The Chef's Table, Aleenta Resort, Phang Nga, Phuket, Thailand

This resort recently hired a new French chef to run their restaurants and station their French restaurant The Chef's Table. When I walked in the restaurant, I realised why it's called the Chef's Table. Mr. Leon came to the table, mingled with the guests and introduced the today's menu in much details of what he thinks fit from the market and what's in the season. This is something we should care about eating - being seasonal.

1/2. the table is nicely set to catch you in the mood. I got captured with the candle light.

3/4. the restaurant got some very nice contemporary arts. So even if you dine alone, you wouldn't feel bored.

5. the menu on the board. Foie Gras terrine or Tiger Prawn as the appetizer. Veal Tenderloin or Dorado fish fillet as the main course. Cheese platter or dessert trolley to complete. 6. See how cozy of the room.

5. I couldn't help of getting a look at the dessert trolley in advance. 6. ok, something to start with. Mussels in kind of a tamarind sauce. Lovely. Note 2 mini and 2 bigger ones. Very thoughtful as the mini and the bigger ones have different taste.

7/8. See this is what should be called as Tiger Prawn. BTW, it's just steamed. Steaming is the freshest way to cook seafood by preserving its original juice. Check the sea salt. It's raw and crushed freshly.

9. Foie Gras Terraine on the left, poached pear in light rosemary scented syrup (super good!) and some French brioche! Wow. I can skip Le Normandie for a while. How can I wear shorts and t-shirts to take such a nice French dinner. 10. Sweet mustard paste for the bread. Can't imagine and really go beyond my expectation! Very aromatic mustard but not that strong.

11. My favourite bread but I was stopped to take more for the reason of the dessert. 12. Ok, this should be something we have missed for quite many French restaurants. Supposed in between each meal, some sort of sorbet should be served to clear up your taste buds from the previous course you take. This one is guava sorbet. Lovely and it's with some citrus scent!

13.Veal Tenderloin in tamarind sauce. So good! I didn't leave a drop of the sauce. Very tender tenderloin and so juicy inside. The zucchini is nicely grilled, so is the potato. 14. The waitress kept asking me to get more from the trolley. OK, the first round is cheese cake on the left, choco mouse on the right front and cake crumble on the middle behind. See that thin slice of dark choco. on the cheese cake. Wow it's super good and it reminds me of Leonidas! Gorgeous cheese cake too! Choco mouse fantastic - so aromatic choco bean flavour. Most of all, it's not that sweet! So devil! Then don't look down the simple cake crumble. I thought it might be something simple, but it's not. It's so much in various texture of cake. Melty but in layers and with a very strong pound cake flavour, but it's not pound cake texture. It's very light in weight indeed.

15. Dark choco dark in the front - so smooth dark choco cream and crunchy tart! Tiramisu on the right and It's the best I have ever had! What's more. The lemon tart really got me change my heart. Lemon tart or lemon cake is very difficult to do well. It can be very sour or too sweet, but this one is just in a perfect balance with very strong scent of lemon and lime. Yes, some Thai lime was used! The Chef did know and study about how to use some local ingredients! I even didn't care about disturbing the other guests by highly recommending them to try the lemon tart and it turned out it's a recognition by a sweet smile return. 16. Mr. Leon recommended me to try his creme brulee! Wow. Even I was 150% full, it was so good. In fact, creme brulee is the least I want from dessert. Then a strawberry mouse to round up. Very very strawberry flavour with some wine too.

17. Another look at the creme brulee. 18. The dark choco. was with some black pepper to make the dark choco. even more in contrast! I would definitely come back for another try. B1,590 for this 3 course dinner is much more worth it. Super worth! Mr. Leon came again and I got to chat with him on my experience in those French meals I took in France, Hong Kong and Bangkok..etc. I gave him a 2 thumbs-up! He was very humble by saying "just make the food simple, and choose the fresh ingredients! This is exactly the point and a simple cooking technique, and it's also a common recognition in cooking. I feel like a very sweet dream tonight. ZZZzzzz.....