Eden by the Lake

Comprising a smart air-conditioned dining area, a large outside space overlooking the lake and a tented beer garden, Eden by the Lake in Cherngtalay’s Boat Avenue offers an attractive option for every taste.

First impressions count and we were duly impressed by our welcome the moment we got out of our car and were led by our server, Kwang – exhibiting the classic combination of friendly cheerfulness and knowledgeable professionalism – to our waterside table.

We started with Chef’s Eden Seafood Soup and Andaman Red Snapper Ceviche. The soup, a mélange of freshly caught fish, prawns, mussels, squid, clams, onion, tomato and basil, was wonderfully rich and the seafood – especially the squid – was as fresh as could be and cooked to tender perfection. The ceviche – beautifully-presented raw snapper cured in lemon with shallots, mango and boiled potatoes – was refreshing, light, clean-tasting, tangy, spicy and pleasantly acidic. Impeccable!

For our main course my partner opted for 200g of Australian Pure Black Angus Ribeye MB 5+ with Pink Peppercorn Sauce and served with sides of Spinach Gratin and Truffle Mashed Potatoes. It’s worth mentioning here that when you order steak at Eden by the Lake, you get to choose from eight signature sauces and 12 carefully curated side dishes. I went with the Wagyu Beef Stroganoff (Argentinian Prime Angus served with creamy mashed potato).

The ribeye was ordered medium and arrived at the table medium – which is so often, unfortunately, not the case. As well as being faultlessly cooked, it was succulent, full of flavour, tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. Both side dishes were scrumptious and the portions were huge, so we were thankful we had decided to share. 

The beef stroganoff combined impeccably the mushrooms, onions and thin tender slices of beef with the rich and slightly piquant sour cream, creating the irresistible savoury flavour that made this perennial favourite, ‘invented’ in the 18th century, so popular in the 1960s and 70s.

For dessert we went for the Garden of Eden (vanilla and white chocolate mousse served with senga strawberry sorbet) and the Vanilla Crème Brûlée (delicate egg custard infused with real Madagascar vanilla beans). The Garden of Eden presentation was inspirational – creamy mousse encased in a thin layer of senga sorbet, with a slug of sorbet on the side. The rich, creamy mousse was complemented perfectly by the tart flavour of sorbet. One of those desserts so delicious that you could just go on (and on) devouring it. The crème brûlée excelled in that the burnt sugar topping was thick enough to resist the spoon (as it should be, but so often is not). Inside, the egg custard was brilliantly complemented by the subtle flavour of the vanilla beans, while the fresh strawberry topping to balance the creaminess was a stroke of genius.

If fine food perfectly executed, combined with professional but relaxed and friendly service is your thing, then you have to try Eden by the Lake. Reservations are recommended.

And if you’re concerned about parking at Boat Avenue, the restaurant has its own dedicated parking lot – a huge bonus in this part of the island.