koh samui - 251 richardson st middle park 3206 9696 3080

koh samui is a place where cheapskate backpackers go to get completely smashed on buckets of cocktails served in beachside bars. cheap drugs, cheap women, cheap. that's the island off mainland thailand. koh samui is a food oasis amid dentists, terraced houses and the uppity suburb known as middle pahk. it's not quite albert pahhhhk, but it ain't st kilda neither.

the restaurant front is about the size of a kids playhouse but inside is like the tardis (oldies, pay attention here). the restaurant punches it's way from richardson street through to the lane behind, populating it's inside and out with families of tables and chairs. they could fit and feed a small nation in here - or one good size group of aussie backpackers. or maybe it just seemed that way because we were alone. it was a balmy monday melbourne night, yes, they do actually have those. they're imported from brissy.

placing our entire experience in the hands of owner's-son-number-four waiter, we left our comfort zone tied up outside whining. waiter suggested his favourites which by his good fortune appeased the mighty reviewers - mwahahaha...throw another virgin on the grill! if you have a good size party, or you're a good sized party all by yourself, you'll love the food and service. it's a family business and they're good at what they do. just don't ask for a bucket of slippery nipple.