November 5th, 2010
Upon arrival, have your first meal on the island at the Koh Chang Grand Orchid Restaurant in Klong Son village. It is under the resort of the same name and offers Thai, international, and seafood cuisine.
Ton Sai Restaurant is set on top of a banyan tree, thus the name. It is located at White Sand Beachand serves fusion food.
Relax after dinner by sitting back at the nearby Sabay Bar. The bar is lively with the music from a Filipino band and fire-twirling shows by skillful performers.
Blues Cha Cha bar set along the main road at Kae Bae just across The Chill is a place to
wine and unwind. Live bands plays nightly and firehouses play to the tune that fire up the atmosphere of a lively evening.
If you are looking for a 5-star environment Breezes bar at the Amari Resort would be your best pick.
Featuring a trendy decor the cozy bar plays live music 6 days a week and offers a wide selection of cocktails, beers and wines as you would expect from a 5-star hotel.
If you are a bit tired there is the sofa bed for you to stretch out. Patrons can also choose to relax at the outdoor quiet lounge facing the sea.
The White Sand Beach Restaurant is located right on the beach where guests can bask in the gentle sunshine or relax under the starry sky while dining.
The restaurant serves Thai and European menus, as well as dishes individually prepared by the chef.
Alina Restaurant, Ban Thai Restaurant and Banpu Koh Chang Restaurant are in-house restaurants for resorts of the same names on White Sand Beach.
It is an added advantage for the guests of the said resorts since these restaurants which serve seafood, Thai and international favorites are only a step away from their accommodations.
If dining under the starry sky is your current leisure pursuit, then Cookies Restaurant is the place to visit. For those seeking a Swedish dining experience, Heli’s Kitchen is definitely the right choice.
Pizza lovers should be delighted to know that there are at least three pizza places on the island. If you prefer a fine dining ambience with candle-lit tables, try Invito Italian Restaurant. Pizza Ban Nuna is, meanwhile, down to earth.
Sassi, at the Amari Emerald Cove Resort, is famous for its traditional Italian cuisine. Its bright and vibrant atmosphere is cosy yet lively. The restaurant’s air conditioned indoor ambience complements the fine tastes of Italy.Outdoor servings are available if you prefer the natural air supply.
Just one level below is the Just Thai restaurant stylishly designed with contemporary Thai
decor. Expect the more innovative Thai delicacies and fresh seafood. The restaurant turns a bit Japanese with an additional 5-course dinner menu every Mondays and Thursdays. Outdoor seatings are available here too.
The Cove Terrace boasts of an all-day a la carte menu in a bright, airy setting. Check out the special theme buffet available on some evenings. Exclusive romantic sunset dining right on the beach can be arranged.
Buffalo Bill Steak House on White Sand Beach serves one of the best steaks on the island . The wild west steak house has a very relaxed ambience and a friendly staff Here, the portions are American size but not the prices.
The Milky Bar on White Sand Beach is an ideal place for those who want to spend the night singing to the tune of music.
The Terrace Restaurant in the premise of the Chang Buri Resort and Spa on White Sand Beach is on a hillside terrace where diners can enjoy food in a natural environment. The restaurant prepares both Thai and European cuisines.
The resort’s Beach Bar Restaurant is perfect if you prefer to dine by the beach, where the menu is similar to that of the Terrace Restaurant.
For fine dining experience amongst the vegetation of a rainforest overlooking the sea go to Saffron On The Sea. This boutique restaurant offers Thai & Western delicacies in the open space with a good view of the mountain and the sunset.
For a change in scenery, schedule a breakfast or lunch date at The Cinnamon Restaurant, at the Aana Resort on Klong Prao Beach. The restaurant is located along the river, and now provides free Wi-Fi connection for its patrons.
If a light meal is all you need at the moment, then visit The Hill Bar at the same resort. Before heading down to dinner, drop by at the same bar for a sunset aperitif.
For a more relaxed dining experience, get down to Aana’s The Beach Bar for street food, drinks and cocktails.
Imagine dining in a tropical garden setting with the sound of the lapping waves of the nearby sea. Remark Cottage Restaurant at the Klong Prao Beach makes that experience possible, plus letting you enjoy a wide variety of seafood.
A health-conscious vacation is now possible at the Boutique Restaurant where they serve health and vegetarian foods.
Just inside the Chai Chet Resort is the Chai Chet Seafood which serves the best in seafood cuisine to its in-resort patrons. However, they will also be happy to welcome anyone who’ll come visit them.
Enjoy a homey, cozy atmosphere while dining at the K.B. Restaurant that serves local favorites, fresh seafood, and international food.
