SAMPAN G/F, 138 Pak Sha Wan Centre, Sai Kung. Phone 719-3238.
PERHAPS it was the occasional malodorous smell, the drifting smoke, the tooting scooters, the breeze which took the edge off the humidity or the friendly, smiling waitresses - hell, maybe it was the food - but for a while there it was easy to forget we were eating at the Sampan Thai restaurant in Sai Kung and believe we were in Bangkok.
Located at the head of the main pier in Hebe Haven, this is a popular spot on Sunday evenings when the barbecue is lit and the fresh seafood, meat, vegetables and soups are displayed buffet-style to tempt hungry passers-by. Boating types and locals queue up for a table in the garden area (made private by thick palm-like plants in dragon pots and mosquito-free by burning coils) or the cool of the restaurant with its patchy, pretty blue wallpaper.
Having debated the merits of air-conditioning versus the sea view, we plumped for the great outdoors and long, icy-cold fresh lime sodas before getting down to the big decisions: charcoal-grilled specialities or the classic Thai dishes? Steering clear of the classic pizza Thai-style, we ordered a selection of each.
First up was noodle soup with fish balls, a clear broth oozing noodles which benefitted from a dash or two of chilli oil.
This was followed rapidly by cold charcoal-grilled fillet of beef with chilli and lime ($56) which was melt-in-the-mouth tender and not too spicy - maybe not spicy enough for some aficionados - and deep-fried fish cakes ($46) which were delicious when dunked in the cucumber, peanut and sweet chilli sauce.
