Isole Creative Island Cuisine

A new restaurant overlooking Kamala Bay, Isole (pronounced e-solay, Italian for islands) celebrates the distinctive island cuisines of Phuket and the Mediterranean in an ambience of casual comfort. Featuring a laid-back, casual design with indoor and outdoor seating, Isole Creative Island Cuisine is an ideal spot for a romantic evening or gathering with a group of friends. 

Expect creative, modern, island cuisine from the menu which focuses on locally-sourced, freshly plucked seafood straight from the Andaman Sea, and traditional dishes from islands in the Mediterranean, such as Sardinia and Sicily, paired with an impressive beverage list. 

Upon arrival, my dining partner and I are immediately seated. The wait staff are friendly and professional and quick to point out menu highlights and offer recommendations. After much debate, we choose several dishes to share. 

We start with Frittura di carciofi e mozzarella, a delicious Mediterranean course of fried artichokes and mozzarella cheese served with arrabbiata and salmorigio sauces. The fried artichokes are a delight – rich and buttery with a slight nutty taste – and pair perfectly with the arrabbiata sauce. 

Next, we dig into a Sardinian pasta dish called Lorighittas alla sassarese – twisted pasta rings with semi-aged Pecorino sheep cheese and parsley. This is an exquisite dish; the pasta is fluffy and light, and the sauce is incredibly creamy. 

We are excited to try the all-new Thai menu items, and the first dish to arrive is Yum Yanad Budu, a Phuket pineapple spicy salad with slipper lobster ‘budu’ sauce and lemon sorbet. The salad is beautifully presented and has a unique flavour due to the fermented anchovy sauce (budu) which is popular in Southern Thailand. 

A classic favourite, Tom Kha, is placed on our table to accompany the salad. The soup is served in its own coconut shell, which makes an Instagram-worthy presentation. It’s a dish that pays homage to Thailand’s love of coconuts; inside there is coconut, young coconut flesh, coconut shoots, coconut milk and shrimp paste plus a large Hokkaido scallop, fresh vegetables and a crispy mushroom stick for dipping into the soup. The Tom Kha dish is rich and creamy, and a nice twist on the traditional Thai recipe. 

From the charcoal grill BBQ, we choose a 200-gram Australian Black Angus Beef striploin, cooked medium, and served with four house made sauces and Mediterranean aromatic butter. The striploin is tender and juicy, and our favourite sauce is the Bordelaise – roasted beef bones gravy with red wine, mustard and shallots. Scarola strascinata also accompanies our striploin. It’s a simple dish of sautéed escarole (a variety of endives) in extra virgin olive oil and garlic.

Although we’re stuffed, we can’t say no to dessert! When it arrives, we’re stunned by its beautiful presentation. The dessert is Gelato di Pistachio di Bronte con gelo di anguria, a creamy, flavourful Pistachio di Bronte ice cream with pistachio nuts and watermelon gelée. 

We leave the restaurant happy and with full tummies. Dining at Isole Creative Island Cuisine is truly a top-notch culinary experience. 

In addition to the à la carte menu selections, there is also a seven-course degustation menu available. 

Located at the Cape Sienna resort, Isole Creative Island Cuisine is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 6:00pm-11:00pm. Reservations are highly recommended, and the dress code is resort chic.