Kruachaobaan Samui: A Legendary Local Seafood Restaurant on Koh Samui
On Koh Samui, make a stop at Kruachaobaan Samui, a seaside local restaurant that islanders recommend for fiery southern Thai curries and fresh seafood.
Meeting Point Management Team
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Quick answer
Kruachaobaan Samui is a seaside local restaurant in Maret, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, on the ring road between Lamai Beach and Hin Ta Hin Yai, near Wat Sila Ngu. Open for over 23 years, it is known for fresh seafood and bold southern Thai curries, with dishes around 150 to 600 baht. Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Key takeaways
- A legendary local restaurant on Koh Samui, open for over 23 years
- Breezy sea views near Lamai Beach and Wat Sila Ngu
- Top dishes: fried sea bass with fish sauce, fish curry custard, squid with salted egg
- Dishes about 150 to 600 baht; orders also via LINE @kruachaobaansamui
- Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with parking
Contents
Today we are heading south to Kruachaobaan Samui, a local kitchen on Koh Samui whose food is anything but ordinary. If you come to Samui, you have to try it.
Let's eat until we are stuffed, because today we are going to Koh Samui. Just saying the name makes us think of the song "Koh Samui" by Deep O Sea, so let's head to Samui and sing along, hee hee.
A local favourite by the sea
On this trip to Samui, we stopped at Kruachaobaan Samui, a local restaurant whose flavours are guaranteed by the islanders themselves. It sits on the ring road between Lamai Beach and the start of the road a little past Hin Ta Hin Yai, on the left, near Wat Sila Ngu. Inside it is cool and shady with a constant breeze, and you can enjoy sea views while you eat. It is rich and perfect, a real chance to relax, and there are cute photo spots too. It is great for families, friends or couples, and fun even if you are an adventurous solo traveller.
Locals all recommend it, because it is considered a legendary restaurant on Koh Samui and has been open for more than 23 years. It serves countless local dishes, and every one is sure to impress. Recommended dishes include fried sea bass with fish sauce, seafood curry custard, steamed crab claws, salt-and-chilli mantis shrimp, squid in coconut milk (ho le), tamarind shrimp, horseshoe crab egg salad, southern curry with hed lum mushrooms, local dried fish salad (yam pla jum khui) and sour curry with fish roe. Prices are fair for the quality, at around 150 to 600 baht per dish. Every dish uses fresh seafood, cooked to traditional recipes. If you come to Samui, this is a restaurant you shouldn't miss.
What we ate
You won't be disappointed with the food. The southern curry pastes are bold and fiery, and every dish delivers. Here are the dishes we tried.
Fried sea bass with fish sauce
A big, fresh fish, crispy and with no fishy smell, eaten with the restaurant's own dipping sauce, which is wonderfully juicy. You can taste how different it is from Bangkok, being right by the sea. Really delicious.
Squid stir-fried with salted egg
Very fragrant with salted egg, rich and savoury but not too salty. It can get a bit heavy if you eat too much, so pace yourself. With hot steamed rice, it is heavenly.
