Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket, Thailand

Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms

Oriental Spoon Grill and Bar – Dinner with Live Music, Twinpalms Phuket

Words by Kirsten Durward
Photos by The Yum List (Monica Tindall)
As Oriental Spoon promotes itself as featuring a martini bar, I decide my first drink shall be a martini, but as it is still quite early I plump for French style rather than the classic. French Martini features Raspberry vodka, Raspberry Chambord and pineapple juice. It’s foamy on top and pleasantly easy to drink, neither too sweet nor too sharp. Monica enjoys a raspberry champagne cocktail similar to the hotel’s signature welcome drink.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
French Martini
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Sparkling Cocktail
The restaurant is elegant and spacious, a very different feel from breakfast, enhanced by low lighting and candles. Original contemporary Thai art adorns the walls of the double height room. We peruse the Thai and grill menus and decide on a combination approach for starters. Both turn out to be excellent choices.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Oriental Spoon Dining Tables
We’re impressed by the speedy service as very shortly after ordering, a generous bowl of Fresh Spinach Salad (THB370) arrives. The clean white porcelain showcases the plentiful vibrant green leaves, and colourful dressing. Delve down to the bottom to make the most of the mix, plentiful sunflower seeds, warm crispy bacon, slices of strawberry and mushroom. I burst the lightly cooked poached egg and it oozes out combining with the sharp vinaigrette. It’s a plentiful, slippery dish with an abundance of tastes and textures.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Fresh Spinach Salad
Kuay Tiew Lui Soun (THB250) or Thai garden noodle is the Thai version of the Vietnamese spring roll, this particular recipe hailing from tiny village of Pang Nga, the famed sea gypsy village. Tinges of vinegar, garlic, lime, coriander, chili, and basil are amongst the flavours that make this a more-ish mouthful, more than the finely chopped chicken and slender noodles that pack the parcels.They’re a delicious morsel on their own or spiced up with the accompanying fresh chili sauce
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Kuay Tiew Lui Soun
It’s time for wine and we select a Chilean Rose, Vina Mont Gras ‘Pink Sin’ (THB 295/1090) for our soup and the Echeverria Sauvignon Blanc Curico 2011 (THB 295/1090 for our risotto. The rose is lightly perfumed, quite dry and sharp, with lemony and rose overtones. The white is also Chilean. ‘Mmmm,’ murmurs Monica, ‘that one’s rather crisp!’ And it is. I taste a sharp dry light wine, with strong mineral flavours and sharp citrus notes. It proves to work well with the risotto and creamy sauce on our mains. 
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Echeverria Sauvignon Blanc
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Chilean Rose
The strains of the featured piano player, Derrek Wayne, warming up in the background, waft over to us. Derrek, a self-described “traveling piano man,” is featured through the low season until September 13, 2014. You’ll find him playing the baby grand and singing in dulcet tones through brunch and Tuesday – Saturday evenings from 8pm – 11pm.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Pianist and Bartender
Our mains have arrived. Ciappino (THB380) caught my eye on the menu, and it proves to be a plentiful array of fresh seafood stewed in a mellow Mediterranean style tomato broth. This is a very filling and pleasantly warming dish that Monica pronounces ‘good choice!’ We agree that the rose works well with the warm flavours.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Ciappino 
Champagne Risotto, seared Hokkaido scallops and green asparagus (THB 530) is next. We find the scallops pleasingly fat and plump. The sauvignon cuts through the lightly cheesy somewhat al dente rice.  
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Champagne Risotto
We miss Caning’s bottomless stomach when we see the size of the Brie and Prune stuffed Pork Chop smothered in mushroom cream sauce (THB590). The Brie and prune combine well, salty, sweet and sticky, both together taking the dryness out of the pork. We both agree that the tasty part is along the bone where the fat is. Accompanying vegetables are crisp and colourful.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Pork Chop 
Monica decides straight away on Mango Sticky Rice with fresh coconut cream (THB 230) for dessert.She’s happy with her choice when it arrives. ‘Oh there’s a lot of mango!’ And there is! Generous slices adorn glistening rice, which is glutinous and sweet. She teams this with Pegasus Bay Riesling 2010 (THB 405/2200).  My sip is sweet, slightly effervescent leaving a tingly tongue behind. 
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Mango Sticky Rice
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Pegasus Bay Riesling
Torn between Warm Apple Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice-cream (THB250) and Crème Brulee (THB250). I’ve never had a good tatin yet in Asia so decide to brave it. It’s a thick slab of lightly spiced soft apple cake with slowly melting ice cream. With my dessert I am happy to enjoy an Armagnac Cerbois VSOP (THB 370). It’s a warming toe touching after dinner swallow, that’s quite wonderful with the apple and slight spice – a fitting end to a chilled out evening.
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Warm Apple Tarte Tatin
Oriental Spoon, Twinpalms, Phuket
Armagnac Cerbois VSOP

Reasons to visit: Elegant brasserie like ambience. Freshly cooked food. Attentive service.
Oriental Spoon
Twinpalms 
106/46 Moo 3 
Surin Beach Road
Cherngtalay District
Phuket, Thailand
+66 (0) 76 316500
Oriental Spoon Opening Hours
Buffet breakfast: 7am to 10:30 am 
Dinner: 4pm to 11pm (last orders)
Sunday Brunch 12:00-15:00 hrs

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