Koh Samui Dining Guide
Dining on Samui comes in many forms. The most eye-catching for many will probably be the sheer amount of 5-star restaurants available. Samui can boast an incredible amount of world renowned chefs all working on this small tropical island. But this kind of dining is merely a portion of a much larger food orientated industry.
Everywhere you look you’ll see food. Restaurants of varying price ranges exist and all have one thing in common, excellent food. And don’t be put off by appearances; some of the best food on the island comes out of what can only be described as wooden shacks. If you like your food spicy then you can afford to be adventurous and order away, wherever you are. If not, then remember the phrase “Mai Pet” and the spiciness will be drastically reduced.
Even in the smallest of cafes, and restaurants, the staff will normally have some understanding of English, and menus tend to be in English and Thai.
Another thing you’ll notice is the number of people walking around the streets carrying small barbecues, or driving about on bikes with home-made sidecars adapted into portable kitchens. They’re everywhere and offer a wide variety of food, you can even stand and barbecue it yourself to ensure it’s cooked to your satisfaction.
Food seems to gain importance when you’re here and many people end up planning their holidays around which restaurants they have to visit. In any other destination you may consider this a waste of time but, here on Samui, eating different things, in different locations, at different price ranges is a big part of enjoying the whole Samui holiday experience. It’s no coincidence that you don’t get many all-inclusive holidays here. Restaurants are available serving good quality food from all imaginable parts of the world.
Thai Food
Thai food strives to achieve a balance where the tastes, textures and seasonings are assembled in every dish to the intended degree; enhancing and defining it. This is known as “rot chart”. Literally translated “rot” means taste and “chart” means proper, unified, balanced or appropriate. And this is the epitome of Thai cooking.
Food and Beverage Hygiene
All restaurants and nearly every food vendor serve safe, bottled drinking water and clean factory-made ice cubes. Vegetables are washed in tap water but are safe when cooked. In the unlikely event that you develop some intestinal discomfort, a visit to a clinic or pharmacy is likely to provide effective relief that will work within hours. |
