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Sareefa Seafood Restaurant
Sareefa Seafood Restaurant is a family-owned restaurant known for its delicious seafood dishes, with the catch of the day being a standout option. Conveniently located on the main road, the restaurant also offers free parking for diners.
This restaurant has a charming atmosphere, giving you the feeling of dining in a jungle or enjoying a meal at an amusement park. You’ll hear the songs of various birds, see squirrels in the trees, and might even spot some monkeys. The owners also operate a small convenience shop where you can purchase beach essentials or drinks. Additionally, they offer massages for you to relax and unwind. With soft Thai music playing in the background and the soothing sounds of nature, it’s hard to leave once you’re there. The atmosphere reminds us of many restaurants we visited on Koh Lanta, blending nature, relaxation, and a touch of adventure.
They offer a wide variety of fruit smoothies, but mango is always a must-try, along with papaya.
The menu offers a variety of dishes, making it sometimes challenging for us to choose because we want to taste everything. Making a selection isn’t always easy. Are you guys the same when you have to decide what to have but you want it all?
We couldn’t resist ordering the Catch of the Day: deep-fried fish with garlic. It was absolutely delicious, with a crispy exterior and a delightful garlic flavor. The fish was perfectly cooked, tender on the inside, and paired wonderfully with the fried seafood rice.
Thai Chilli Basil Chicken is one of the most ordered dishes here, so we had to try it. The chicken was perfectly cooked and coated in a flavorful chili sauce, giving it a slightly caramelized taste that was simply irresistible.
Laem Lan Seaview Restaurant
If you drive down to the south of the island, very close to the fisherman village, is a real gem restaurant: Laem Lan Seaview Restaurant. The locals recommended us this restaurant because of the fresh catch of the day. Fishermen deliver fish three times a day to the restaurant, ensuring it’s always fresh. It’s a beautiful restaurant on the hill with stunning views; the name perfectly describes the scenery.
The restaurant boasts a fantastic atmosphere, especially with its outdoor setting and the gentle sea breeze that enhances the dining experience. From our table, we had a picturesque view of the bay and the Phru Nai Pier, with boats passing by. Despite two days of bad weather and excessive rain, the bay appeared incredibly serene and calming after the storms.
Due to the rainy weather and the off-tourist season, we had the restaurant all to ourselves. This is a common occurrence during our adventures, where we often find ourselves with entire beaches or restaurants to enjoy. And honestly, we love it.
The menu offers a wide variety of options, but we were particularly drawn to the catch of the day. Our Thai neighbor highly recommended the restaurant, especially emphasizing the freshness and quality of the fish they serve.
Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather, they didn’t have any fresh fish or crabs available. As a result, we ended up ordering some appetizers, chicken, veggies, and rice instead.
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Baan Tapkad Restaurant
Baan Tapkad Restaurant is truly a hidden gem. It’s a family-owned establishment where even the kids chip in with serving and taking orders, showcasing their excellent English skills. Located on the main road, we absolutely adore everything about this restaurant.
The restaurant is open-air, allowing the gentle breeze from the nearby beach to drift through, creating a truly relaxing atmosphere. Soft Thai music plays in the background, adding to the overall charm. With an authentic menu to choose from, we found ourselves returning multiple times to sample a wide array of dishes.
If you’ve read any of my other foodie blogs, you already know that Tom Yum Soup is one of my favorite dishes here in Thailand. I’ve tried many variations of this soup, and I’ve loved them all. Here the soup radiates a comforting hominess that instantly puts you at ease. Whether it’s the atmosphere of the restaurant or the soup itself, there’s something incredibly soothing and relaxing about it. The perfect balance of spice and herbs always hits the spot. The blend of flavors, from the earthy mushrooms to the vibrant red peppers, tasty tomatoes, and juicy shrimp, along with other seafood delights, creates a symphony of taste that makes it an ideal choice for either lunch or dinner.
The day we ordered soups, we were feeling under the weather, and the warm, homely hot soup with all the curry and herbs really made us feel so much better. The taste is so creamy and satisfying. The addition of corn, carrot, garlic, and onion added depth to the chicken broth and curry. It was just so good.
The stir-fried rice with shrimp is incredibly tasty, and when paired with fish sauce, the meal is complete. Additionally, the stir-fried chicken with cashews was very tender and flavorful. The sauce complemented the rice beautifully, making the dish amazing.
Thai Yellow Chicken Curry is full with flavor, thanks to its creamy coconut cream, onions, and the homemade yellow curry paste sauce. It’s spiciness and the addition of coconut cream enhances its already fantastic taste.
Usually, Thai Pad Thai is made with rice noodles, but this time it was prepared with angel hair noodles. The sauce used had a mild chili flavor, and combined with the seafood, it created a delicious taste.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the restaurant’s garden. They had beautiful flowers, but seeing this sunflower smiling at us was something we really needed on the day when we weren’t feeling well. It truly made our day, especially since sunflowers hold a special meaning for us.
Wanida Aurora Restaurant
We visited Wanida Aurora Restaurant after sunset. Situated across the beach and having heard good things about it, we decided to go for dinner. The atmosphere was lovely, especially with the Christmas music playing—it was close to the holiday season. As always, we had the restaurant to ourselves, a perk of visiting the island during the off-season.
The outdoor setting was lovely, offering a view of the beach in the distance. You could hear the waves crashing while the music played softly in the background. The staff was polite and friendly. While we waited for our food, they even suggested places to visit on the island and shared hints about hidden beaches. But for more details on that, you can read our blog about the best beaches in Koh Yao Yai.
The menu offered a wide variety of choices, with numerous Thai dishes to explore. Despite not finding soup listed, when I mentioned to the server that I was feeling under the weather, they kindly arranged for the chef to prepare a comforting veggie healing soup just for me. Such thoughtfulness!
The veggie soup was comforting, with the veggies melting in your mouth with each bite. It had a homely flavor that made it thoroughly enjoyable and pleasant to eat.
Both dishes were delicious, and we had a fantastic dinner and enjoyable time.
Most of the restaurants here in Thailand are cat-friendly, and you’ll often find cats lounging around as you dine. However, this restaurant was a bit different. While we didn’t spot any cats, they had three adorable rabbits nibbling on grass around the premises.
Son Bay Beach Best Smoothies in Koh Yao Yai
When we were heading to Son Bay Beach, we stumbled upon a little shack by the road. We saw they were selling many Thai dishes and smoothies, so we had to try them out.
Later, we learned that many people drive from the other side of the island just for her dishes and for the best smoothie on the island, which is sold here.
The papaya salad was served in a plastic bag, a common sight throughout Thailand.
Best Smoothie on the Island! Worth the Drive, Even if You’re on the Other Side
