally speaking there seems to be two types of people who come to Samui – the nervous ones and the adventurers. The first group always play it safe. They only go out on organised tours, are suspicious of ice cubes and washed salads, insist on clean towels every day and always eat in ‘real’ restaurants. And the other type are the ones you’ll see out on their rented scooters, half way up the mountain checking Google Maps to see exactly where they are now.

Catch of the Day – Crab

A bit like aquatic versions of spiders, crabs have legs that are jointed; but in addition to the eight legs they have two more, the claws. That’s why they’re referred to as decapods and not octopods. They’re quick to move but don’t miss much either; they may not have eyes in the back of their heads, but they might as well: with their eyes on stalks, their range of vision is all-round, and the stalks act like periscopes, letting them observe what’s going on while the crab itself is buried in the sand.

Crabs can be divided into some 6,700 different types, and there are approximately 4,500 species that we know about. About a fifth of these are semi-terrestrial and freshwater crabs. Unfortunately, a few species of freshwater crabs are under the threat of extinction due to human activities.

Pick Poppies Tonight for Dinner!

There are some good reasons why Poppies Resort & Restaurant is still one of Samui’s top venues.

If this is your first time to our island, then you might not have heard of Poppies Samui Resort. But if you’ve been coming here for a while now, then you’ll know the name. And if you’re a resident, then the chances are you’ll know this delightful little resort very well indeed.

Star Quality

Just what criteria are required to be awarded a prestigious Michelin star?

It was in the first decade of the 20th century that motor cars began to take to the roads of Europe. And, at the forefront of every pioneering motorist’s mind, was the worry of where to get a headlight replacement or a new tyre. Which was the reason that, in 1905, the tyre manufacturer André Michelin brought out the first ‘Michelin Guide’. And it gave directions and showed maps that listed garages, petrol-stops, tyre stockists, public toilets and baths, inns, taverns, good places to eat and so on.

Pizza Perfection

Marzano Pizzeria at Malibu Koh Samui Resort & Beach Club brings Italian excellence to Chaweng

Passionate in their belief that every pizza can be a meld of great tastes and superb ingredients, the chef and his team at Marzano Pizzeria raise the bar a good few notches when it comes to authentic Italian fare. The setting complements the food, too. Marzano Pizzeria is the all-day restaurant at Malibu Koh Samui Resort & Beach Club, and is just a step away from the sands. With views out across the water and a contemporary design, the pizzeria here is just about the perfect place to eat, no matter what time of day you decide to come.