With a beach frontage facade, the Malati Restaurant & Bar stands on a beautiful section of the property. It has a very modern pavilion-like glass structure on the side and all around, their prettily latticed wooden sliding doors are usually kept open to let in the stunning sea view. From this vantage point, we were told that guests would have some of the best sunset views. Unfortunately, we did not get to see this as on the evening we dined here, it was pouring madly.
Malati Restaurant & Bar bathed in bright daylight (this photo is courtesy of Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort)
The Malati Restaurant is famed for its Indian and Royal Thai dishes. The kitchen is helmed by Indian and Thai chefs so there is no fusion of the two cuisines. Indian cuisine plays a big role in the dining scene not only at the Sheraton but in the entire Krabi as well. In Krabi, Indian restaurants are a common sight. We were told that Malati has the only genuine tandoor oven in the region and the restaurant’s reputation has been built on its excellent and authentic Indian dishes. It wasn’t any wonder then that we saw the wait staff scurrying around carrying endless plates of naan and tandoori dishes for the guests that evening.
Malati at dusk (photo courtesy of Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort)
Don’t you love the gorgeous lighting?
Once we have settled in and sipped our cocktails happily, our dinner started with a platter of Royal Thai Appetizers. Laid out prettily on the plate were Thai satays, pomelo salad, fried springrolls and a delicate golden pillow of crunchy vegetables and nuts.
Pomelo salad
Golden pillow
Their Somtam (Thai papaya salad) was given a very refined twist. Very beautifully laid out on a shiny brass tray, it looked too perfect. I’m so used to the somtam being a messily tossed salad with all manner of tiny fried sea life in it but I guess the royals would prefer theirs with grilled chicken wings and very sterile-looking poached prawns.
The Roast Duck Thai Red Curry and Tom Kha Gai (White Chicken Galangal Soup) fared better. Both dishes were rich with spices and coconut cream and went well with bowls of steaming Thai fragrant rice.
Roast Duck Thai Red Curry
Tom Kha Gai (White Chicken Galangal Soup)
From here on, our dinner took on an Indian slant. We had the Goan Machi Curry which had slices of red snapper cooked in yellow curry with Goan-style masala. The thick creamy spices clung to the snapper and its richness was rather cloying as thick coconut cream had been stirred in too. The rich flavours called for more white rice.
Goan Machi Curry
Our dinner hit the crescendo with some incredibly fresh seafood cooked in Malati’s famed tandoor oven. The tandoori king prawns and skewers of snapper fillets, scallops and more prawns made their way to our table. The spice marinades were kept to low levels so as not to overwhelm the natural sweetness of the seafood. We had our fill of Malati’s signatures with these sumptuous bites.
Tandoori King Prawns
Tandoori Mixed Seafood
Desserts were kept to the basics – freshly made ice cream by the Malati chefs. These were so good – a perfect end to the marvelous dinner.
So, if you are visiting Krabi, just remember that sumptuous Indian fares and lovely Royal Thai cuisine can both be had under one roof here.
Malati Restaurant & Bar
Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort
155 Moo 2 Nong Thale
Muang
Krabi 81000
Thailand
Tel: (66) (75) 628 000
email: [email protected]
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the platter of royal thai appetisers certainly looks fit for a king … and the resort itself looks majestic indeed! 😀