The Cliff, Koh Samui

Our choice to stop at the famous Cliff Bar and Grill on the island of Koh Samui was definitely not by accident. The restaurant has won a huge number of awards and accolades over the years including Tatler's Thailand's Best Restaurant in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 and the hospitality Asia's platinum award for dining experience.

We decided to be a bit adventurous on this particular day and hired a little moped between the two of us (taxis on this island in particular are ridiculously expensive) because we really wanted to see the whole island in a bit more detail before leaving. After a day of dusty travelling we were feeling rather peckish and decided to make our way (and hopefully get in) to the restaurant for a late lunch.



The breathtaking view from our balcony table.

When we arrived (at around 3pm) the restaurant was really quiet and to our absolute joy that meant the waitress - who was so lovely and friendly, could sit us prime position over looking crystal bay on a balcony table. Bearing in mind we were sweaty, dusty and not dressed particularly nicely either, I was completely bowled over by how hospitable the staff were, there wasn't even an ounce of pretencion in this restaurant which I absolutely loved.

Because it was the afternoon we were given a choice of both the a la carte and the tapas menu to choose from, so effectively we were completely spoilt for choice. Being a seafood lover I could have possibly devoured the whole menu, however, as it was nearing the end of our time in Thailand (unfortunately) we opted for a slightly lighter 'tapas' style lunch/dinner snack...wishing we had more days to come back and try the full menu!

Amuse Bouche

Because we opted for tapas we couldn't really leave without trying their Sangria, which was absolutely gorgeous - especially after our long day on the road, and while waiting for our mains the waitress bought us both out a bruchetta to wet our appetite. This was a lovely and unexpected touch, which really did leave us with high hopes for the rest of the meal. The tomato, onion and garlic salsa was bursting with flavours of the Mediterranean and the salted crispy bread underneath was the perfect combination.

Spiced Lamb Kebabs with minted yoghurt dip.

Controlling ourselves the first dish we ordered was the spiced lamb kebabs, with a fresh and creamy yoghurt dip. The spices worked perfectly together - it really reminded me of the kind of flavours you would find in Moroccan food. The meat itself was tender and juicy, so the real flavour of the lamb could shine through - a lovely surprise after being so used to seafood and chicken throughout the rest of our holiday.

Spanish Salad with Garlic Bread

 To go with the lamb we also ordered a salad containing roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce and manchego cheese. This was lovely and fresh, just simple flavours (something we were craving after all the complex spicing in Thai cuisine) and two more chunky slices of that crispy bread to fill us up a little more!

Finally came the show stopper really, The Cliff offered three tasting plates on the tapas menu, each with three of the chefs favourite dishes in a smaller portion to sample. I think there was one with meat, one vegetarian, and the fish plate - which is what we ordered. This came with calamari, gazpacho shots and battered king prawns, and mussels with chorizo.

Fish tasting plate

It really was far better than it even looks...and that was a mean feat! The dish really had the 'wow-factor', and each individual component tasted divine - I could have easily polished off one to myself...maybe even two (but maybe that would be a little too greedy!)...The calamari were great, in an extremely light batter and cooked to perfection, and the gazpacho just exploded with tomatoey flavour in your mouth as soon as you took a sip. The prawn, which sat proudly on top of the shot glasses, were not only absolutely huge, but so juicy and sweet, which went perfectly with the crispy smokey paprika batter. Finally, in my opinion the star of the show were these little shells filled with Spanishy delicious-ness, the meaty mussels and chorizo just popped when put together and the tomatoey sauce they were cooked in balanced the whole thing perfectly - I could have eaten 20!

 

Homemade Tiramisu

 

Because we had loved everything from the service to the sangria, to the food so much, we felt it would be rude to not sample one of their desserts - which all sounds really good actually (another nice surprise in Thailand, where many places just offer ice cream)! We opted for their tiramisu, sticking on the whole Mediterranean theme, and it didn't disappoint. The cake layers were filled to their limit with booze, to which the cream perfectly counter-balanced, so much so - I was even tempted to lick the plate clean (and I don't even like chocolate sauce!).

I loved this restaurant. My only regret is that we didn't have chance to go back again and try a real selection off their a la carte menu, it really wasn't too pricey either, I think if my memory serves me, our meal with the jug of sangria and two bottles of water came to around £40 - not bad for one of the best restaurants in Thailand...

I would suggest if you wish to visit (and I highly recommend you do) it would be wise to book, the phone didn't stop ringing while we were there and I really think we were extremely lucky to catch them at their quietest - but don't forget to ask for a balcony table...

I will never forget my trip to Thailand, it really was a magical experience, and most definitely a place I wish to visit again, even if only to sample a fish platter from this restaurant, and dine in a few more highly acclaimed eating establishments! I not only saw an extremely beautiful country, but also spent time with some very lovely residents, and it is true what they say about Thai people being the world's smiliest!