The Old Fisherman’s Restaurant

A freshly untraditional experience

I love food! I must admit though, I am a fan of more traditional cuisine. I guess having been raised in a country with a rich culinary heritage has something to do with that.
As a result, I view anything that departs from the traditional with a little suspicion. When requested to write this article, however, I could not say no. Something inside told me that it was high time I left my traditional mind at home and opened my mind to a new experience. I thought, I have nothing to lose. Who knows, I might even enjoy it!

The Old Fisherman’s, as you might have guessed, is a seafood restaurant. It is the seafood restaurant of Novotel Coralia Phuket in Patong and boasts beautiful views over Patong Bay. It was early evening when my partner and I climbed the stairs from Kalim road to find ourselves sitting on a table overlooking the flickering lights before us, the sea breeze refreshing and cooling, the ambience unpretentious and the spot perfect for couples on a romantic rendezvous.

A waiter, who identified himself as Khun Sak, brought us the menu and eagerly helped us to order appetizers: Chilled prawns and warm leeks with balsamic vinegar, peanuts and shallots in red wine sauce for my partner and lobster, oyster mushroom and green asparagus with prawn butter sauce for me.

While waiting for our appetizers we are served onion rings with tartar sauce. Khun Sak prompts us to choose from a basket laden with a variety of bread. Having decided to leave my inhibitions behind, I choose Rex Milano -which I had never tasted before- and I congratulate myself for my selection. The bread tastes exactly the way it should, soft yet not soggy or rubbery, with the bits of olives within giving it that extra twist.

With our appetizers in front of us, we begin rather gingerly. My lobster is precisely cooked in order to ensure that its texture and flavour are retained; the asparagus is crunchy and the sauce binds them together perfectly. In a feast such as this, it would be unthinkable to just indulge in my own choice and not try some of my partner’s food. In doing so, my palate experiences an altogether different taste, delicious all the same.

The main course is served as soon as our plates are cleared. Khun Sak suggested roasted king prawns with boletus mushrooms and vermouth over black taglioni for my partner and red snapper fillets ‘meuniere’ with sliced almonds and mashed potatoes for me.

I am totally engrossed in the taste yet I realise that the size of the portion is beyond my ability to consume so I wish I had more space to accommodate that large plate. The almonds, crunchy and somewhat sweet, complement the taste of snapper in a mysterious way. With every mouthful, my palate is exposed to a taste never experienced before and I do not feel at all guilty for destroying the perfect decoration on my plate.

My partner asks me to taste some of his food, even though he is as enthusiastic about it as I am about mine. Another luscious experience overcomes me as I taste the boletus mushroom over some black taglioni, pasta made of squid ink. It suddenly occurs to me that I had forgotten how full and refined mushrooms could taste, provided, of course, they are prepared correctly.

The food is devoured with sips of the house wine; a French, white Malesan Chardonnay. Executive Chef Josef visited our table a couple of times and is just telling us about the dessert: slices of pineapple, banana, mango and plum topped with sabayon and ice cream. I exclaim at its size, taste it briefly and admit with regret that I am unable to finish it, despite the fact that the combination of sabayon and ice cream profoundly provoke my taste buds.

The Chef lingers on and our chat reveals a vivacious and outgoing man. We learn that he has travelled extensively, working for various large hotels in many different countries and we suspect that his love for Thailand parallels his love for the art of creating great dishes.

How does he do it, is what I want to know. Is there a special technique he is using or is his cooking based on a specific principle? Without hesitation he replies that he insists on stocking his kitchen with all things fresh. With fresh fish and vegetables abundant in Phuket daily, he considers it unnecessary to import ingredients just for the sake of preparing an ‘imported’ taste. Careful planning ensures that the right quantity is ordered daily to provide this consistently fresh taste that the Old Fisherman’s is known for. Most Novotel guests often return here for they know they will enjoy many pleasant memories.

I retain many pleasant memories myself. Despite my initial reservations, Old Fisherman’s restaurant has touched me with its freshly untraditional modern cuisine, subtle to the palate yet rich in taste and flavours. What better compliment, especially coming from a traditional person like myself!

 Benjarong Magazine - August 2003, Volume 6 Issue 8