Malati Indian Restaurant
Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort
|
It seems incongruous that people should come
all the way to Thailand and eat Indian food.
But when Thai cuisine is thrown in as well then
it's a completely different ball game. Malati
in the Sheraton Krabi Resort features just this
combination.
But don't turn your nose up at the hint of
the 'F' word – fusion cooking, Malati doesn't
'do' fusion, choosing rather to serve alternative
and complementing dishes in a clever combination
of two of the world's most popular and tasty
cuisines.
|
|
 |
Where is it?
 |
| Malati Restaurant
& cocktail bar |
Malati is in the sumptuous grounds of the Sheraton
Krabi Beach Resort on Klong Muang Beach, north
of Ao Nang in a tranquil and peaceful part of the
world.
Park up near the attractive lobby and get a hotel
golf buggy down, or alternatively stroll through the
lovely grounds to this futuristic-looking restaurant.
Surrounded by verdant lawns and overlooking the beach
itself, Malati is in the perfect location.
View a location map below...
|
Décor
 |
| "Modern
but with an ancient twist" |
|
Very modern but with an ancient twist. The design
at Malati is essentially cubic with square marble-topped
tables and an oblong-shaped eating area. This may
sound cold, but the lighting arrangements here more
than mellow things out and the wonderful thing is
that they are programmed to subtly change as the evening
progresses.
The restaurant's centrepiece is a lime-green under-lit
food display table. Outside on the terrace, the adjacent
cocktail bar provides cool sounds and more mellow
lighting.
In concession to the hotel's location there are Muslim
touches such as the white Islamic geometry roof metalwork
which is simply fascinating. All in all, a very interestingly
designed restaurant.
|
Atmosphere
 |
| "Luscious
views" |
|
In spite of the marvelous design and great food,
the beach dominates at this 80-cover restaurant, with
cool breezes and luscious views out over the Andaman
to neighbouring islands. You'd have to sit with your
back to the beach not to be chilled out by the palms
and sand and what's the use of that?
As mentioned, the cocktail bar – also imaginatively
lit – influences the atmosphere at Malati and
the ultra-modern décor and design makes for
an eclectic combination of tastes that defy compartmentalising.
|
Wine
 |
| Excellent
selection of wines |
|
There are more than 30 labels at Malati on its 'Wines
of the World' list. It features a good choice of Australian,
French and Italian bottles and labels are generally
priced at over 2,000 baht with a glass of Australian
Chardonnay going for 460 baht.
The Michel Lynch white from France is recommendable
but perhaps the Madfish Australian Rose would be the
best choice for this sort of cuisine.
If you decide to bring your own bottle there is a
500 baht corkage fee.
|
Food
 |
| "Beach-Indian-Thai
culinary adventure" |
|
From larb pet – spicy duck salad – to a
mixed tandoori platter is a long culinary journey
to make but it's mapped out via gram flour fried vegetables,
a deliciously spicy tom yam goong and pla nueng manow
– steamed fish in lime sauce.
The tandoori chicken comes in a mild tomato curry
and of course all this is accompanied by naan bread
and roti. Perhaps the best dish of the evening is
dal makhani – black lentils served with tomato,
cream and masala spices.
Malati has the only genuine tandoori oven in the
region and the restaurant's reputation has spread
quickly – so much so that local expats have made
it 'their' Indian and with the recent addition of
the talented Frédéric Molinie who has
just arrived from a stint in Mumbai and Indian Chef
Raju Nivre things are definitely cooking here. Sweet
mango and sticky rice finish things off in style for
our Beach-Indian-Thai culinary adventure.
|
Service
 |
| Cocktail
bar |
|
Discreet, polite and quietly efficient. I cannot
remember my wine glass being replenished but it constantly
was; such is the discreetness of Malati's service
staff.
Malati at Sheraton
Krabi Beach Resort.
Klong Muang Beach, Krabi.
Tel: 075-628000
|
|
|
 |
|
|