Let Siam Beach Restaurant’s chef prepare for you only the best Thai food a la carte and discover what it is like to experience the so-called dinner in paradise.
The Bay Restaurant at the Dusit Princess Koh Chang has a delightful selections of seafood and international cuisine. Modern decor in bright colours with a view of the Bai Lan Bay will further enhance your appetite.
The fishermen’s village in Bang Bao is the place to go to for the best seafood. Here you can expect the freshest catch of
the day, at famous restaurants. One of the most reputable seafood restaurant here is the Ruan Thai Restaurant. Set above the sea the restaurant is famed for its fresh seafood prepared the local way at reasonable prices.
For a romantic culinary adventure try the Tantra Restaurant at the Nirvana Resort in Bang Bao where contemporary European and Thai cuisine are prepared by their renowned chef. An innovative promotion called the Nirvana Twilight Nights include a breathtaking view of the sunset amid soothing beats and refreshing cocktails, an illuminated jungle walk and a 3-course dinner at the restaurant set on stilts overlooking the fishing village and the calm sea. Fine wines and an extensive drinks menu add to the delight.
On the eastern coast, a vegetarian outlet–Spa Koh Chang Restaurant–is fast becoming popular among travelers. Its “Food for Health” slogan makes it a distinct choice for health-conscious diners.
Salakphet Seafood Restaurant is built above the waters, giving the place a relaxing ambience and a feel of being part of the fishing community.
Watering holes, or beer bars, can be easily found on every beach on the island.
Other than Koh Chang, most resorts on other islands include meals in their packages. Nevertheless, some restaurants such as the Makathanee Restaurant on Koh Maak also serve a la carte menus. The place which is under the resort of the same name serves seafood, local and international favorites.
Get a feeling of the island by dining at the Shantaa Restaurant on Shantaa Koh Kood. It is where local favorites are enhanced with the cooking secrets of local chefs.
But just before heading down to the restaurant, take a detour to the resort’s Shantaa Beach Bar for your favorite drinks and snacks.
You can find more information in Koh Chang at http://www.koh-chang.com
Categories: Dining |
Tags: Chang, Food, wine | Comments Off
October 30th, 2010
Going out with your friends to a fine dining place but have no idea how to choose the wine to go with the food you order? Or want to impress your girlfriend with your knowledge? Just remember these tips and you will never go wrong.
• Ask the sommelier – The sommelier is the person whose job it is to suggest wines to you. Go by his diktats till you are sure of yourself.
• Go by the colour – Match the colour of the wine to the colour of the meat. Take red wines along with veal, beef and mutton while white wines would blend well with poultry and fish. Use fruity wines if you are having vegetables.
• Don’t go by the price – The price is not a true indicator of the wine’s quality as it depends on your palette. Go by what you like, not by how much it costs.
Keep these points in mind and try as many wines as you can. Slowly but surely you’ll get the hang of choosing the right wine.
Located close to the city in Richmond, Church Street Enoteca is an award winning restaurant offering modern Italian cuisine and a comprehensive range of wines from Australia and around the world. They were recently awarded their first “chef’s hat” at the 2009 Age Good Food Guide Awards, and two “wine goblets” from the Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year.
Church Street Enoteca is also well-known for it’s versatility as a venue for corporate and social events. Two function rooms are available and can cater for up to 12 guests in the Private Dining Room, and up to 60 guests in the Gallery. The art deco elements of the building and original floor boards dating back to the 1800’s make it a stunning venue for functions accommodating up to 140 guests. Church St Enoteca also welcomes group bookings of 10 to 20 guests in the restaurant matched with a limited a la carte menu and bookings are essential.
Two course lunches are also available from late January to November and change on a weekly basis. If you want to have an unforgettable dining experience with the best of Italian cuisine and Australian and other wines, come to Church St Enoteca; the restaurant about which ‘The Age’ wrote “The food is unpretentiously modern, mostly Italian, and generous. The wine list suggests a serious interest in the subject. And the experience is reinforced by attention to detail and attentive service.” To know more about the restaurant and check out the menu, please drop by at www.churchstenoteca.com.au. You can also book your venue for a Corporate Dining event.
Categories: Dining |
Tags: Food, union, wine | Comments Off
October 24th, 2010
When Princess Cruises launched the majestic Grand Princess in May 1998, she was the largest and most expensive passenger ship in the world, and twelve years on she is still a magnificent ship and is often referred to as the ‘Floating palace’. In keeping with her first-class reputation the culinary delights onboard are a splendiferous combination of traditional dining and superb speciality restaurants.
