Jun Hom, checking out Pooky's Mum's old restaurant, Koh Samui

Pooky was one of the delightful Thai girls we were lucky enough to work with at Parrot Cay. Her food, amazing! So, when we met up with Steve & Kannika, also some old friends we had worked with on the island and we were in Koh Samui, we decided to hunt down Pooky's Mum's old restaurant. We knew it was called Jun Hom, and knew it was somewhere along Hat Bang Po. We doubled up on scooters, and rode the ring road up to the top of the island ... It was hot and dusty, and we were going at some speed. We of course drove past it and ended up at Mae Nam beach before heading back and retracing our steps. It took us a while to find, but it is nestled just beside the Coconut Villas, which is a great landmark should we be looking for it again.. We park the scooters and head on in.



It's so green, the entrance surrounded by fresh plants. There is an undercover eating area, but we are very happy to take a seat out on the beach tables, taking our shoes off with the sand between our toes. We order a couple of big beers, which come Thai style with a bucket of ice.



They have a huge menu, and then funnily enough only a couple of pages translated into English, which lists all the usual suspects. We are very lucky to have Kannika with us, who of course spots a whole range of interesting Thai dishes on the Thai menu. We leave the ordering up to her, just expressing our interest to try and true Southern style dishes. The first dish is just that, a dry fried curry with green peppercorns and lots of tumeric with a few slices of cucumber on the side. This is incredible, almost like a Southern style larb, but a bit dryer.



The soup is also stained with the yellow of tumeric, simply filled with chunks of chicken, slices of onion and some fresh coriander.



The next dish, oh my, I can still remember the taste, the texture of the fried lemongrass, and the amazing aroma. A whole fish was firstly marinated in amongst many other things, lemongrass, garlic & fish sauce and then deep-fryed. Then on top of that, a mountain of smashed up lemongrass and garlic had also been fried, the fine strands so aromatic and crispy. We all love this dish so much, and we have nearly devoured the whole thing before anyone notices the little sauce on the side, not that it needed it!



Majority of the Thai population are Buddist, but many of those from the South are Muslim, immigrating to the area from the Indian subcontinent over the last 2 thousand years or so. Therefor the Southern regions of Thailand bear close similarities to Indian food, turmeric permiating a lot of the Southern Cuisine. It's the fresh tumeric root that is used though, with a beautiful gold colour and mild flavor. We see it again used in the Southern style fish curry. Chunks of well browned fish, with a green leaf that is a little bitter swimming in a light coconut and turmeric broth.



Fried crab with egg, pepper and garlic was our last dish of the day. Whole blue crabs smashed up and piled high, the meat sucked from the shell.



A beautiful, beachside location, with some really interesting and delicious Southern Thai dishes to match. A must if you are up the top end of the island.



Jun Hom
Hat Bang Po
Next to the Coconut Villas
Koh Samui, Thailand


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Bee pollen for breakfast, Radiance Restaurant, the Spa Samui

Bee pollen. These little granules contain a whole range of minerals and vitamins and are high in protein and carbohydrates. Perfect for starting off the day, really. We have now arrived in Koh Samui, and are staying at the Spa Resort on Lamai beach. After 6 weeks of travelling, indulging, heavy eating and drinking, we will be doing a little 5 day detox while we are here. We take a few days to be able to meet up with friends, and not be restricted on what we are eating (or, not eating for that matter..). Think it's a wise choice to at least give the body something vibrant, something healthy, just so it knows what's coming ....

Guy's breakfast at the Radiance restaurant is a bowl of fresh chopped mango & papaya with a Chiang Mai sheeps milk yogurt and bee pollen. It's delicious! The bee pollen really giving the whole dish a nice texture, each little granule popping in the mouth and the sweetness of the fruit being balanced by the rich, luscious yogurt.



Now, let's go eat some fried pork for lunch!

The Spa Resorts Koh Samui
P.O. Box #1, Lamai Beach
Koh Samui, 84310 Suratthani
Thailand
Tel: +66(0)77-230-855


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Angela's, again ....

It's our last day in Samui ...... and Jason is kind enough to drive us up to the other end of the island to board the catamaran bound for Koh Phangan. We arrive a bit early, which means only one thing ..... eating to fill in the time!

We find ourselves back at Angela's. Jason goes for a good ol' pastrami sandwich. Of course, it's not a Katz Deli pastrami, but Jason declares it the best he's had on the island ...



