Samui Explorer
This month the Samui Explorer team set out to bring you the answer to the question, What's it really like to eat Thai food in local restaurants? In order to bring you the answer to this question we had the delightful task of finding you four of the best Thai restaurants on the north shore of the island.
Koh Samui is gaining a world wide reputation for top class cuisine and it's a well deserved reputation to say the least. International chefs are creating masterpieces all over this amazing island at a price and quality that will astound you. With the island developing and attracting a more and more discerning clientele each year, it's sometimes easy to forget that in the smaller Thai restaurants Thai chefs are creating masterpieces and brining you recipes that have been handed down through generations using often hand picked ingredients and at a price that even the most frugal visitor can well afford.
Our first recommendation is A Garden. This stunning little restaurant is on the ring road outside Bophut, just after the Bophut Resort heading towards Maenam. Don't let the road side location put you off. The A garden is beautifully lit with fairy lights and spot lights and adorned with tropical plants. You can hardly hear the traffic in this garden oasis and the restaurant is as spotlessly clean as it is beautiful. The menu here is pack to the seems with delicious Thai dishes from all over the country. Meals can be adapted to anyone's pallet; you just have to let the attentive staff know how spicy you like your dishes. The food is fresh and beautifully presented and tastes out of this world. Western food is also available here as well as children's portions and favourites. Chilled beers and wines as well as soft drinks and cocktails are available along with a stunning desert menu that includes deep fried ice cream and the best Irish coffee I have ever tasted. A Garden is a restaurant of outstanding quality of both food and service and not to be missed during your stay here on the island.
Our second recommendation is to be found in Maenam. You and Me restaurant is located on the opposite side of the road to 7/11 just before Fresh Mart. The restaurant is beautifully lit and has an amazing water feature. Again the menu here is extensive and contains dishes from north to south and east to west. Beautifully presented dishes again can be adapted to your tastes and I highly recommend the stir fry dishes. It's hard to imagine that you couldn't find what you are looking for on the extensive menu but if you don't you only have to ask. In summary You and Me is a delightful restaurant, the staff are friendly and helpful, the food is fresh and delicious and the price is incredibly reasonable. If there are a group of you I would suggest eating Thai style and ordering several dishes to share. Western style food is also available here.
Our third recommendation is Gai restaurant. Located in Maenam and after Fresh Mart on the corner of Soi 5. Gai restaurant is a little more basic than our other recommendations but equally well worth a visit. Becoming increasingly popular with the local Thais and expats Gai has to be one of the most reasonably priced restaurants on the island. Low cost here does not affect the quality. Gai produces fresh authentic Thai food that is absolutely mouth watering. Open for lunch as well as dinner and take away Gai is one of Samui's lesser known treasures and really is a must during your stay here on Koh Samui.
Our forth recommendation is The Food Stop, which is located almost opposite You & Me. This cosy little restaurant with an almost living room atmosphere and a garden in the back where you can eat, serves Thai food, European food and pasta's. Because the charming Thai owner has lived several years in Italy, the quality of Thai as well as European food and the pasta's are on an equal level for a very affordable price. If you order Thai food, simply tell her if you like it spicy or mild and she will serve you accordingly your wish.
My final recommendation is the Maenam Hot Pot, once located in the heart of Maenam village you will now find the restaurant before the Plai Laem Temple opposite 7/11 on the way to Nathon when you leave Meanam. This very Thai restaurant offers the Thai version of the Korean BBQ and at 120 baht for all you can eat it's an experience not to be missed. Each table has its own BBQ and you cook your own food from an astounding selection of meats, fish and vegetables. The BBQ has a moat around it where you can add herbs and stock, mushrooms and noodles to create the most wonderful broth. French fries, fish cakes, prawn crackers and spring rolls are there for your enjoyment while you are waiting for your meat to cook and fresh fruits and ice creams as well as cakes and tea and coffee are plentiful to enjoy after you meal. Most of the staff speak very good English and are on hand to help you create a masterpiece from the outstanding selection of market fresh foods. The restaurant is basic but very clean and food hygiene standards here are of the highest.
I really think that no visit to Koh Samui is complete without getting out there among the locals and doing it Thai style.
All of the restaurants mentioned in this article are more than well worth a visit and I promise you, you won't leave any of them disappointed and with a lot more money left in your pocket than you could ever imagine. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Bon appetite!
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