The option of Personal Choice Dining is a welcome alternative aboard the Grand Princess, which means that you no longer have to dine at a specific time, fantastic if you have been on an excursion and would prefer to eat later in the evening. The extremely obliging restaurant staff will cater to your every whim, and will sit you at a table from just 2 to 20, depending on whether you wish to socialise or have a more intimate meal for two. If you prefer to sit at the same table with the same waiting staff each evening Tradional Dining allows you to dine at set times, both of these options offer a range of creative and sumptuous dishes.
There is an array of speciality restaurants; Sabatini’s is famous with those who cruise aboard the Grand Princess. A dining experience set amongst the three dimensional murals depicting idyllic scenes giving the overall feeling that you are sitting in an ancient Roman Piazza. Start with the famous antipasti then journey through the tempting pastas, Ricotta Ravioli with truffles, egg noodles with asparagus, followed by sea bass and lobster tails, the culinary list is endless. But leave room for the finale, Sabatini’s amazing deserts. Try their traditional Tiramisu or their heavenly White Chocolate Mouse.
The Crown Grill offers the most marvellous seafood and steaks cooked to order. You can view your meal being prepared from the theatre style kitchen. Set in opulent surroundings it is a great place for a more intimate dining experience. Choose from fresh fish to filet mignon, all accompanied by the Sommeliers chosen wines.
If you are looking to dine and listen to live music dine at the Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse, a New Orleans style restaurant the first of its kind at sea. A range of traditional Cajun and Creole influenced dishes such as the seafood Gumbo Ya-Ya, a seafood extravaganza of shrimp, grab and scallops. Deserts are a fantasy come true, with the Fried Yellow Peach Pie (a must try), to the heavenly Chocolate Pecan Fudge cake.
Princess Cruises have made sure that the culinary delights aboard Grand Princess will not be outdone. So if you looking for more informal dining make your way to the Horizon Court. Here you will find the famed 24hr buffet, which offers a huge choice of salads, sides, hot and cold food, and again fabulous deserts. Or just laze beside the pool and if you’re peckish order a Naples style pizza and a cold glass of Chardonnay.
The Piazza is where you will find the International Cafe a great place to have breakfast, offering a wide selection of gorgeous pastries and freshly baked croissants. Just follow your nose. Throughout the day the Cafe bakes its famous cookies, if you love your cakes, pastries, and fresh ground coffee this is where you will gravitate to.
For the wine connoisseurs, you will find a unique range of new and old-world wines at the Vines Wine and Seafood bar, which also offers gourmet delicacies, a great place to meet up with friends and wile away the hours.
Aboard the Grand Princess the Chef’s Table is the ultimate dining experience, for all budding chefs it is the chance to observe at first-hand the inner sanctum of the ships galley. Here you can enjoy a multi-course menu accompanied by selected wines, and discuss the preparation of the cuisine aboard, all of this is hosted by the executive chef.
This wonderful plethora of dining is made possible by Master Chef Alfredo Marzi, who has catered for Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana of Wales, and King Umberto of Italy. So when dining aboard the Grand princess you know that you are experiencing first class food that is fit for royalty.
Categories: Dining |
Tags: Dining, Grand, Onboard, Princess | Comments Off
October 18th, 2010
“So far so good” murmured his wife.
The last time she said that it was almost involuntary and his fingers were two buttons away from removing her blouse. But this time it was different – there was a bit of romance in it. This was a pat on the Leo’s shoulder for the imminent success of a socially critical dinner party held in one of Manila’s favorite restaurants. To him, it was of course all work. To the rich – and let’s not forget attractive – wife, it was a generous helping of glamour and glory. But he was not complaining. Just as an NYPD officer would say in a life TV interview after taking a bullet in the (lower) cheek during a drug bust, “I’m just doing my job”.
Everyone at that table agreed that most formal dinners were a plunder of a poorly conserved national treasure called time. But his well-rounded 49-year-old demeanor blended seamlessly with his understated good looks to exude a certain attractiveness that charmed the table of 10 from salad to soup.
Karina is the 37-year-old gorgeous other half – very desirable but very taken. She was secretly congratulating herself too, for the choice of this restaurant to hold this dinner, and the choice of this husband for everything else. Clearly this was what marriage’s about. Strangely enough, he loved it and he loved her.
