Kaomai Plamun Ampawa — Restaurant in Samut Songkhram Province

The Kaomai Plamun Ampawa branch is a must-stop on the way back to Bangkok from the south of Thailand. Located a mere 2 km from Rama II Road, Kaomai Plamun is decorated with wooden fixtures, roofing, and decorations, and is surrounded by a man-made pond where fish are kept and bred.

Upon entering, the staff welcome you to be seated in an open and spacious dining hall. In one corner, there is a café that serves a variety of drinks and snacks, while the main hall is decorated with wooden sculptures resembling various fish. The menu is very extensive and offers a variety of fish dishes, prawns, and rice. Everything tastes delicious. I have visited Kaomai Plamun twice, and each visit I tried to order something different, and everything was still delicious. I especially enjoyed their mackerel with sweet and sour sauce, which is different from the orange sauce you may know; this is a rich and very intense black sauce that goes well over some white rice. Another favorite is the deep-fried mackerel with salt, which has been fried so well that the entire fish can be eaten head to tail. The same can also be said for the deep-fried mullet with garlic—simply delicious.

Should you want to take a break from the food, you can also wander around on their floating platform and buy a pack of fish food to feed the various fish living in the pond. It is also worth noting that the restaurant strongly promotes sustainability, where food waste is responsibly processed into fish food and wastewater is treated on-site, significantly reducing their environmental impact. They also conduct CSR programs, engage with local communities, and share sustainable knowledge to foster a greener future for local communities.

To finish off the meal, I highly recommend trying their desserts and fruits. My personal favorite is the Wat Jed Thai sweet in coconut milk, or Lod Chong, which are pandan-flavored rice flour noodles served in thick coconut milk and syrup, topped with crushed ice. A unique feature of Wat Jed's Lod Chong is the texture of the noodles, which are thicker and chewier compared to other places.

Highly recommended for all, and I will certainly be visiting Kaomai Plamun Ampawa again in the...

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try this which is a new restaurant in Samut Songkhram for me. Conveniently located near Rama 2 Road, heading towards Phetchaburi province, the restaurant has plenty of parking at the entrance. It features charming decor of bamboo, greenery, and basketwork on the ceiling. The food menu is quite interesting, with options like deep-fried seaweed with shrimp cake, Run-Juan curry with seabass, deep-fried mackerel, deep-fried mullet with garlic, and stir-fried chili seabass. This place is perfect for family lunches. Additionally, there’s a cafe inside the restaurant and a grocery section for those looking to buy something to take home. For a touch of adventure, they also offer rafting, allowing guests to enjoy nature and experience a slower pace of life, which takes...

This is a hidden gem in the middle of land salt field! We thought the navigation is taking us the wrong way but it really is the right way! You will see one-of-a-kind building made out of bamboo sticks rising above a huge pond. The design is incredible. We had to wait for our tables as the restaurant was full. They gave us a queueing card that buzzes when it is your turn. Didn't expect this for a local restaurant. The menu has a variety of Thai dishes, made from locally grown/ produced ingredients, e g. Local mackerel ("platoo") and vegetables like "chakam". We ordered "runjuan" spicy soup with sea bass (which was very tasty), yum chakam veggie with prawn and fried local veggie with egg. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. Great place for...