KALIDO, Twinpalm’s newest restaurant option, perched on the southern tip of Bangtao Beach, shows off a mastery of Mediterranean cuisine
By Andrew McKenzie
Bangtao Beach seems to attract everything in the world of luxury to its long stretch of shoreline. Carpe Diem and Catch Beach Clubs are notorious mainstays along the beach, along with the casual hang-out spot Hugo Hub. I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising as trendy resorts Twinpalms, The Surin, and Amanpuri are also in this area. This localised growth has led to an emergence of other restaurants offering unique dining experiences in the area, like the quality beef from Wagyu Steakhouse Surin, to the more laid-back Lazy Coconut. Well, welcome into the fold Kalido, the newest showcasing of an indulgentMediterranean medley, inspired by all the favourites found around the European shorelines.
To get the authentic flavours that fire Mediterranean cuisine, there needs to be a combination of a few things: imported traditional ingredients from the Med’, the freshest seafood, and a chef who has experience working in the furnace of European gastronomy. Kalido is sure to import the best in herbs and spices to flavour their dishes and provide the subtleties missed by those not familiar with Mediterranean food – to use Thai Basil, in European dishes would simply overpower and kill the taste, but it’s perfect in a Pad Krapow. Furthermore, thankfully, Kalido is based on a tropical island surrounded by the aquatic wildlife of the Andaman Sea, the seafood is no problem. And for an experienced cook, meet Chef Tammasak – Michelin-recognised and internationally trained, equipped with a transient knowledge of food fit to cater to any taste. His contemporary/post-modern Thai Restaurant Suay is often regarded as the best food on the island and his empire has only grown. Now former Iron Chef judge Tammasak is re-inventing and bringing to life the flavours of the Mediterranean in partnership with Twinpalms at Kalido.
I arrived at the restaurant around 7:15 pm 15 minutes before my table reservation. The first thing you’ll notice at Kalido is the awesome amount of space. Every table is set apart from each other so you don’t feel like you have to talk over the tables around you, but the combination of their live performing DJ providing a soundtrack of authentic European Taverna tunes, and refined acoustics means it is never awkwardly quiet and the ambience comes to life.
The restaurant itself has an alfresco inside / outside style layout, as you are under a roof (up until a point) but with no walls except those that surround the external restaurant. Throughout the space, there is integrated greenery and the feeling of fresh air blows comfortably through this open plan; never once did
I feel hot or stuffy. Little details like European-centric white woods and marble tilings and the restaurant being draped with Spanish moss immersed you in the location, but for the true immersion, the sunken seating in the middle of their restaurant submerged in a large pond, for those who were smart enough to book ahead for a romantic evening, had an infinite view right out to the sea.
I walked out to the end of the boardwalk to sit right on the waterline. There, I ordered a Negroni and a couple of bar snacks. Sitting there you are really, 2 or 3 metres away from the water, as the sea crashes against the shore, and the soundscape created is pure serenity. My Negroni arrived first and I have to say it was one of the best I’d ever had. Nice, big ice block, a twisted orange peel, and a lovely balance of flavour, for a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant, it made me happy to see them do it right.
Under the eaves of a palm tree and facing the sea I receive my first dish – Gambas al ajillo. The tiger prawns were maybe some of the meatiest I had tried on the island, and the perfect pairing of garlic and chilli oozes from every bite of these juicy prawns. The garlic slices mixed in the terracotta tapas bowl were perfectly crisp, and I actually had to order a second plate of their homemade sourdough bread to finish off the dish
I feel hot or stuffy. Little details like European-centric white woods and marble tilings and the restaurant being draped with Spanish moss immersed you in the location, but for the true immersion, the sunken seating in the middle of their restaurant submerged in a large pond, for those who were smart enough to book ahead for a romantic evening, had an infinite view right out to the sea.
I walked out to the end of the boardwalk to sit right on the waterline. There, I ordered a Negroni and a couple of bar snacks. Sitting there you are really, 2 or 3 metres away from the water, as the sea crashes against the shore, and the soundscape created is pure serenity. My Negroni arrived first and I have to say it was one of the best I’d ever had. Nice, big ice block, a twisted orange peel, and a lovely balance of flavour, for a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant, it made me happy to see them do it right.
Under the eaves of a palm tree and facing the sea I receive my first dish – Gambas al ajillo. The tiger prawns were maybe some of the meatiest I had tried on the island, and the perfect pairing of garlic and chilli oozes from every bite of these juicy prawns. The garlic slices mixed in the terracotta tapas bowl were perfectly crisp, and I actually had to order a second plate of their homemade sourdough bread to finish off the dish
I feel hot or stuffy. Little details like European-centric white woods and marble tilings and the restaurant being draped with Spanish moss immersed you in the location, but for the true immersion, the sunken seating in the middle of their restaurant submerged in a large pond, for those who were smart enough to book ahead for a romantic evening, had an infinite view right out to the sea.
I walked out to the end of the boardwalk to sit right on the waterline. There, I ordered a Negroni and a couple of bar snacks. Sitting there you are really, 2 or 3 metres away from the water, as the sea crashes against the shore, and the soundscape created is pure serenity. My Negroni arrived first and I have to say it was one of the best I’d ever had. Nice, big ice block, a twisted orange peel, and a lovely balance of flavour, for a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant, it made me happy to see them do it right.
