Best Meal So Far: The Red Onion In Karon

Today was leisurely. After an excellent breakfast in the Hilton's buffet dining room, we walked over to a nearby strip mall to drop off some laundry that we'll pick up tomorrow. We ventured a little farther along the street to a modest downtown area where we found an air-conditioned store to buy postcards for grandkids. Kathy and Brian retreated to the coolness of the hotel and Tom and Ellyn wandered around a little longer in the heat.

We got together to play spades in the afternoon and spent considerable time researching dinner. We do have our priorities. Finally we chose a nearby joint called the Red Onion after looking at favorable reviews in Trip Advisor.

After cocktails and appetizers in the lounge, we rode the shuttle to the front gate, picked up a taxi, and 200 Baht later were dropped off across the street from the Red Onion. It's an open-air establishment, like many of the restaurants in this area, and the air was quite warm this evening. Despite the heat, the atmosphere was great and we all agree it was the best meal of our trip so far, even without counting the fact that a terrific dinner for four cost us about $40.

Our meal included spring rolls and deep-fried prawns for appetizers, and for the main course pad kee mao, tom yum soup, Panang curry, and larb (or laab), all washed down with quantities of bottled water and Singha.

The dishes came out one or two at a time, all piping hot, and the service was efficient and friendly. We topped off the evening by returning to the hotel entrance with our first ride in a tuk-tuk, a good way to cool off.

We will do our best to maintain the same type of relaxed schedule tomorrow, before packing up for an early departure for Chiang Mai via Bangkok Sunday morning.