An evening affair

Published on December 14, 2007

Full Moon, at the Anantara Samui resort, offers stylish Italian cuisine with an Asia-Pacific twist.

Since the Anantara Samui opened in 2005, its al fresco Italian restaurant Full Moon has become the spot for fine dining on the island.

The path to the restaurant goes by a massive lotus pond, grassy lawn and tall trees. The stylish restaurant is located at the back of the hotel, right next to the beach. The airy, spacious, high-roofed eatery is dressed in wooden contemporary decor. With a capacity for 30 to 35 diners, each table is set well apart with chill-out music adding a relaxing vibe. Looking out to the open sea just in front of you, sometimes on a clear evening the full moon lends its glow to the restaurant.

Australian executive chef Donald Lawson serves up fine Italian cuisine with a twist. "Full Moon style of food is just that - stylish. We don't compromise on quality yet we want our food to be accessible, timely and modern. We focus on freshness and innovation for our customers. We don't like to complicate dishes but rather focus on the taste of our food," Lawson says.

Not so traditional and not so outrageously fusion is how we find the Italian cuisine here. A little tinge of Asian and Mediterranean can be detected in most dishes, but the recipes in general remain faithful to their Italian traditions. Simple, tasteful and fulfilling, the food here is also reasonable for the portion and quality.

Taking advantage of its proximity to the Gulf and the excellent selection of the fruits of the sea, the menu at Full Moon has an array of seafood dishes. Served with linguini and mushrooms is Asian-style steamed king crabs. Recommended signature dishes include Caesar salad prepared at your table, Ciopinio Mediterranean chowder of tiger prawn and tomato (Bt310), sauteed proscuitto and scallop with hazelnut and seaweed salsa served with wild rocket leaves (Bt320) and wild mushroom ragout and crisp shallot risotto with pan-seared Moulard foie gras (Bt650). A pasta dish can be served as either an entree (Bt220 to Bt260) or a main course (Bt290 to Bt390). Choose your preferred sauce to complement al dente pasta. The selection of sauces include the easily digestible oven-roasted eggplant with Kalamatta olives and peppery arugula tepanade, tasty Samui Island shellfish hot pot or seafood. Or go vegetarian with roasted pumpkin and creamy Gorgonzola with crushed garlic. Personalised pizza (Bt390) is served with your own choice of Full Moon's unique toppings; mozzarella cheese, vine-ripened plum tomato, wide selection of ham and sausages, blue crab meat, anchovy fillets, and vegetables.

For a main dish, try char-grilled swordfish fillet with artichokes and Greek horiakiti salad (Bt590), or the tender roasted Angus beef tenderloin with porcini crust (Bt790). Enjoy Samui's best with grilled blackened line caught red snapper with lobster crushed potatoes and mango-sareno chilli shrimp salsa (Bt650). If you find yourself on the island for a special occasion, celebrate the moment with Full Moon's luxuries; premium grilled snow fish with sauteed foie gras and home-made fettuccini (Bt1,150) and the finest Wagyu beef tenderloin served with Martell fine Cognac (Bt1,450).

To match the fine meals, the restaurant's wine guru is ready with suggestions from his cellar of more than 1,000 bottles from all over the world - Thailand, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Chile, Italy and Australia - on offer. A long list of tempting desserts and ice creams is also available.

Full Moon was recipient of the prestigious Award of Excellence 2006 from Wine Spectator magazine. Of the only 14 restaurants in Thailand that meet such qualifications, this is the only one on Samui Island.

Full Moon

Anantara Resort

Bo Phut Beach,

Koh Samui

Open daily, 6.30 to 11pm  (077) 428 300-9

Manta Klangboonkrong