• 
• 

Published on January 20, 2008

I'm sure most people enjoy beach holidays but, like me, they may also find their great escapes marred by overcrowded resorts.

I am pleased to report, though, that I have now found a very exclusive spot not too far from Bangkok. It's on Koh Samet and it's called Paradee Resort. The accommodation is wonderful and the food is great. Whenever I am there, I just relax, get massages, swim, eat and sleep! The rooms - they only have pool villas - are very private and very quiet. You can find out more about this resort from ParadeeResort.com.

The restaurant I'm writing about this week is on the road to Koh Samet in Rayong province. There are many eateries along this route but finding a good one can be difficult, and, as you probably know, I can be quite picky! Good does not mean that it has to have air-conditioning. But the food must be well prepared and reasonably clean.

My father came up with a list of recommended restaurants years ago and his advice still holds good today. I opted for Tong Heng Pochana on the Chon Buri-Baan Bueng Road. This Chinese restaurant near the Baan Bueng intersection has been here for years and the menu features such local delicacies as fried hoi jor (crab roll) served with plum sauce. We were very hungry and our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.

We ordered everything that sounded good and most of the dishes were excellent. I loved the braised pork leg served with steamed Chinese buns. The meat was so tender that it fell right off the bone. The flavour was perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too salty and perfect with the buns.

I thoroughly enjoyed the or suan, stir-fried oysters and mussels with egg, bean sprouts and bound in tapioca starch. It was slightly sticky but the aroma was wonderful. Other dishes worthy of mention were the delicate soup of fresh pompano in pickled Chinese plum broth, stir-fried snapper with Chinese celery and the braised chicken with Chinese mushrooms was delicious.

We were all a little disappointed with the stir-fried sea cucumber with garlic, chilli and holy basil (pat gaprao pling talay), finding the sea cucumber a little chewy and the dish not spicy or seasoned well enough to suit our palates. However, considering the location of this restaurant - in the midst of a culinary wasteland - we were pleasantly surprised and indeed happy to have enjoyed such a feast.

Should you be on the road to Rayong or Koh Samet and feel a little hungry, stop by Tong Heng. You won't be disappointed.