Siam Indigo Restaurant - Phuket

Where Is It?

You'll find Siam Indigo at the extreme west end of Phang Nga Road in amongst the banks, secondhand bookstores and opposite the venerable On On Hotel, one of the stars in the 2000 movie The Beach. A quick glance at a map of Phuket Town will show that Phang Nga Road is one-way thoroughfare so if driving you'll be forced to take a right from Yaowarat Road and you'll find the restaurant some 50 metres on the right.

Décor

Works from Thai artists adorn the 80-year-old walls in the white-themed dining room while the lounge/bar area sticks to a more modern style. Overall, Siam Indigo's décor is a successful marriage of old, atmospheric Chinese shop-house and eclectic art with a broad emphasis on space and light.

To the back of the restaurant is a Mexican hacienda-style patio featuring a quasi-open kitchen where diners can enjoy the evening breezes. Essentially, the décor reflects the attitude of the owners: a healthy respect for the building's heritage with a strong leaning towards the contemporary.

Atmosphere

All too often, many restaurants' Achilles' heel is their music – its choice and volume – but Siam Indigo makes no such mistake. Cool sounds emanate from the sound system while the professional and experienced staff handles orders with minimum fuss.

Siam Indigo's friendly and affectionate manager Céline Masson is French, her staff Thai, but the lingua franca is English so early evening the bar is an exotic place to be with a rich mélange of accents. From time to time the restaurant will throw a theme party or an exhibition and here you will meet Phuket's movers and shakers.

Wine

The restaurant features a generous all-round selection of New and Old World labels that is constantly updated.

We sample the latest house red, an Australian Cudgee Creek Cabernet Merlot that weighs in at a whopping 14% yet its aroma and taste doesn’t overpower the food. 

Also worth mentioning are the pre-dinner cocktails which are expertly prepared. 

Food

The kitchen at Siam Indigo is known for creating visionary, healthful and spanking-fresh culinary creations that delight and impress at the same time. The menu divides roughly up to three sections: From the Sea; From the Sky; and From the Land. A tom yam lobster bisque is delicately infused with pumpkin in a generous portion while another starter, a mint taboule avocado with fresh green apple and sesame oil vinaigrette is a good example of dishes here.

For mains we sample steamed sea bass in lemon sauce along with Chinese mushrooms and buttery mashed potatoes as well as grilled tuna with sesame seeds accompanied by rice and steamed vegetables. This is all excellent and a perfect testimony to the chef’s art. With appealing food presentation and decidedly agreeable surroundings Siam Indigo’s aesthetics are unquestionable.                     

Service

In a town where sloppy service is unfortunately endemic, Siam Indigo shines. Céline runs a great team and her enthusiasm is contagious.