The world’s best underwater restaurant is in Phuket

Su Va Na Phuket, within the Aquaria Phuket, was recently awarded the “World’s Best Underwater Restaurant 2024” at the World Culinary Awards held in Dubai. 
Though technically the restaurant isn’t really underwater but it’s more like dinner with a view of the aquarium’s largest fish tank. The restaurant’s 13-course tasting menu has been conceived by chef Atanu Nath, who blends contemporary European flavours with the rich heritage of Thai cuisine.
“I don’t restrict my cuisine with borders. It’s basically my experiences, my training, my travels all mixed together. When we design a menu, we don’t necessarily have to create six courses, nine courses or 12 courses. We create a menu according to the dishes and what comes to my mind at that point of time. Humans are temperamental, sometimes they feel one thing and at other times, another thing. Depending on my feelings at the time of creating a menu, what memories are with me… Sometimes I am driven by aesthetics, sometimes by umami. We have a menu that doesn’t restrict itself to a particular cuisine. Rather, it has a  different spectrum of flavour profiles put together that works in symphony,” says chef Nath. 
Chef Nath’s preliminary culinary training was European, and he soon moved towards Japanese and Asian, which is reflected at Su Va Na. “I also want to showcase some of my Indian roots and the best way to put it was to make it more refined. It is not a bowl of curry, though it still has all the Indian flavours, but more in a refined way. It’s more approachable, rather than overwhelming,” he adds. 
Dishes include a Russian king crab served with sushi rice mixed with Japanese rice wine, amazake. Surat Thani oysters are cooked glazed with butter and served with chanterelles and peanuts. To serve them the way they do in Thailand, the dish as a bit of a chilli kick to it.     
One of my favourites was the Fermented garlic glazed gindara or black cod with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. The black garlic sauce is mixed with miso for extra umami. Delish! The main course is Japanese Wagyu A5 with Nasu Moro miso, kizame wasabi and beef jam. It comes with Japanese-style aubergine and miso. I always love a bit of spice with a hunka honk of beef and this delivered. Accompanying the main is brioche bread served with relish. Though I can guarantee you’re not gonna leave here hungry.
Su Va Na, however, is more than a restaurant, it’s an immersive multi-sensorial experience that transports diners into an “underwater realm”. The restaurant’s stunning aquarium setting, with its vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life, creates a mesmerising backdrop. It is almost impossible to take one’s eyes off the fish as they make their rounds. Dinner has never had a more calming and soothing experience. 
Adding a touch of whimsy to the experience is a mermaid show midway through dinner, which serves as a sort of intermission between courses. The graceful movements of the mermaids, their shimmering costumes and the enchanting music create a magical atmosphere that further enhances the dining experience. Though it may be a tad tourist, but hey, we are in one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations. 
“We wanted to create an unforgettable experience for our guests and the mermaids are one of the many elements that make Su Va Na Phuket special,” says Dax Lee, founder. “We believe that dining should be more than just a meal; it should be an immersive journey that engages all the senses.”
Truer words were never spoken as one is immediately engaged with the surroundings right from the entering the restaurant through a water tunnel. The choices of seating are either in the main dining room with the huge live “screen” in front or in the tunnel where one is engulfed with the water and fish.