Stop! Don’t even think about the turning the page yet. Because, if you do, you could not only miss out on a totally memorable Samui dining experience, but you might also never get to meet one the most talented, experienced and passionate-about-his-food chefs in the world. And I’m talking about the renowned Stefano Leone at Natura.

Right, let’s start off with the beautiful place itself. And it’s very easy to find, being on the ring-road just 200 metres on the right before the road junction in Bophut as you’re approaching from Chaweng. Here you’ll see a long high wall with welcoming open gates. Go through, and you’ll find that you’ve stepped into another world. A magical world of lotus ponds and ornate tropical gardens. A wonderland of Ancient Siam with authentic Ayutthaya-style wooden Thai houses and salas dotted here and there. An idyllic place just overflowing with a positive energy and friendly atmosphere. An environment, in fact, just perfect for housing a top quality restaurant.

And when it comes to choices of where to dine in a restaurant, Natura surely leads the field on Samui. With tables set up in various areas around the gardens, by the swimming pool and Thai houses, and even alongside a sala in the middle of the lotus pond itself, Natura is a natural choice for the romantics amongst you who enjoy an element of privacy from your dining experience (great for St. Valentine’s Day and anniversaries, etc.).

Groups are also well catered for, with two private air-conditioned dining suites upstairs of the main restaurant building that can each accommodate parties of up to 12 persons, and, up there, there’s also a large table in an outdoor area that can seat up to 10 (special 3-course business/group lunches are available from Tuesday-Friday).

But the most exciting place to dine at Natura is in the air-conditioned 40-seat Sofa Bar on the ground floor. As the name suggests, the seating here comprises lounge sofas and chairs, and finding a more comfortable place to dine would surely be impossible. With well-padded bar stools around the bar (which, incidentally, serves excellent cocktails), a piano (which regularly gets played), discreet lighting, stylish décor and soothing bossa nova jazz playing in the background (the tempo picks up as the night goes on), Natura exudes a warm, cosy and intimate atmosphere that other restaurants can only dream of. No small wonder that many of Samui’s top chefs also come here to dine and relax after work whilst Stefano entertains them with his cooking and warm personality.

Italian Stefano has a 5-star-studded background in top restaurants around the world (he’s even catered for the Saudi Royal Family and has appeared on various television shows in Egypt and Indonesia), and finding a more innovative and knowledgeable-about-his-subject chef would be very hard. But, on top of that, he’s also one of the most likeable people you’ll ever meet. Nothing is too much trouble for Stefano, and providing diners with an extra-special eating experience is what he lives for!

“… and finding a more comfortable
place to dine would surely be impossible.”

And you can see that by looking at his highly original menu. The food is organic, natural, seasonal and freshly sourced, making it ‘Cucina Essenziale’ (or ‘essential cuisine’ to you and me). And you won’t find the normal arrangement of starters, main courses and dessert in this restaurant! What you will find, though, is a varied selection of dishes that are entitled ‘Flights’, which, when shared between you and the person (people) you’re dining with, more than do the job of two courses. Here are a few examples of these imaginative and absolutely scrumptious dishes: Hokkaido Scallops with corn chanterelle mushroom ragout and Chorizo sausage; Boneless Confit of Cornish Hen-leg with sarladaise potato, frisse salad and raspberry vinaigrette; Blue Crab Ravioli and Snow-fish in ginger Veloute with young spring vegetables; and the Tenderloin of Natural-fed Veal with lemon tagliatelle pasta, caper sauce and caramelised garlic. And alongside every ‘Flight’ description, there’s a helpful wine suggestion for pairing it with.

Traditionalists will be pleased to hear that Stefano also presents some excellent ‘classic’ dishes, such as the Catch of The Day – Cartoccio, in which the fish is baked in parchment paper and served with mushroom, tomato and a confit lemon medley. And you can’t finish a meal without a dessert (appropriately called ‘Finishes’), especially one of Stefano’s, such as his extra-ordinary Peppermint Soufflé in a Chocolate Crêpe !

There’s also wide choice of cheeses, an excellent wine list, and a whole lot more (that I haven’t room to mention) to make eating at Natura a ‘special’ dining experience. But it’s having a top-notch chef like Stefano in charge that makes it extra special, and comes highly recommended!

Natura is open from 6:00 pm until late (business lunches can be booked).
For reservations and further information, telephone 0 848 522 742.