Restaurant of the Month

In Samui, there are plenty of nice restaurants which offer different cuisines that sometimes it is difficult to choose where to go. I wanted a place to watch the sunset and to spend a quiet and romantic evening with my girlfriend on her birthday. Somewhere relaxed on the beach, casual with a little sophistication where we could enjoy good food and service. I therefore chose Sea Breeze Restaurant located at the quiet little resort of Secret Garden. It is in Bangrak Beach on the north coast of the island where you have a great view of one of Samui's landmarks – Big Buddha.

On arrival we were welcomed by JJ who offered us a seat at the bar for the first enjoyment of the evening - the Samui sunset. After browsing the cocktail menu, my girlfriend ordered a banana, Baileys and Kahlua concoction called Samui Dream and for me it had to be a Brazilian Caipirinha. There is something magical about watching the sun go down whilst sipping a tropical cocktail and listening to the waves gently breaking on the shore. Especially with a beautiful woman on her birthday.

By the time we had finished our drinks, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon and we started to think about what we should have to eat. The interesting thing about the Sea Breeze menu is its diversity of flavours and ingredients. As JJ lived in Hong Kong for 15 years, some of the dishes are interesting combinations of Thai and Chinese with western touches. Both cuisines have a lot in common, especially the stir-fried dishes.

"Threads of grilled beef with onions, tomatoes, spring onions and Thai celery drizzled with spicy lime dressing on a bed of Thai lettuce," "Rib eye steak with a brandy and peppercorn sauce," or "Roasted duck marinated with five spices simmered in coconut milk and red curry sauce, basil leaves, Thai eggplants and cherry tomatoes". Well, if that doesn't sound like tempting your taste buds? The look on my girlfriend's face certainly told me more than words could possibly do and I knew I had chosen the right place to celebrate her birthday.

Our choices on the night ended up being "Smoked salmon and asparagus rolls" followed by "Pla Nung Si Yiu (whole sea bass in a spring onion, ginger and soy sauce)" for my girlfriend and "Peking Duck Rolls" followed by "Dancing Prawns (grilled king prawns topped with aromatic flavors of fresh lemon grass, tomato, cashew nuts in a sweet chili sauce" for me. To accompany our dishes, our waitress presented us the wine list, consisting of Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons from Australia and California and sparkling wines from Italy. We opted for the house wine Trebbiano - a dry, refreshing, crisp and fruity white wine from Italy.

After experiencing the blend of Chinese and Thai cuisines with a warm sea breeze gently swaying the palm trees, it was time for dessert. "Crepes with orange sauce and vanilla ice cream" and "Caribbean bananas with a rum and butter sauce and ice cream" were the delights to finish our meal, and it has to be said were extremely delicious. In my eyes, an evening isn't complete without a hot, dark and strong espresso accompanied by a digestive, giving you the opportunity to relive the dining experience. After finishing a second round of espressos and Cointreau, I invited my girlfriend for a romantic walk on the beach to watch the universe of stars above us and to share my last surprise; two glasses and a cold bottle of champagne for good luck in the coming year.

In summary: Sea Breeze Restaurant offers a diverse cuisine for very reasonable prices in a setting that falls into the category of "not to be missed and certainly a place to remember as one of those great holiday moments". And for my girlfriend? A birthday present which you can't beat - a pair of diamond earrings!

To book a beachfront dining experience or to surprise your partner call 0 7724 5255 or 08 1272 2077.

Bon appetit!