Phuket’s Jasmine B brings feline touch to fine dining

PHUKET: Jasmine B is a charming new restaurant opposite Home Pro Shopping Center on Chao Fa Road West. It also happens to be the name of owner and manager Khun Nidnoi’s pet Bengal cat, which is fitting, as this is one lovely hang-out for cool humans and cats alike.

Jasmine B is air-conditioned, elegantly decorated and boasts a state-of-the-art glass-fronted kitchen. At the rear there’s a tranquil garden with abundant greenery, a cascading waterfall, an outdoor bar and seating for pre-meal drinks, or for enjoying a full meal outdoors.

The owners of Jasmine B are Englishman Phil Baldwin and his charming Thai wife Nidnoi, both of whom are on hand to greet and guide you through the extensive menu and drinks selection.
“We decided to open a new restaurant in Chalong because we found we had to travel long distances to find the sort of eatery which we personally enjoyed,” says Phil.

“Our aim is to operate the sort of restaurant that we would make our regular haunt, serving fine food with the best produce and ingredients that becomes renowned for great cuisine and sociability in southern Phuket.”

Our own evening experiencing Jasmine B’s unique beauty started with chilled champagne cocktails sipped beside the outdoor garden bar. We then segued indoors to sample an array of complimentary tasters that were thoughtfully provided while we pondered the extensive menu.

My Thai partner opted for a tasty selection of Thai starters featuring deep-fried crab meat, chicken sate in traditional peanut sauce and soft-shelled crab, all of which she demolished with élan and declared to be, “delicious”.

I chose the Sea Quest tossed green salad with seared tuna, marinated prawns, smoked salmon, bell peppers and other healthy veggies, which proved to be fresh and tasty, while allowing me an inner glow of self righteousness about how healthily I was eating.

Our mains of grilled New Zealand rack of lamb, marinated and herbed, and served with zucchini, tomatoes, risotto and a rosemary and shallot sauce; plus steamed red snapper fillet with spicy garlic lime sauce, continued our evening’s theme of balancing extreme tastiness with healthy eating.

Throughout this gastro-fest we complemented the intense food flavors with excellent glasses of a New Zealand white wine that my partner declared, in poetic mode, to be “tart, grassy and sassy.”

Admittedly, our self-righteous healthfulness was somewhat compromised by our journey into the decadent pleasures of banana and apple fritters with honey, vanilla sauce and ice cream for dessert, but, by that time, we were so overcome with the seductive allure of Jasmine B that we were past caring.

Jasmine B, 3 Moo. 8, T. Chalong, A.Muang, Phuket, 83130. Phone: 076-384237. Fax: 076-384238. Email: gm@jasmineb-restaurant.com. Website: www.jasmineb-restaurant.com

— Barry Daniel