Happy 2012! I am now back from exotic and chaotic Thailand and we are already more than halfway through January! How did that happen?! That is crazy!
Thailand was interesting, inspiring, and exhausting all at the same time and I had plenty of food adventures that I want to share with you. Unfortunately, jet-lag has gotten the better of me this week and so once I climb out from under my sleepless fog, I will get on that. Until then here is a quick post about an unexpected find that I had whilst on one of the islands.
I spent my birthday in Ko Samui re-united with family but away from B. That put a bit of a damper on the day but I still managed to keep myself well-satiated and happy. Whilst in Ko Samui I discovered that a past chef at the famed el Bulli, Alex Gares, is now cooking at the Four Seasons. As a treat for my birthday, my family and I dined at Lan Tania, one of the restaurants that Gares oversees at The Four Seasons.
The restaurant has absolutely spectacular cliff top views over the ocean – breathtaking! You’ll have to check out the website to see pictures of the view. Regrettably we didn’t realize just what a spectacular view this would be and we booked our dinner too late to enjoy sunset and dusk with this million dollar view. Damn! A slight oversight on our behalf.
Lan Tania focuses more on Thai and, oddly, Italian food (not what I expecting in Thailand), whereas Pla Pla (the other restaurant) focuses more on Western food and fish. El Bulli this is not – the dishes were traditional Thai rather than innovative culinary quizzes but we had wanted to stick with the local food.
Massaman Nua – Massaman Curry of Beef
Kaow Soi – Curried Noodles with Chicken, Chiang Mai-Style
Paneang Goong – Red Curry of Prawns with Coconut and Lime Leaves
Phad Thai Goong – Fried Rice Noodles with Prawns, Egg, Bean Curd, Chives, Bean Sprouts, Peanuts and Tamarind Sauce
Nua Phad Nam Prik Paow – Stir-Fried Beef with Fragrant Spices
Caramel Chocolate Mousse Tart with Pistachio and Vanilla Ice Cream
This meal was easily the best meal that we had whilst in Ko Samui and it wasn’t overly expensive considering the high standards of quality (it came to about $300 CAD for 5 people, including drinks). The location, the food, the service, and the company, was a memorable way to celebrate my birthday.
Tags: Alex Gares, Food, Four Seasons, Ko Samui, Lan Tania, Pla Pla, restaurant, review, Thailand
