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Published on September 2, 2007

My friends know this and sometimes they recommend a good restaurant; but most of the time I'm disappointed.

But, to my delight, I was invited to eat at Loei Fahn Restaurant, which is fairly close to my home. The food turned out to be good and the atmosphere very different.

Loei Fahn gets its name from the province. The owner has a resort of the same name there. The moniker is a play on words in Thai that translates as "beyond dreams", or "dreaming of Loei". I guess they want to suggest that the food is tasty beyond our dreams.

The restaurant is in a teakwood building built in log-cabin style. It has three levels, with the top tier given over to karaoke rooms and a live band. The feel is Thai country and western, something that extends through the menu. Country-and-western Isaan dishes… Don't get me wrong: the food is really good but I'm not too familiar with the concept.

Isaan food has character. It has a pronounced taste and is pretty spicy. I love it! But what do cowboy and cowgirl servers have to do with the flavours of the Northeast? Maybe it's the delicious crocodile-meat satay or the grilled venison that suggest something wild and country - upcountry, certainly.

Seriously though, the crocodile satay was succulent and perfectly spiced and marinated. It was grilled to add a charcoal aroma, but care was taken not to overcook the meat. The rest of the fare was mostly recognisably Isaan, great food that goes well with beer or wine.

If you come here and don't order the papaya salad with fresh crab you are missing a taste sensation. Steering clear of cloying sweetness, the salad was spicy-hot and refreshing. Isaan food should never be sweet, something the chefs at Loei Fahn are obviously aware of. All their salads, especially the oyster and cockle varieties, were perfectly prepared. The shellfish were fresh and not overcooked - meaning that I could still taste their sweetness through the hot and spicy dressing.

Among the many other traditional Isaan dishes - like larb - the menu has a sprinkling of Thai-Chinese specialities. They do a very good venison stir-fry with black and green peppercorns.

There's a choice of regular rice or traditional sticky rice for an accompaniment. I pass on the rice so as to leave more room for tastier stuff.

Loei Fahn is quite an adventure, a pioneer trail through a totally different atmosphere. Where else in Nonthaburi can you have a wonderful Isaan meal, cooked perfectly and tasting wonderful, all to the strains of "country road ... take me home"?

If you live in Nonthaburi and have a taste for Isaan food in distinctive surroundings, Loei Fahn is worth a visit. Who knows, you may get hooked.