Trisara: Phuket's 'Three Heavens'

Anonymously reviewed by André Chiang (Globe-trotting food guru, Par André) for Mr and Mrs Smith

Driving along the highway, my mind is trying to reconfigure memories like a jigsaw puzzle. It has been eight long years since my last visit to Phuket. The things I remember? A narrow road, a long, deserted coastline with dark rubber-tree forests set back from the beach. A sea the color of emeralds. The hot and sour flavors of kang som, a local version of bouillabaisse. I have to confess that I was afraid all this may have changed in the intervening time.

Already, as Mrs Smith and I cruise toward our destination — it has been almost a decade since I was last in this part of Thailand, but it's also five years since we married, so this is like a second honeymoon — there is cause for concern. The highway has grown more lanes with more cars travelling along them and far fewer trees at its edge. Sadly, it seems, the enemies of nature and solitude have already taken their toll.

Off the main road, though, there are hopeful signs. Beautiful Nai Thorn beach is quiet and gentle waves roll in from the ultra-green sea to the sand. Past the beach, I direct the car up a steep, narrow road where we find the gates of Trisara. At reception, we're welcomed by a sea breeze and a 180-degree view of the ocean. Really, it wouldn't take much more than this to make me happy. However, Elle, one of the managers, has prepared chilled jasmine-scented towels and two glasses of cold honey-ginger tea — she explains it's good for settling stomachs after the long, winding drive. Then, she places a gorgeous garland of flowers around a delighted Mrs Smith's wrist. I get the feeling that at Trisara there will be impressive attention to detail and warm hospitality.

For the next two nights, our home will be a spacious Ocean View Pool Villa. It's very contemporary Thai, with teak floors and an enormous king-size bed dominating the bedroom. The bathroom makes

While Mrs Smith makes herself a cup of tea and satisfies her sweet tooth with some crunchy cookies and homemade dark chocolate truffles, Elle shows me all the villa's facilities. I flick through the channels on the flat-screen TV and pop my iPod in the dock. This is some place.

Keen to start exploring, we call the concierge to send a buggy and take us to Trisara's private beach. As if by magic, two beach boys are already arranging sun-loungers and covering them with white beach towels when we arrive. By this time, it's approaching 6 p.m. and the sun is about to set. It couldn't be more romantic. We walk hand in hand along the sand to the jetty, and it's as if we've turned back the clock to when we first met. (Photo courtesy of Mr and Mrs Smith)

The following afternoon, after a lazy morning in the villa — French toast with red berries and eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, and hash browns served promptly at 8 a.m., followed by plenty of lolling by the pool — we decide to go snorkeling in the resort's private bay (no jet skis, thank goodness). By the floating jetty we feed what seems like thousands of friendly fish in a Technicolor underwater world.

Have I mentioned that I'm a chef? So far, both Mrs Smith and I have been greatly impressed with Trisara's cuisine. There's been nothing too elaborate — although Phuket lobster club sandwiches by the beach did feel quite posh — but flavors and presentation have proved sensational.

It all adds up to high hopes for what will be our anniversary dinner. We've arranged to dine on a deck by the beach under the moon, with just the lapping waves and chirping crickets as a soundtrack. That alone would have been special enough, but dinner was perfect. I chose to go native — fresh spring rolls and sweet pork with rice and Thai-style salsa — while Mrs Smith decided on a trio of fish tartare and duck egg carbonara. For me, the combination of spice, acid and sweetness was spot-on, and the selections from the Western menu were creative, elegantly displayed, and well-balanced.

All too soon, our visit was at an end. Much to our disappointment, we hadn't managed to fit in a proper trip to the spa, although Elle did walk us up there on our arrival and the ocean views are absolutely sublime. Throughout the resort, nothing was overlooked — the décor is subtle and well-executed, and the service was incredibly thoughtful right until our last minute. Surprisingly, I found out what "trisara" means without having to ask anyone — the word is Thai for "three heavens." Mrs Smith and I definitely found ours in the surroundings, the people, and the cuisine. We were truly in three heavens, right here on Earth.

André Chiang (Globe-trotting food guru)

There's not much time for holidays when you're travelling from home in Singapore to international culinary events such as Madrid Fusión or the announcement of the S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants awards in London (where André's former eatery Jaan par André came in at a prestigious number 39). It does, however, give you the opportunity to do some rather interesting exploratory work, as chef André will attest. Dining out at the best places wherever he goes, as well as sussing out stylish trends that catch his eye, provides inspiration for dishes at his acclaimed new French nouvelle cuisine restaurant in Singapore, Par André.