Recently a group of friends and I travelled to Surin Beach to celebrate a birthday. In reality it was less about the birthday and more about the opportunity to hang out, relax and unwind with good friends and family. Of course this sounds idyllic but it does take a little organisation to ensure all goes smoothly so that everyone can enjoy. We decided that the Dinners were catchup time for all and therefore the focus. It was then about finding the right mix and I can’t recommend the 3 restaurants that we choose more highly. Pla, Opus One and The Chava.
The first night started with cocktails/canapes on the beach at sunset, followed by a fantastic 2 course shared platter dinner for 20 guests at Pla Restaurant. They could not have done a better job with the traditional Thai food or service. There is nothing better in my mind to start off a beach holiday than dinner with your feet in the sand and the waves rolling in – this was the perfect start to a fabulous few days celebration.
PLA RESTAURANT SURIN BEACH
The next dinner needed to have a different twist and so the obvious choice was Opus One – totally different from the beach location, it has a bit of a sophisticated yet very friendly feel and is tucked away in Surin Plaza. It is a great find and provided us with a lovely venue with excellent food. From the moment we started talking to them they could not have been more helpful. The 3 course menu was excellent with a variety of choices for each course and with its modern French twist it was a hit. The only problem was that many of the guests could not decide between the delicious options available for each course. Service was timely and the presentation was fantastic. I can not recommend their Black Cod enough “delicious” – Opus One would leave many 5 star city restaurants for dead. Their pricing is reasonable and they have a great wine list that is also well priced.
Opus One
Sitting inside whilst the tropical rain poured down we definately had the restaurants in the right order! Unfortunately cant take any credit for that!
The final dinner was at The Chava and although this blog is not about self promotion but more about providing ideas for where to go and what to do whilst staying at The Chava it would be remiss not to mention the outstanding evening that the Chava team put together.
Starting with the saxopone playing to bring everyone poolside for cocktails, the atmosphere that this created was amazing and set the tone for the evening. Each of the 6 courses built on the last and could only be described as the most amazing taste sensation. Many of the guests are still commenting that it was the best Thai food that they have ever had! The menu was designed to show off the exquisite produce and tastes of Thailand although with a modern twist. Each dish was outstanding not just from a taste perspective but also in regards to the detail of the presentation and the care the team took in the delivery. From what is a very small kitchen they certainly went above and beyond to provide an exceptional sit down dinner for 20 guests that really showed off their capabilities. 
As the night went on a small 3 piece band replaced the saxophone and by the end of the meal the tempo went up as did the guests to the dance area. This really was the icing on the cake providing a final night that was filled with great food, wines, entertainment in a very unique environment that really capped off a fantastic celebration of friendships.
