I love the stretch of beach-side dining along Rawai Park. Restaurants line one side of the road while benches and long tables are laid out on the other side by the sea! We’ve returned to Saloloy Seafood Restaurant twice in one week. That must mean something! Well, I like the fact that I could have a full meal with a dozen different dishes, or a quick Pad Thai, and both would be reliably good. I also love that we could sit by the beach even in the middle of the afternoon, without sweating like a pig, thanks to the trees that provided shade and the breeze from the open sea. And if you are not into al fresco dining, there’s always indoor seating across the road where the restaurant actually sits (I’ve not been, but it’s there!). Its not been overly crowded both times we visited. Service is friendly and prices are reasonable; with no hidden costs, no pressure, no touts!
I really enjoyed the Fried Octopus with Salt & Pepper. Plump, tender and crispy up to the very last piece. And with a good dose of seasoning.Pak Miang with Shrimps – My favorite, favorite, favorite local veggie! These paper-like leaves have a wonderful texture and picks up the heat of the wok and garlic beautifully! Oh and those crispy salty shrimps are simply terrific! Forget morning glory or kai lan, this is the veg to order when in Thailand! Thai Marinated Raw Prawns- pick a reputable restaurant for this dish. Last thing you need is poisoning from a stale prawn! Raw prawns are de-shelled and dressed in a zesty fish sauce marinade; a combination of sliced garlic, chopped coriander, shredded cabbage, bitter gourd chunks and fresh chili accompany this extraordinary salad. Have a bit of everything in each mouthful to enjoy every element from spicy, garlicky, bitter and savory to the sweet ocean freshness of the shrimp! Oyster Omelette- Nothing we haven’t had but Saloloy did fry up a super fluffy egg and didn’t hold back on the fat oysters either. Flavor was spot on with an evident dash of the mandatory fish sauce. For those of you who need a home-style dish! Whole Fish Baked in Salt- Stuffed good and proper with ginger, lemongrass and scallions before being buried in salt and barbecued. The fish absorbs the flavors from the herbs while retaining its natural juices. Whole Fish Baked in Salt- Lift the skin to reveal meat that is juicy , flakey and just subtly salty in spite having been covered in salt. Must eat with the ever dependable Nam Pla sauce with lime, shallots, lemongrass and garlic.Fried Fish Chin in Lemongrass Sauce- oh, I can’t get enough of lemongrass! Fish ‘Chin’ is theoretically the collar of the fish. Our order had 4 medium sized collars fried golden brown and topped with an aromatic lemongrass sauce. The collars pack chunks and chunks of fat juicy meat. Crispy on the outside and tender within! A mountain of thinly sliced lemongrass and shallots that’s been pre fried to release those superb flavors, cover the entire dish! It is excellent and super tasty! A #musteat!
Grilled Egg Squid – Basically barbecue squid. The ‘egg’ was a soft, semi gooey glob of white mass! Is it squid roe? Squid sperm? Beats me! I have never had an outstanding Thai style bbq squid but evidently I haven’t learned! Ordered this and could not find any enjoyment in the dish.
If you need a good old fried rice, we tried a decent Egg Fried Rice. I love my fried rice 2 ways… loaded with ingredients or really basic, like this one here. Notice how the Thais love a twist of fresh lime in their food; from noodles to rice, seafood to meats; be it fried, steamed or grilled. This fried rice was no exception. And it was absolutely refreshing, that zing in every grain of rice, well oiled but not greasy. A good amount of egg nicely scrambled in and a good dose of seasoning.
Check out just a few pages of the huge menu. And I bet they’d happily whip up whatever’s your desire as well!
A Saloloy staff crossing the road with your food if you sit across by the beach!The view by the beach
Unlike Patong and Karon, Rawai District is less busy and less touristy. The downside to it is way fewer choices for shopping, food and drinks but the upside is peace!
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