Samsarn is a very quiet, zen and special place at the Anantara Golden Triangle with only a dozen or so tables and an open kitchen (where two chefs labored all evening). Sarn means elephant is Khmer and also in Thai means triangle or the local area known as the Golden Triangle (as the Mekong River flows just outside the hotel boundary and you see Myanmar across the small stream and Laos across the Mekong!) The menu is a tasting or a la carte(which we chose) and the intimate space was occupied by only two other couples!
Thai Rock Mountain sparkling water was a tad fizzy, but we have learned to avoid San Pellegrino as it can run up to $10/bottle! We have become fans of Bangkok Silver Vodka and had ours with Tonic and Kaffir Lime!
Before we started the server rolled over a huge cart with a globe (bar cart style) on it which she opened to reveal dry ice floating over two drinks and the amuse! The drink was with Passionfruit/Phrik Larb(Thai Herbs)/Makwaen(local dried pepper)/Thai apple and packed a punch with an added local Thai rice vodka with a sweet and sour peppery taste in the throat! The amuse was Lao Kogge or fried Buffalo beef with Thai herbs and the Phrik Larb(again another version of the herbs in the drink)!
It was quite a production and introduction to our wonderful meal. We found a Thai Chenin Blanc that we loved from Monsoon Valley and since it priced about $25 less than the imported wines (at $60-100) we were very happy, and the acidity really worked with much of the spice!
Our first course was Kor Moo Yang or grilled pork neck presented on a min-hibachi that was very much like pork ribs but thicker. Lao style chili sambal was on the side for dipping and the glaze on the ribs was a tamarind Jus. There were crispy pork skins in fermented fish sauce as well. The restaurant prides itself on using all three of the regions' cuisines (Thai/Lao/Burmese) and really does it well. Our other starter was Hoy Shell or seared Hokkaido (Japanese) sea scallops with Lao Lemongrass Salsa and a crunchy Tapioca Cracker. These two dishes were soooo different yet wonderful in flavor and tastes and a great pair of appetizers. In Thailand appetizers are really uncommon and all the food is brought whenever it is ready. We learned to try and order a dish or two or three to start and then consider more if we were not full which worked brilliantly; here the style was multi-course Western servings.
Our two mains again were shared, and we chose the local specialty Khao Soi Kwai of tender Buffalo cheeks with pickled Burmese tea leaves (a dish we learned to adore in Myanmar many years ago), coconut foam and finger lime. I should note that before the main we were presented with a choice of beautiful wooden handled engraved knives (with Samsarn name on them), which I thought was odd as knives are generally not used in Thailand (so I guess it is for Westerners). The Goong Mae Nam or Ayutthaya Chao Phraya River Prawn(just north of Bangkok) is as big as a huge lobster tail and became a favorite dish we ate often. It came with Jicama Som tum and Kaffir Lime Jelly and was indeed an ideal display of Thai cuisine. We chose two sides as they said they were very small(wrong--see photos on FB) and we loved the Pak Thong or wok-fried pumpkin with edamame, soybean paste and Thai basil. The Pak Boong was wok-fried morning glory with Burmese dried shrimp and garlic and while the flavor was great, the morning glory is a tad chewy!
To season everything the table had sea salt and pepper made with river seaweed and onion! (like we needed it!).
We saw our neighbors order one dessert and HAD to choose it. the Lanna Mille Feuille was a magnificent puff pastry with Doi Chang Chocolate Ganache, Doi Tung Macadamia Praline, Vanilla Cream served with Nan Salted Caramel Ice Cream. It was huge but great for two people and we were in heaven as this was easily the best dessert on the entire trip.
Sesame river seaweed cookies and Burmese potato roll with chili and tea leaves mousse were our going away treats....Yup, full again, but what a fab meal.
