When comes to dining in a resort’s restaurant, all you need
is some real comfort food with local authenticity and a little extra touch, be
it from the gastronomy prepared by a dedicated team or the courteous service
team that almost read your mind by knowing what’ s best to order for you to
satisfy your craving. The Natai Restaurant at Aleenta Phuket Resort and Spa is
a typical Thai restaurant offers at its best.
Enjoying Thai food won’t go wrong when you are in the “Land
of Smiles”, especially when you are vacationing on Phuket Island where the daily
fresh catch from the sea is in endless supply. However, by choosing a good Thai
restaurant can be well spoilt for choice too, if you have not done your
homework well and play a blind tourist game by trying your luck to scout along
the tourist’s track, which can always lead to disappointment. Not only can you
end up paying a higher tourist’s price on your bill, but also you may have
wasted your quota with that supposed quest for a meal to indulge in a good
evening.
By knowing a few good places where authenticity comes to
play an important part in a classic Thai restaurant is somehow through good
recommendations by the locals or the establishment that had won some good
recognitions to either free your worried mind or ruin your entire evening,
especially in the Phang Nga precinct, Phuket. The intimate Stylish “Natai” – name after the pristine beach
along north Phuket - serves modern Thai cuisine. Opened daily only for dinner,
Thai dishes are the highlights from the menu, despite a few signature dishes
from around Asia that were being introduced and crafted. “Everything starts
with a smile and food is served in no particular order shared like a big
family. We would like you to feel at home, try new dishes, order from different
element boxes and experience a truly Asian meal, ask questions and understand
what you enjoy eating”, the Chef commented.
The culinary team certainly knows the importance of the
elements of nature and the intrinsic correlation with ancient medicine makes
the exotic of Orient so interesting, healthy and delicious. “I have written a
small glossary for some interesting and unusual ingredients. Let us know your
preferences”. The Chef’s suggestions is
certainly thoughtful and showing her passion with a work hard, play hard
attitude, in order to make everyone leave this award winning restaurant when sated
with fond memories and experience to go home with. It is in no doubt that you can expect good Thai food in The Natai
Restaurant. When the food comes to the table, each dish distinctly speaks by
itself, not only for its presentation, but every modest mouthful delights the palate.
The menu is divided into different elements to raise your senses and
sensitivities in your know-how of Thai’s gastronomy and other Asian delights.
We started with the classic hot and sour Tom Yum Goong
prawn soup from the “WIND” element. Succulent giant tiger prawns topped the pungent
soup with no hesitation in terms of the generous portion served. A perfect way
to open up your appetite when it comes to enjoying Thai food, especially on a
rainy evening with the cool breeze that sooths the heat of the soup brought in
from the Natai beach.
From the “SAWADDEE” element, we picked the Crispy Pork Belly Salad. The
witty Chef picked wild fern (one of the best alternative) instead of the usual
suspects like mango or papaya and served it with coconut dressing and topped
with aromatic deep fried shallots. The Pork Belly was deep fried to a light
crisp and the shredded corn brightened up the presentation with a gentle touch.
Such an elevated dish is divine with every morsel consumed. Aroi Mak Mak!
We let go of our favorite Pad Thai Goong Sod and chose the Pad Kee Mao
instead from the “FIRE” element. Indeed, the drunken noodles fried with seafood
and fresh green pepper’s presentation is deceiving and watch out for the little
chili padi that’s scattered around in the dish before having your tongue burnt.
But we like it hot.
Pla Neung Manao is
another all time favorite must-order whenever we have Thai food. This exotic
sea bass from the ‘Water” element fills your mouth with a great complexity of
taste from its fresh use of ingredients to steam the whole fish. Fresh garlic,
chopped chili padi, lime juice and with base of Chinese cabbage lying
underneath to prevent the fish from being overcooked and lose its texture. The
cilantro adds a magical scent of touch to the palette to compliment the entire
dish. A bowl of good fragrant jasmine rice is a must to enjoy with this
heavenly dish that exudes a truly Thai spirit, so a passionate dish to impress. (P.S.
You must love chili to enjoy this gorgeous steam fish).
Thai Curry dishes certainly can’t be ignored, especially in the
hands of a good culinary team that knows what they do best. The ‘Heart Bowls”
section offers the Fragrant Yellow Curry with Prawns but we changed
it to Duck breast meat instead for a much meatier bite. This was another triumphant
dish, served with fresh lychee to balance the curry flavor, as well as the sharp-tongued
kaffir leaf that enticed the dish to perfection.
A calming sea view looking out from The elevated Natai Restaurant
We wanted to have something sweet
to round up the evening but unfortunately there is no room for further
indulgence. It was only 5 dishes, but with
superb presentation of every carefully crafted dish, the flavours danced on our
tongues. We told the Chef and the attentive wait staff that we would like to
come back to challenge ourselves with other senses of elements from the extensive
menu offered. The Natai Restaurant is unquestionably another true and real find
which we would have to say is an unspoken gem in North Phuket. Great food never
lies.
Tried
& Tested:
Location: 4/5
Design &
Decor: 3/5
Food &
Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For
Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 5/5
Highlights:
Signature Thai Dishes
33 Moo 5, Khok Kloi,
Phang Nga,Phuket
Thailand
Phang Nga,Phuket
Thailand
Tel: +66 2514 8112
Reviews are based on
actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision
in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement
and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
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