Page 36 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 2 | December 2023 - January 2024

DRINKING & DINING

Admittedly, I am not a morning
person, but Kiree breakfast may
have forever changed this fact.
I ordered the signature Luxury
Thai influenced poached eggs,
which came with two perfectly-
cooked eggs served on brioche
toast, topped with pan-fried
prawns, sautéed morning glory,
and a roasted chilli hollandaise.
The dish was an Asian-style take
on eggs benedict, with the chilli
hollandaise sauce adding the
perfect kick to round out the dish.

Aside from the egg selections, the
breakfast buffet was a cornucopia
of food options. There was a
bread station with fresh bagels,
danishes, and croissants; a
congee station with ginger and
chilli condiments; a cheese
station with five different kinds of cheese; fruit panna cottas, and decadent squares of
and a bacon platter that seemed to endlessly cherry cheesecake. fresh taste of raw salmon taking centre stage.
refill itself. I made myself quite familiar with For our mains, we really enjoyed the Gai tord
the brie cheese, as in my opinion, there is Meanwhile, Panali is the resort’s beachfront had yai, a signature Southern-style deep fried
nothing better than soft brie spread over restaurant where we had all our lunches chicken with crispy shallots and sweet chilli
freshly toasted sourdough. throughout our stay. Panali places an emphasis sauce. Another item worth mentioning is the
on Thai cuisine, and especially on Southern Nue phad bai horapha, a signature dish with
Beyond its delicious food, Kiree is an al Thai specialties. Sitting under the shade of stir-fried beef and sweet basil leaves which was
fresco restaurant that boasts a magnificent the bungalow-inspired wooden roof, you can spicy and savoury.
design. It has panoramic views of the ocean, hear the waves lapping up against the shore,
and offers both indoor and outdoor seating, in what makes for an excellent environment The best dessert at Panali is their renowned
with its opulent furniture and smooth jazz to enjoy a meal. Kalamare Thord. This dish takes the famous
music creating a unique environment which bite-size desserts from the South and elevates
made me feel classy but relaxed. Dinners at My partner and I ordered some watermelon them by covering them in batter, deep frying,
Kiree are romantic and intimate, matching and mango smoothies while we perused the and serving alongside shaved almonds and a
the amazing feeling of privacy you feel food options. A standout appetizer was the Pla scoop of coconut ice cream. The dish was a
at the resort. The servers were more than salmon which was a Thai-style salmon ceviche true delight, crispy on the outside and gooey
attentive, they were proactive, anticipating with lemongrass, parsley, coriander, and lime. in the middle, with a taste and texture profile
our needs before we had even voiced them. It tasted like a classic seafood yum, but with the that resembled a caramel fritter.
My favourite items from the à la carte dinner
were the tart and bright-tasting Shredded
crab avocado salad and the juicy Wagyu
tenderloin steak with black pepper sauce.

I was also lucky enough to attend Kiree
Saturday Seafood Market which had a
wide array of fresh catches. The market
featured Phuket lobster, squid, tiger prawns,
red snapper, sea bass, mussels, and scallops.
You could choose any seafood you wanted,
and the chefs would prepare it in that style.
As I had never tried lobster before, I decided
to go for the grilled Phuket lobster with
Thai-style seasoning, which was mouth-
wateringly delicious.

The pastry chefs at Kiree deserve their own
personal shoutout for creating the best desserts
I have ever tasted. As part of the seafood market,
guests are given access to a dessert room where
they can feast on endless crème brûlée, rich
dark chocolate brownies, refreshing passion

36 | MASALA MAGAZINE DEC 2023-JAN 2024