Under the eaves of a palm tree and facing the sea I receive my first dish – Gambas al ajillo. The tiger prawns were maybe some of the meatiest I had tried on the island, and the perfect pairing of garlic and chilli oozes from every bite of these juicy prawns. The garlic slices mixed in the terracotta tapas bowl were perfectly crisp, and I actually had to order a second plate of their homemade sourdough bread to finish off the dish
I feel hot or stuffy. Little details like European-centric white woods and marble tilings and the restaurant being draped with Spanish moss immersed you in the location, but for the true immersion, the sunken seating in the middle of their restaurant submerged in a large pond, for those who were smart enough to book ahead for a romantic evening, had an infinite view right out to the sea.
I walked out to the end of the boardwalk to sit right on the waterline. There, I ordered a Negroni and a couple of bar snacks. Sitting there you are really, 2 or 3 metres away from the water, as the sea crashes against the shore, and the soundscape created is pure serenity. My Negroni arrived first and I have to say it was one of the best I’d ever had. Nice, big ice block, a twisted orange peel, and a lovely balance of flavour, for a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant, it made me happy to see them do it right.
Under the eaves of a palm tree and facing the sea I receive my first dish – Gambas al ajillo. The tiger prawns were maybe some of the meatiest I had tried on the island, and the perfect pairing of garlic and chilli oozes from every bite of these juicy prawns. The garlic slices mixed in the terracotta tapas bowl were perfectly crisp, and I actually had to order a second plate of their homemade sourdough bread to finish off the dish I feel hot or stuffy. Little details like European-centric white woods and marble tilings and the restaurant being draped with Spanish moss immersed you in the location, but for the true immersion, the sunken seating in the middle of their restaurant submerged in a large pond, for those who were smart enough to book ahead for a romantic evening, had an infinite view right out to the sea.
I walked out to the end of the boardwalk to sit right on the waterline. There, I ordered a Negroni and a couple of bar snacks. Sitting there you are really, 2 or 3 metres away from the water, as the sea crashes against the shore, and the soundscape created is pure serenity. My Negroni arrived first and I have to say it was one of the best I’d ever had. Nice, big ice block, a twisted orange peel, and a lovely balance of flavour, for a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant, it made me happy to see them do it right.
Under the eaves of a palm tree and facing the sea I receive my first dish – Gambas al ajillo. The tiger prawns were maybe some of the meatiest I had tried on the island, and the perfect pairing of garlic and chilli oozes from every bite of these juicy prawns. The garlic slices mixed in the terracotta tapas bowl were perfectly crisp, and I actually had to order a second plate of their homemade sourdough bread to finish off the dish.
It was at this point my night found trouble, out on the waterfront deck and the rain started to come in – hard. But thankfully attentive service staff reacted faster than I did, whisking away my food and notebook before they could get wet and rescuing me from the temperamental Phuket weather.
Following the Gambas al ajillo came “fruits of the sea”, a dish which was as crispy as promised. A light and flaky batter complimented everything from squid, prawns, white fish, and mussels all being presented on the plate. Excitingly, this was also my first time trying deep-fried mussels. All the different undersea servings gained some extra flavours and textures from the batter, and with their two dips – garlic and lemon, or Harissa – being generously dolloped onto each bite by me, every satisfying crunch was accompanied by an explosion of flavour. For the whitefish, I thought the Harissa worked best. For the prawns and squid, I simply loved the garlic and lemon combination.
Pausing at this point, I asked the servers to hold my main in the kitchen for a while. I thought to slow myself down, order a glass of red, and enjoy the atmosphere for a bit. The music stayed magical and when the fire-twirling belly dance came out, it erupted into a sort of Morrocan-influenced music space, whilst she captivated the audience.
For my main, after double seafood, I thought to mix it up and try the 3-hour slow-cooked veal shank; Ossobuco a “La Milanese”. One of Europe’s finest comfort foods I never thought I’d see as a regular offering in Phuket. The veal came with creamy polenta, spinach, and balsamic glazed carrots. I was provided a knife and fork to dine with, but the knife never left my table thanks to the 3-hour cook. One of the most satisfying feelings in food must be pulling meat off the bone with just your fork, and the veal was carved up easily. The polenta was a nice touch, I tend to find in Thailand they struggle to pull off potatoes and the creamy polenta for me was a beautiful substitute as a carbohydrate.
And to finish off this celebration of Mediterranean cuisine for dessert? A cannoli, of course, stuffed with pistachio ice cream and a pot of chocolate and ginger sauce for your serving. And I’ll be candid on a couple things here, firstly, I don’t even know what a cannoli is, but that rolled-up crispy cream thing is just so delightful and everyone has to try one, and secondly, the ginger and chocolate sauce wasn’t for me, but I can happily say I didn’t need it.
For Mediterranean fit for anyone’s taste, try out Kalido who maximise their beautiful seaside space, to transport you with food and ambience to the coasts of Southern Europe.
For more information:
kalidophuket.com
094 480 0883
