Barracuda, Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a small island, north of its neighbouring islands Koh Phangan and Koh Samui in the beautiful waters surrounding the Thai mainland. Known for its crystal clear seas and stunning array of coral and marine life, many of the people that visit Koh Tao, do so to learn to dive, or love to snorkel, as I did, but Koh Tao has much more to offer. Being an island, the ocean is never too far away and the seafood is first class, so I thought I'd go to one of the best loved, and highly recommended seafood restaurants during my stay; Barracuda, just off Sairee Beach.

Exterior of Barracuda

We arrived at Barracuda with hungry bellies and it was a good job, because the menu was just full of delicious sounding dishes. With regards to the restaurant, you'd walk past if you didn't know what you were looking for, it's basic, but just follow the smell of seafood, and the sound of chit chat from a full restaurant you'll find your way easy enough.
We both ordered a passion fruit mojito, known as their best seller, and it was lovely. Just sweet enough, but still retaining the bitterness needed to make the perfect mojito, and strong too!

Asian infused Tuna bruchette and Mussels with Cheese and Ham crust

For starter we ordered two dishes which came tapas style. The first was tuna sashimi marinated in ginger, soy, chilli and sesame seeds, all served on toasted bread. The flavours were excellent, very fresh and perfect for a hot, humid night. I think we must have had at least two if not three tuna steaks chopped up on top of the bruchetta so not only was it scrummy it was also well worth the money too. To accompany this we also ordered four large green lipped mussels, which came with a creamy cheese and ham sauce and were topped with breadcrumbs. These were steaming hot, creamy and unbeknown to us when we ordered, actually ended up being the perfect dish to match our cold sashimi, especially as the crunchy breadcrumbs on top added more texture to the two dishes.



Barracuda Tikka Masala with all the trimmings

Barracuda marked some of the dishes on it's menu 'thai fusion' and my boyfriend decided to order one of those dishes; char grilled tandoori barracuda fillet. Not only was the curry to die for, hints of spice but creamy too, the little accompaniments served with it were delicious - from the homemade onion bhaji to the Indian spiced samosa, and the raita and mango chutney, the dish delivered on so many more levels than just excellent flavour.

Barracuda Fillet stuffed and wrapped in parma ham.

For my main course I opted for a baked barracuda fillet which was wrapped in parma ham and stuffed with tomato and feta cheese with a pesto dressing. This dish also came with a choice of side dishes, so I decided to try the mixed roasted vegetables and bubble and squeak. Having never tried barracuda before I was concerned the strong Mediterranean flavours in the dish might overpower the fish, however it was quite similar to swordfish, very meaty and worked very well. The sides were both really good too and it was nice to get some mash after dining on rice and noodles for the most part of my holiday...there was so much food to eat I couldn't even fit in a dessert unfortunately!

We did decide however to finish the meal off with another couple of cocktails. I opted for the mixed berry martini and it was stunning! Really nice and sweet, and pretty too, with all of the freshly squeezed berry seeds floating in the pink liquid.

Barracuda for me was one of my favourite meals of the entire trip. It was excellent value and the service was first class. Despite its rather humble exterior, the food stands out as some of the best seafood I have ever tasted, and I would definitely recommend trying this restaurant if you are visiting this little paradise of an island.