Kim has the choice of the day! The poor boy sandwich. Egg salad with ham, tomato & cucumber on a baguette. Yum!



The club sandwich is my choice today. It's nicely done. There's bacon, egg, chicken, tomato, lettuce and some crispy fries.



And now we're back to the Lomphraya pier as we head for Koh Phangan ....

Hot Pan Mae Nam

Recipe for a great time; first take a bunch of friends, then some how find yourself at the northern end of Koh Samui in Mae Nam, now find the restaurant with "We are number 1" plastered across the front, the great time is sure to follow......





Hot pan Man Nam is a Chinese BBQ restaurant, the Chinese BBQ some times called hot pan is like a cross of a steamboat and a BBQ plate, with a vented dome where the funnel is usually located on a steamboat, placed on top of a charcoal pit full of glowing coals the moat is filled with soup and a good whack of pork back fat is placed on the center of the dome



while this is heating up you can then take a stroll over to the (in this case) expansive array of sliced meats and prepared vegetables, oh and don't forget the dumplings and eggs as well.











Once you've filled your plate with tasties you bring it back to the BBQ, now hot and the plate nicely lubricated with the rendering pork fat, which once it has flowed down the domed plate slides across the surface of the soup in shiny rivulets. Now you can grill the meats to your liking while cooking the veges and dumplings in the ever increasing flavor soup. Some prefer to baste the meat with the soup to encourage the meaty flavor back into the soup, we just like to let the natural juices flow.



You can repeat these last few steps until you feel like the reason your not going back for more is your unable you move under your own power, it's ok, if you look around you'll see most of the people at the other tables in the same state. Of course even after all this some how when ice cream is mentioned the ladies will magically have found room. All this can be yours for the princely sum of 100 baht, that's right for hours of belly busting taste bud tantalising fun just 100 baht. How sweet is that!  Add it to you list.

Angela's Bakery, Mae Nam, Koh Samui

We started reading up about bakeries in Samui on a mission to find some bread for the pig. Angela's was a name that often popped up ..... We did end up getting the bread from Angela's for the birthday pig. It was a farely decent baguette like bread. So we ventured back to see what else was on offer.

Our first visit we share a plate of prosciutto, which comes with a slice of cheese, a few black olives and some little sliced of tomato. There's a basket of toasted bread on the side and we proceed to make little prosciutty sandwiches.



The second thing we've ordered, which we both immediately noticed on the menu, was the Hot Bandanna. It's described as cheese, tomato, olive, garlic and herbs baked inside bread. But what arrives is indeed a hot bandanna ..... it's wrapped up like a little parcel, the red bandanna bunched up and tied at the top.



We open it ..... and a little round bread, that is crispy and oozing with melted cheese is revealed.



We then remove the lid, to reveal the hidden treasures. We break away pieces of the bread-shell and scoop up the gooey goodness. It's okay ... nothing to exciting, but something a little novel.



We both resist the delicious sausage rolls that look ever-so-tempting on the front counter when we pay ..... there's so much more eating to be had!



Route 4169, Mae Nam
Koh Samui, Thailand
Open 8am ~ 6pm
Ph: 077427396

Samui's famous Khao Mon Gai

At Mike's birthday bash the end of the evening evolved into drinking games and magic tricks and all 'round craziness. Despite this Kim and I both recalled talking to some locals about an amazing khao mon gai stall that was supposed to be within walking distance of Kelli & Glenn's place. This is supposed to be 'the' place the locals travel to, from all over the island, for their fix of khao mon gai, or chicken rice.



On several occasions we tried to find it ..... the directions were a bit hazy (or at least our heads were) and we weren't having luck from the beach side or the road side. But one day, scooting through Bang Po beach, from the Na Thon side we spot an unassuming little place that had about 6 cars and a pile of scooters outside. We wanted to check it out regardless ..... but turns out this was the spot!



We walk in, there's some glass cabinets with the chickens hanging in all their glory, and some plastic tables down on the sand.



There's a cute little jar of firey vinegar / chilli sauce with a little dish of fresh chilli's and tiny garlic cloves acting as a lid.



There's also a stack of little ramekins, piled high, in a little wooden stand that intrigues us both.



2 plates of chicken rice soon distract us from the little tower and we dig in. The chicken is plump and juicy, sitting on top a beautifully fragrant rice, with a few slices of cucumber and a little dish of soy and ginger sauce. A small bowl of the chicken soup and it's a chicken-licious trifecta! I add a touch of the chilli vinegar to both my chicken and the soup. Mmm.