After 10 dinners a month for the last 6 months in succession, this sort of things can seem exceptionally insignificant to the host. After all, most formal dinners tend to be well sculpted effusion of extravagant mediocrity. It must be destiny then, that someone should antithesize this socially thriving couple. As the quails were being served on rustic chinaware, the 24-year-old aspiring dancer/waiter performed a stunning feat that would have been considered death-defying back in a more civilized era a couple of centuries ago. She poured the wrong wine into the wrong glass. Or was it the wrong wine into the right glass, or the right wine into the wrong glass…? Heck, the wine in the bottle was red (Pinot Noir) and the wine in the glass was red (Merlot) – Pwede Na! Not since the warring medieval times did Burgundy face Bordeaux with so much contempt, now a mere echo of inspiring battle cry “Today, we fight!”
Sliding doors open again, rewind – take two.
You have a very important dinner for 10. Gentlemen will be in jackets and ties, ladies in cocktail dresses. The good news is you have a license to kill P 60,000. The bad news is you are the host. News could get worse in a hurry if old Murphy (Murphy’s Law) came uninvited. Murphy always works overtime to spice up your act with a few effervescent disasters. Then there’d be plenty of publicity of the most effective kind – word of mouth.
There are actually two ways to skin this cat.
Option one – you can do what most people would do without thinking and that is to throw the dinner at an upscale restaurant. In terms of money matters, P 3,000/head, times 10 totals P 30,000 for food and drinks. Add another P 25,000 for 7 bottles of forgettable wine. But you can’t make it too ordinary or else your guests might just notice them with dubious interest. Hmm let’s see – that’s P 55,000. How about tips? OK, let’s call it an even 60 grand. Push away from the table and call it a night before restless guests ask for a desert wine to end the evening. That’d be another even 10 grand, thank you very much.
Clear Accumulator. Now let’s look at option two. Entertain your guests with a stylish dinner at home, using professional help. Again, let’s start by counting the beans.
Cost for Dinner Entertaining at Home
Shopping money for food P 10,000
Wine Catering and Personal Chef P 35,000
————
Bill for the dinner at home P 45,000
If saving P 15,000 doesn’t do much for you, here is a kicker – you get to show off that Million Dollar home of yours. The much neglected dining room would appreciate a little life and romance too. But does it really work? Oh yes, it does and here’s how, piece by piece.
Personal Chef
A troop of culinary personnel works swiftly behind the scene. Only one chef and his commissary land on your driveway on D-day. They are armed with mise-en-place from their production kitchen. Four hours before curtains, curious boxes march into your kitchen through the back door. This might be a good time for you to take that very long bath. There isn’t much fun to watch the preparatory work of a major illusion, even if it is David Copperfield’s? And yes, you will need to surrender command of your regular kitchen staff temporarily to the visiting culinary commanding officer. Who knows, the kitchen staff may learn a few things from this joint exercise.
Shopping
The major problem with entertaining out (as opposed to dining in) is with that quintessential anathema of culinary document called “menu”. Most menus don’t change for many months, even years if you go to the average steak house. They are uninspiring. Even when “special menus” are devised for special dinners, it is usually a feeble remix of tired old tunes made up ingredients hibernating in the freezer for months. How can your dinner excite your guests then?
When you dine in, your personal chef goes to market and grabs the best stuff around. There is no reason for him to do otherwise. He doesn’t have to answer to food cost. But there is a shopping budget of course. After all, this is not Heaven, you know. What a refreshing change from his pressure-cooker life in the kitchen? For this dinner, he has P 10,000 in his pocket to indulge. Without a doubt, he can’t help but stretch the peso to the limit – an occupational hazard. This menu is what he has in mind for an affair of this stature.
5-course Home Entertaining Menu
Starter
Thai garlic roasted Mediterranean baby eggplant and zucchini
Server on toasted foccacia with pimiento dressing and Japanese scallops
Soup
Palawan Lobster Bisque in Iranian saffron
Salad
Thai Duck Breast with julienne of Zambales green mango
Served with hanpicked Davao pomelo segments
In light finger chili vinaigrette
Entrée
Sage Butter Roasted French Jumbo Quail
With Lardoons in apple smoked bacon with Japanese kernel corn
Over a bed of Tiger prawn risotto
And a symphony of sautéed wild forest mushrooms and parsnip shavings
Desert
Timbale of Chocolate
With berries and mint cream
This is the menu for this particular home-entertaining dinner prepared by Chef Philip Golding of the Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar.
The great chefs will tell you that 80% of their magic comes from 20% of the ingredients they use. Cut them loose with a respectable amount of shopping money and an obscene amount of freedom, and your magical evening is 80% successful already even before sundown.
Wine Catering – working with professionals
The wine component is the perennial stumbling block in formal dinners. So many things are dying to go wrong. So many people are ever ready to talk about those things. And talk about it they surely will, for so many, many weeks.
