Restaurant of the month - Samui Guide Online Web Magazine Ezine. Koh Samui Info and Hotels. Thailand.

Samui Guide Magazine Online Version. "Koh Samui. "Koh" is Thai for Island and Koh Samui is Thailand's favorite island getaway location. Located in the south of The Gulf of Thailand just offshore from Surat Thani. The island is surrounded by white sand beaches and coral reefs. The Angthong Marine National Park lies just a few kilometers away. Samui is a favorite with young and old, singles and families, Thais and International visitors. Features and attractions include natural beauty, waterfalls, national parks, inland mountains, coral reefs, extensive white sand beaches, scuba diving, four-wheel-driving, elephant trekking, mountain tours, island tours, national park tours, accomodation, night life, zoos, parks, gardens, temples, wats, restaurants, markets, fishing villages, buffalo fights, working monkeys, snake farms, butterfly farms, bungalows, 5-Star accomodations, PADI & BSAC dive courses, land & house rentals and purchase. Samui is the place to be for the holiday of your lifetime."

Koh Samui Hotels

Restaurant Review

Restaurant Reviews

Tranquillity and Taste – The Lai Thai Restaurant at ‘Napasai Samui Island’.
Located on an idyllic hillside overlooking a secluded beach on Samui’s north coast, the Napasai is one of the island’s new top end resorts, where luxurious yet natural surroundings combine with elegant Thai inspired architecture and first class service. The Lai Thai restaurant is a perfect choice for those in search of a supremely romantic meal, and with a menu that includes a wide range of both Mediterranean and Royal Thai creations, dining there is also a memorable culinary treat. Executive Chef Michel Chlaustre from France has more than 17 years experience in locations as diverse as Sarawak and the Seychelles. He produces a delicious selection of fresh European seafood and meat dishes blending flavours and ingredients with enviable skill, while his team of Thai staff prepares a fine selection of classic Thai dishes, many of which were originally conceived in the kitchens of Royal Palace. As a starter, the ‘Pan Sea thad thong’ provides a good introduction to this exclusive Thai cuisine as it combines five different snacks from around the country and includes a selection of local flavours. If you prefer to choose an entree from the European menu, however, the ‘peppered fresh tuna with crunchy salad, green asparagus and sesame seeds’ is certainly a delicious alternative. Deciding on a main course at the Lai Thai can be a long but enjoyable process, and the friendly, capable Thai staff are always on hand to help with suggestions and explanations. From the Thai menu, the ‘dried green curry wrapped in thin omelette’ is another fine lesson in Thai tastes, while the ‘roasted duck breast with mushroom fricassee’ is a succulent and comfortable combination of flavours. Save room for dessert too, because these are very special indeed with delectable options like the ‘chocolate puff with pistachio’ or ‘profiteroles in caramel and ginger ice cream’. The wine list covers a range of countries and grapes, the coffee rich and aromatic and the homemade breads are warm and fresh. All in all, a meal at the Lai Thai is a highly recommendable way to spoil yourself on Koh Samui.. Napasai Samui Island is a Pansea Orient-Express hotel, and is situated at the northern end of Mae Nam. For reservations at the Lai Thai restaurant call 077 429 201.

Vecchia Napoli
Situated in Central Chaweng, down the side road that has become known as ‘Soi Starbuck’s’. Vecchia Napoli opened back in 1995, and is one of the island’s original and best Italian restaurants. Despite a roadside location, the atmosphere remains pleasantly Mediterranean inside, and everybody is made to feel welcome whether it be couples having a romantic dinner, a group of friends on a night out or families enjoying a pizza with the kids. The spacious dining areas are comfortable and airy, and the Vitagaliano brothers who own Vecchia Napoli, like to treat their customers to some old fashioned Italian hospitality.

Authentic Italian classics fill the menu at Vecchia, and the restaurant has twice won prestigious Thai awards, one in 1999 and the other in 2001, both of which confirmed the fine food and service on offer. The antipasto includes the fabulous south Italian favourite Cozze al Vino Bianco (mussels in white wine sauce), as well as Carpaccio Bellavista (thin sliced raw beef fillet with parmesan, olive oil and lemon) and Melanzane Al Parmesano (baked eggplant). In the best traditions of Italian cuisine the dishes are simple, fresh and delicious, and all of them are prepared with imported ingredients. You won’t find thick, doughy pizzas or soft pastas drowned in cream here. The Chef at Vecchia has been preparing top Italian favourites for eight years and his pizzas are exactly as they should be: light and crispy on the outside, slightly soft on the inside. The homemade pastas are created with equal skill, and in dishes like the Ravioli al Pomodoro e Basilico (ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and spinach in tomato sauce) and Tagliatelle al Nero de sepia (black squid noodles with calamari, olive oil, cherry tomato and garlic) the subtle mix of flavours and textures is an absolute delight. If you feel like a really decadent treat, opt for the Gamber

oni al Cognac (king prawns in cognac cream sauce, a true Mediterranean feast. The wines, of course, are all Italian at Vecchia Napoli and Francesco Vitagaliano, who also owns Belini, prides himself on his choices, which offer a good balance of young and old vintage. Consistency is the key word at this restaurant, which after ten years open continues to satisfy customers with some of the finest classic Italian food on Koh Samui. Vecchia Napoli, Soi Starbucks, Central Chaweng. Open from 12.00pm – late. Tel: 077 231-229, (Chaweng Map)