We notice everyone around seems to be enjoying a few of the little dishes that are piled up on the tables so we dive on in ....... on first glance it appears to be a cute little coconut custard.



Once we scoop in, it's apparant there is a layer of gooey pandanus custard underneath.



A fantastic finish to an incredible lunch. And all this, including 2 drinks, for under 100B.

Siripoca Khao Mon Gai
Bang Po Beach
Koh Samui, Thailand


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In the eyes of the beholder

Tucked away on the beach front street in Nathon a little cafe called about art and craft is both about art and craft and about the art and craft of food.



We dropped by for a look see and were impressed with the simple wholesome fare being served. I picked up a vege burito with braised red beans and zesty tomato salsa



Whilst Kat opted for (and quickly lost half of) the tomato and garlic on rye toast with pesto.




Mango slushie and carrot and stuff juice

After a super tasty lunch we browsed the other art and craft adorning the surrounding walls and shelves before we jumped back on the scooter for further Samui adventures....ok ok more eating.

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Mor Din, Koh Samui

"This traditional Thai pot, the Mor Din, is earthenware, large and rounded at the bottom and narrowing at its neck, opening out at its rim. It was originally used to cook rice: the narrow neck ensured minimal evaporation, and allowed excess water to be poured out easily. It also reduced the chances of ash dropping into the cooking pot, something that is not always meant to be included in the ingredients. Being of unfired clay, it was also less likely than a fired pot to shatter when exposed to a naked flame." - Glenn Walis, a friend of ours and publisher for C Holiday magazine in Samui describes the Mor Din in this way. Below, is our encounter of this little gem on the south of the island.

We remembered talking about this earlier on our trip with Mike & Glenn, but it wasn't until one of our last nights in Samui, we were actually trying for dinner at home cooking, but it was closed, that we spotted the Mor Din sign. We take a turn on the Thong Krut road down a windy little dirt road, then we see the lights. It is a jungle setting, with soft lighting and a little fountain in the middle.



I start with a refreshing saparot pun, frozen pineapple slushy. Delicious!



Then we start with a banana flower salad, before the mordin pot's arrive. The salad is packed full of crisp, fresh, banana flower that's enhanced with some fresh coconut and a tangy chilli dressing.



The first mordin pot to arrive at the table for tonight is the tom yum. Delicious spicy broth, with a nice kick of lime, is full of corrinader, spring onion, tomato and chunks of chicken.



Gaeng som, the sour orange Thai curry is something we both love. It's usually done with fish, but we spot a pork verison on the menu. It's the next pot to arrive. As the lid is lifted the chilli wafts into the air and tickles our nostrils. The chunks of pork are tender and full of flavour, and there's some nice little sweet surprises of fresh pineapple and we naviagate our way through this incredibly spicy, and delicious, interpretation of the gaeng som.



Even the rice arrives in a mordin, cooked in the pot which it's served, with all the crunchy bits of rice on the bottom of the pot.


We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at mordin, and we found ourselves glad that Home Cooking was closed on this occasion, otherwise we may have missed out alltogether. Next time we'll be be back with a few more persons as the pots are huge.



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Save some room for dinner .....

It's actually a little hard writing a blog on one of our many strolls down Bang Po beach with the thought that Sable is no longer there ........

But on one of our strolls, we did find this little beachside place serving some mean Thai food.  We had been on the lookout for this famous Khao Mon Gai place (post to come) but we could never find it from the beach side.  This other little place, recognisable from the huge amounts of bamboo by the beach, was also recommend by Glenn, a favorite stop of his for tom yum.



We were going to order the tom yum, but both immediately spotted the coconut soup with tumeric and crab. Mmm. Good choice, indeed. A rich, yellow, coconut broth packed full of lemongrass and coriander was sublime. Just trying to get all of the crab from the shell with a fork was a bit hard and we eventually gave up ....



Luckily, within moments a khai jiaw goong sup appeared on the table to distract us. A delicate, paper thin omlette was carefully wrapped around minced prawn and peanuts and scattered with chopped chives. nom nom



Lastly, (this was an in between lunch and dinner kind-of meal ;-)) a bowl of Massaman curry. It was packed full of spice, with chunks of pork, onion and potato.



Now to saving some room for dinner ....