WHERE IS IT?
Take the road up towards the Amari
Coral Beach Hotel at the very south of Patong’s Beach Rd.
then swing a left halfway up the hill. Baan Yin Dee is well-signed
and isn’t hard to find. Alternatively, you can call the resort
for a complimentary Benz to pick you up and deliver you back to
your hotel in grand style. The service stops at 11:30pm. View Baan
Yin Dee location map.
DÉCOR
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| Wooden warmness
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Quasi-Thai, romantic, exotic, top-notch: all of these adjectives
fit BYD perfectly. It really is that impressive. The restaurant’s
poolside and balcony tables each command a breathtaking view over
Patong from which diners can watch the town’s arteries come
alive as the evening progresses. However, in this writer’s
experience, the good food and wine was a huge distraction from what
was happening a kilometer or so below us. All the same, if you want
to have a Patong vista along with your meal, you’ll have to
book early as people in-the-know tend to monopolise view tables
from early evening and stay on until quite late and you can’t
blame them. Still, you can easily stroll to a vantage point to take
in the glittering views and then eat inside or at an adjacent table.
The inside décor is Thai, with a subtly lit and sumptuously
fitted-out bar fronting the proceedings. Think big; think luxurious;
think of the restaurant of your dreams and you’re somewhat
approximating the décor in BYD, no kidding.
ATMOSPHERE
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| Stunning view on
Patong Beach |
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The atmosphere and décor of BYD are inextricably linked
– with one exception: Charlie, the Filipino pianist/singer,
has been an island regular for over 10 years now and has truly found
his niche here. He effortlessly oozes out jazz numbers on the restaurant’s
piano as if he were born for it. It was almost a disappointment
when he took off his dark glasses. . . It’s hard to imagine
the place without him. Ultimately, the atmosphere is not unlike
that of a tropical Gstaad or a St. Moritz eatery with diners gazing
down on the world below, all the time sampling great food and wine.
This boutique hotel has none of the crassness of downtown Patong
and is – in every sense of the word – a cut above the
rest.
WINE
A very generous wine list encompasses New World and Old World labels.
House wines come in at 260 baht a glass but it’s ultimately
better to buy by the bottle, given the restaurant’s wide list
of admirable labels. All in all, there are some 60 to choose from.
BYD doesn’t skimp on quality but perhaps could benefit from
an experienced wine sommelier to guide diners through the maze of
vintages on offer. We chose a Trivinto Shiraz-Malbec for our first
courses and opted for a lighter French Rose for the main meal.
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FOOD
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| Escargots "à
la Française" |
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Although the décor is Thai the menu is definitely international
and Chef Stephan, from the South of France, has recently arrived
to ensure top quality and innovation. We each had a huge mixed salad
then ordered lamb rack, skewered tiger prawns and a filet of fish.
Each was well presented and executed.
It’s also worth mentioning the superb and generous chocolate
mousse with fruit compote – a real eye opener and a tummy filler.
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