Best Restaurant of 2008 contender
Telephone: 076 580333
Open: 6.30am-10.30pm daily
Address: Aleenta Resort and Spa Phang Nga, 3 Lardprao Soi 95, Wangthonglang, Phang Nga
Style: International and Thai
Price range: Five-star prices. Lunchtime menu: Green mango salad with steamed blue crab flakes and roasted cashew nuts (340 baht) juicy pomelo salad with crispy smoked duck breast, peanuts and tamarind dressing (380 baht) prime Spanish cured ham slices (390 baht) Thai vegetable spring rolls (290 baht) open faced sandwich of buffalo mozzarella, tomato, pine seeds, garden leaves, olive paste and balsamic dressing (430 baht) beef, chicken or fish burger (550 baht) pad thai (440 baht) wok Australian beef in oyster sauce (590 baht) street vendor's Thai omelette (390 baht) sticky rice and mango (210 baht) moist chocolate brownies (240 baht) fresh fruit platter (150 baht) organic tea (85 baht) Evian or Perrier, San Benedetto, Pellegrino (100 baht) cocktails (130 baht) Singha (Large or small? We cannot be sure. 130 baht). This is, of course, plus 10 percent service charge and plus 7 percent VAT.
Specialty: International food
What executive chef Jean Louis Leon says: Aleenta is more chill-out and relaxed than most eating destinations. We can set up dinner on the beach or in a villa. We are a bit of fun.
What Phuketwan says: We went for lunch on a Sunday, dreading another overpriced tourist rip-off. We came away content, despite the size of the bill. Let us just get the inevitable whinge about prices over first. To charge 120 baht for a young coconut (plus 10 percent plus seven percent) is extortionate. If you can't pick up one on a beach for free, one of these costs less than 20 baht at a local corner restaurant. A coconut is not an item that the chef has to lay a hand on. Yet surely, at that price, it must be prepared by someone waving a chopper of pure gold. Hyperinflation? Here it comes. Hoard your coconuts carefully. Mind you, the lime juice was the same price, and we all know how much time and effort goes into preparing one of those. The rest of lunch more than made up for those ridiculous excesses. The restaurant is down a set of stairs but still quite high, with a balcony overlooking Nathi Beach. Nearby, a string of the most expensive houses in Phang Nga faces the stirring monsoon-whipped waves of the Andaman. The warm French ''coulommiers'' (goat cheese, green asparagus, crispy shallots, orange fillets, walnut and aged muystard dressing, 410 baht) was tangy and zesty in turn. In short, it was a treat. The Thai seafood salad with glass noodles was, believe it or not, a little more expensive, but exquisitely presented and delicious. There are separate menus here for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is always a sign that people really care about the food. The executive chef says breakfast here is unique, like an early morning version of high tea, with eggs prepared in the fashion of Italy, France, Japan and Korea. The Aleenta, a small villa and loft resort, has been open for two years. Given that the resort restaurant is closer to anyone living in the north of the island than most inferior restaurants on Phuket, the kitchen here deserves to grow and prosper. The restaurant may be in Phang Nga, but for most it's a 20 minute drive for a thoroughly refreshing experience. This was the dining highlight of the year so far. We are keen to return. The Aleenta Restaurant is one of two. The other, The Chef's Table, is open from 7pm to 9.30pm Monday to Saturday, with a set menu for fine dining that changes daily. It specialises in European food and has come to the attention of the highly-regarded Conde Naste's Traveller ''hot list'' as well as attracting at least one rave review locally for lemon tart. The cost: 2400 baht a head, including wine.
How to find it: Cross the Sarasin Bridge off the island and look out for a signpost leading down a road on the left to the beach.
Parking: Room at the resort or in the street.
Phuketwan restaurant reviewers pay for their meals. If someone else does, we tell you so
Telephone: 076 580333
Open: 6.30am-10.30pm daily
Address: Aleenta Resort and Spa Phang Nga, 3 Lardprao Soi 95, Wangthonglang, Phang Nga
Style: International and Thai
Price range: Five-star prices. Lunchtime menu: Green mango salad with steamed blue crab flakes and roasted cashew nuts (340 baht) juicy pomelo salad with crispy smoked duck breast, peanuts and tamarind dressing (380 baht) prime Spanish cured ham slices (390 baht) Thai vegetable spring rolls (290 baht) open faced sandwich of buffalo mozzarella, tomato, pine seeds, garden leaves, olive paste and balsamic dressing (430 baht) beef, chicken or fish burger (550 baht) pad thai (440 baht) wok Australian beef in oyster sauce (590 baht) street vendor's Thai omelette (390 baht) sticky rice and mango (210 baht) moist chocolate brownies (240 baht) fresh fruit platter (150 baht) organic tea (85 baht) Evian or Perrier, San Benedetto, Pellegrino (100 baht) cocktails (130 baht) Singha (Large or small? We cannot be sure. 130 baht). This is, of course, plus 10 percent service charge and plus 7 percent VAT.
Specialty: International food
What executive chef Jean Louis Leon says: Aleenta is more chill-out and relaxed than most eating destinations. We can set up dinner on the beach or in a villa. We are a bit of fun.
What Phuketwan says: We went for lunch on a Sunday, dreading another overpriced tourist rip-off. We came away content, despite the size of the bill. Let us just get the inevitable whinge about prices over first. To charge 120 baht for a young coconut (plus 10 percent plus seven percent) is extortionate. If you can't pick up one on a beach for free, one of these costs less than 20 baht at a local corner restaurant. A coconut is not an item that the chef has to lay a hand on. Yet surely, at that price, it must be prepared by someone waving a chopper of pure gold. Hyperinflation? Here it comes. Hoard your coconuts carefully. Mind you, the lime juice was the same price, and we all know how much time and effort goes into preparing one of those. The rest of lunch more than made up for those ridiculous excesses. The restaurant is down a set of stairs but still quite high, with a balcony overlooking Nathi Beach. Nearby, a string of the most expensive houses in Phang Nga faces the stirring monsoon-whipped waves of the Andaman. The warm French ''coulommiers'' (goat cheese, green asparagus, crispy shallots, orange fillets, walnut and aged muystard dressing, 410 baht) was tangy and zesty in turn. In short, it was a treat. The Thai seafood salad with glass noodles was, believe it or not, a little more expensive, but exquisitely presented and delicious. There are separate menus here for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is always a sign that people really care about the food. The executive chef says breakfast here is unique, like an early morning version of high tea, with eggs prepared in the fashion of Italy, France, Japan and Korea. The Aleenta, a small villa and loft resort, has been open for two years. Given that the resort restaurant is closer to anyone living in the north of the island than most inferior restaurants on Phuket, the kitchen here deserves to grow and prosper. The restaurant may be in Phang Nga, but for most it's a 20 minute drive for a thoroughly refreshing experience. This was the dining highlight of the year so far. We are keen to return. The Aleenta Restaurant is one of two. The other, The Chef's Table, is open from 7pm to 9.30pm Monday to Saturday, with a set menu for fine dining that changes daily. It specialises in European food and has come to the attention of the highly-regarded Conde Naste's Traveller ''hot list'' as well as attracting at least one rave review locally for lemon tart. The cost: 2400 baht a head, including wine.
How to find it: Cross the Sarasin Bridge off the island and look out for a signpost leading down a road on the left to the beach.
Parking: Room at the resort or in the street.
Phuketwan restaurant reviewers pay for their meals. If someone else does, we tell you so
