Foodie’s paradise in Koh Samui

By Manisha Rao
Foodie’s paradise in Koh Samui
FEAST IN PEACE | Dining on the Rocks during sunset, Koh Samui, Thailand

A gastronomic experience at this romantic Thai resort is nothing short of extraordinary

Is it just a restaurant? No. Is it an experience? Yes. That too, thoroughly sophisticated, yet outrageously unexpected. Koh Samui’s Six Senses resort introduces you to a soul-searching journey that has got nothing to do with just choices, good service or the highest quality of food. The ordinary here is deconstructed and twisted to create the extraordinary, which is more like an all-out assault on your taste buds and senses.

Book yourself a table on one of the nine cantilevered verandahs of weathered teak and bamboo, and witness them yawn over the Gulf of Siam. An uninterrupted 270-degree panorama of islands and ocean is sure to make you feel you are dining atop a wooden barge that’s floating on a starlit sea-of course, after sunset and a glass of wine.

270 degree panorama view of island.
270 degree panorama view of island

The kitchen moguls at Dining on the Rocks have raised the bar a few notches higher by introducing what they call Modern Interpretive Cuisine. Original recipes are reconstructed in such imaginative ways that you get a completely different result. Head chef Ryan Dadufalza likes to turn Asian staples on their heads by mixing up textures, tastes and temperatures. While grain-fed beef tenderloin almost drowns in a sukiyaki broth with a whiff of sesame-flavoured air and a side of spiced popcorn, Tom yam surprises you by appearing as tangy foam, served with ginger-tinted scallops and a crumbly cracker of parmesan cheese.

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If you still feel way too spoilt for choice, you could ask the chef to even customise and create a special menu for you. Just brief him on the food you like or clarify something that you may be allergic to. 

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You won’t be disappointed even one bit as the focus is always on fresh, wholesome and local ingredients. The dishes are prepared using fresh herbs and organic vegetables procured from the resort itself. But you can pretty much feel confused, as every dish on the menu is available as an appetiser as well as a main course. To ease your predicament, the restaurant created the ‘Experiences’ set dinner that provides 10 mini-courses-taking care of temptation and variety at the same time! An example of such an ‘Experience’ would be: Tartar Dégustation; Reduction of Coconut and Truffle with rosemary roasted chicken; Tian of Seared Tuna with spiced lentils and balsamic; Roasted Duck with citrus and an orange-lavender granite; Iced Tom-yam Gazpacho with oysters; Steamed Hor-mok Soufflé; Iced Coconut and Blue Curacao; Lamb Cutlet filled with spiced potatoes served with raita and mint; Jasmine Tea-flavoured Chocolate Pots with spiced pineapple; and Organic Lemongrass Tea.

Book a table on one of the nine cantilevered verandahs of weathered teak and bamboo.
Book a table on one of the nine cantilevered verandahs of weathered teak and bamboo

If you still feel way too spoilt for choice, you could ask the chef to even customise and create a special menu for you. Just brief him on the food you like or clarify something that you may be allergic to. There’s also something called the “Surprise menu” that can leave you wondering what’s going to be served next. Slightly strange for the uninitiated, but the experience can be outstanding.

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The ‘Hot dog’ deserves a special mention, for its accompaniments are quite innovative. The ketchup comes in shape of a small ball and the mustard in the form of an ice cream. 

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The gastronomic revolution that began in 2004 offers distinctively different New Asian Cuisine with a cross over accent. The sheer ingenuity of the diverse tastes mingles together and the glint in your eyes can make your gastronomic partner in crime smile too. The ‘Hot dog’ deserves a special mention, for its accompaniments are quite innovative. The ketchup comes in shape of a small ball and the mustard in the form of an ice cream. Their philosophy is in combining tastes of east and west, different textures and contrasts of hot and cold to give your mouth a treat that will have it crying out for more.

P.S.  If you’re celebrating a special occasion, book Table 99 well in advance; it’s best for a proposal-indecent or otherwise.