We are not just talking about bringing bottles to the table and pouring them into glasses. We are talking about all aspects of wine etiquette. This means wine selection, wine pairing against food, understanding serving temperatures, appropriate decanters, wine-specific stemware and wine-specific serving standards – the works. Nobody can expect the regular household staff know a great deal about wine service. This is why wine catering is indispensable. But how does wine catering work?Wine catering is not a new concept nor is it a new product in this society. But still there are many who haven’t explored this option. It doesn’t cost anything to avoid the next major embarrassment.
The wine caterer proposes a wine selection for your approval. In this example, roughly 52 liters of wine should be sufficient, averaging a little over half a bottle per person – a civilized quantity. Only the most ignorant of wine caterers would even spread its budget evenly over all 7 bottles. Instead he would use a few inexpensive but decent bottles to start the evening reserving good money in the budget for “featured wines”. The featured wines showcase the featured dishes – typically the entrees – to create a conversation piece. Yes, it’s just show biz.
Now look at what your guests will drink for four hours this evening and talk about for the next four weeks:
Price Total
Wine Per bottle Price
2 bottles of Bergerac 1999 P 800 P 1,600
2 bottles of Petite Chablis 2001 P 800 P 1,600
- featured wine -
2 bottles of 1975 Ch. Croque-Michotte, P 4,500 P 9,000
– Grand Cru St. Emilion
1 bottle of 1983 Ch. Du Mayne, P 7,000 P 7,000
– Barsac, Sauternes
Total shopping bill for wine P19,200
Wine glasses, like silverware, china and candles are as much a part of the ambience as paintings and other décor in the dining room. It certainly enhances the experience but it can just as easily froth up colorful sarcasms if you don’t pay attention to these details. Your guests have four long hours to notice these things.
Good wine caterers never fail to arrive with special wineglasses for the featured wine. For the first two wines, they will use whatever wine glasses they find in your home. By the time you get to the 30-year-old Chateau Croque-Michotte from St. Emilion, the elegant Red Bordeaux glasses will obliterate your guests’ impression of the preceding goblets. These little Riedel playthings cost P 4,000 a piece so not all of us keep boxes of them at home. And of course we should also have the sexy-cute Sauternes Wine Glasses to drink the equally irresistible 1983 vintage Chateau Du Mayne from Barsac, both of which are shown in the picture. The shapes of the glasses bring out the aroma and bouquet of the specific wine. They are also a feast for sore eyes.
Talking about details, here is another fun part about working with professionals. The good wine caterer will always provide you with a synopsis of the featured wines. This is a one-minute short-cut to connoisseurship. The 2 pages between the covers are discreetly for the eyes of the host only, of course. It is nothing verbose of course but there is a sufficient dosage of knowledge to allow the guests to develop some expectations.
Wine selection has to go perfectly with each course of the dinner. In view of that, the wine caterer and the personal chef should come from the same source. Unless you are steeped in the dark art of arbitration, it’s probably not a good idea to get them from different companies.
When it comes to matters as fickle as reputation and stature, it is difficult to understand why anyone would even consider leaving things in the hands of strangers and amateurs. Taking chances is for stocks, currencies and wild nights in town, not for matters of wine and food. Wine catering gives the host something that is precious in entertaining – peace of mind.
* * * * *
In the director’s cut, the scene plays out quite differently. Dancing waiter is replaced by a charming but very professional 27-year-old wine server. The wine glasses containing leftover wine from previous courses were removed and quietly replaced by the Riedel Red Bordeaux Glasses for the ‘75 Croque-Michotte. While this nearly 30-year-old was chilling in a decanter to 13C – the requisite serving temperature for a merlot-based matured red Bordeaux – the bottle was presented to each guest. At the same time Leo shared his connoisseur’s remarks on the featured wine with the table. As you might recall, those comments were handed to him a day before by the wine caterer. Admiring eyes gathered on Leo as he combined facts with poetry to produce magic.
By the time the evening arrived at the 1983 Chateau du Mayne and cute Sauternes wine glasses graced the table, the ever-difficult-to-please Karina began to feel irrevocably assured. Yes, this was quite special despite the inevitable damage of a few pesos and the hurt from a few unnecessary indiscretions. What really mattered to Karina now was that life was indeed special, and if that’s not enough, that his was hers.
Sliding doors closed and passengers moved on with the train…
Categories: Dining |
Tags: CATERING, DINNER, ENTERTAINING, Home, SAVES, wine | Comments Off
