Every now and then a restaurant pops up ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest. Such is Plum Prime Steakhouse. It’s not just the bird’s eye view across Kamala Bay – perfect for sunset-watching – although that is amazing. Rather, it’s how they’ve put together all the things that mark a restaurant as top of its class – and made them work.
Plum’s seating choices are inside with air conditioning, outside on the terrace overlooking the bay, or in one of a few recessed circular tables surrounded by water – a perfectly romantic setting for that special anniversary dinner or perhaps a marriage proposal with finesse.
Then there’s the service. Plum’s charming, smiling, friendly and knowledgeable service team achieves the perfect balance between leaving you in peace to chat without interruption and magically appearing the moment your glass needs topping up or you have a mid-course request. Informative when necessary, but with none of that overbearing, incessant interruption so often suffered these days – where the restaurant and kitchen teams seem to believe diners have come just to listen to them.
We went for the very reasonably-priced Dégustation Menu (for two) so we could sample as much as possible of Plum’s offerings. Following an amuse bouche of anchovy and butter on toast, we were treated to Zola, pere e noci (Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts bavaroise, served with acacia honey and red wine poached nashi pears) and Hokkaido scallops, beluga lentils (Hokkaido scallops, flash roasted, served on beluga lentils and garnished with crispy leek).
The bavaroise was light and creamy, softening the sharpness of the cheese, while the walnuts contributed mild, earthy and slightly tangy undertones. The scallops were flawless – slightly sweet with a touch of melt-in-your-mouth decadence, while the lentils added a contrasting texture to surprise the senses.
Our main course comprised Grilled salmon (imported fresh Norwegian salmon) and Grilled tenderloin (200g of imported Australian 120 days grain fed Black Angus tenderloin). They were accompanied by a flight of four different sauces (Bordelaise, Béarnaise, Lexington Dip and Chimichurri Verde), a delightful touch – for grills only – that lets diners make minor tweaks to the flavour of each bite, if the fancy takes them. The salmon, served with a mixed salad, was cooked to perfection – beautifully tender with a slightly buttery flavour. The tenderloin, preceded by a Green apple sorbet (spiced up with a touch of Campari) was served with baked potatoes. It came out from Plum’s traditional clean-burn charcoal oven exactly how steak should be served: the outside seared to seal the juices inside. This was so good that it converted a usually reluctant beef eater!
The entire feast bore out the accuracy of how Plum describes itself: “…walking a tasty line between ‘steakhouse’ and ‘fine dining’”..
We finished off our evening with a Gelato di pistacchio di Bronte (Bronte’s Pistachio ice cream with poached wild cherries), the sharp, tangy cherries contrasting perfectly with the creamy, nutty flavour of the ice cream.
If you love good food, hanker after top flight service and don’t mind a stunning ocean view thrown into the mix, you won’t be disappointed when you pay a visit to Plum Prime Steakhouse. A reservation is advised.
By Grenville Fordham
Plum Prime Steakhouse: From Kamala main road 800 metres onto Millionaires’ Mile! Open daily 6pm-11pm, closed Mondays Reservations: Tel: 076-337300.
This article was first featured in the comprehensive dining guide ‘Where to Eat in Phuket’.
