A family kitchen in Lamai
Our story
Nana Tam started as a small family kitchen in Lamai and grew, one table at a time, into the garden you see today.
The cooking has not changed since the beginning. Curry pastes are pounded in a stone mortar every morning — never bought in a tub. The fish comes from Lamai. Herbs, lemongrass, kaffir lime and pandan grow in the garden, and much of what you eat is picked a few metres from your table.
The garden was built slowly, by hand. The lamps hanging above you are made from coconut shells, drilled one hole at a time by artisans on the mainland. The koi pond and the little waterfall came later, because guests kept staying long after the plates were cleared.
Most of our guests are visitors to Koh Samui, and many come back the following year and ask for the same table. That is the nicest thing about this job.
How we cook
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Fresh, every day
Market in the morning, wok in the evening. We do not cook anything ahead.
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Your spice, not ours
We will cook it mild for the children and properly hot for you. Just say.
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Nothing wasted
We buy from local suppliers, use whole fish, and compost back into the garden.
The garden
Ferns, heliconia, frangipani and a mango tree older than the restaurant. After dark, a few hundred lamps come on and the whole place turns amber. There is a koi pond by the far wall and a small waterfall behind it — children tend to find both before the food arrives.
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Reserve a table
We are busiest between 18:30 and 20:30 in high season. Booking takes about a minute and you will get a confirmation straight away.