Where: Cha chai Home, Ao Yai Road, Koh Phayam, Thailand
When: 24th March & 27th March 2018
Cha Chai Home is a vegetarian cafe located in the middle of Koh Phayam, an island that can be reached from Ranong, Thailand, by a quick (45 minutes, 350 bhat) bumpy speed boat ride or a sleepy ferry which takes a couple of hours and is about 200 bhat. They serve delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts. Their ordering system is simple and effective – they provide forms to write your order down with room to write if it’s a vegan option.
I was excited about this place, not only was it coincidentally near my accommodation on Buffalo Bay, but I’d had a few friends recommend this Cha Chai Home to me personally. I was very excited about the menu, not only is it extensive in both vegan and vegetarian options, in the pages of the menu there is much information about environmental and health benefits of vegetarianism and veganism as a whole, as well as nutritional benefits for items such as their teas and shakes.
On my first visit I didn’t realise that there are two sections of the cafe, one on either side of the road, one seems to be a smoking section and the other is next to the kitchen with a no smoking section. Perhaps I was in a bit of a daze from just coming off my retreat at Eco Logic, but had I known this I think it would have changed my first impression, as I was reading all the environmentally positive and happy signs, I was trying not to get annoyed at having to eat whilst passive smoking and the staff seemed a little subdued that day too.
Never-the-less, as the food and menu were exceptional, and I’d heard it was a great place, I gave it a second chance and I’m so glad I did. The staff seemed more friendly on my second and third visits and the food was incredible.
On my first visit I enjoyed a chai iced tea, home-made dip with carrot and cucumber and a vegan pancake with tomatoes and vegan mozzarella.
My second visit was for breakfast, I had the ‘Nuts About Match Bowl’, vegan option includes home-made coconut and matcha yoghurt, banana, cornflakes, cashew nuts and cocoa nibs, it definitely set me up for the day and was a generous portion and the different elements really seemed to complement each other well. It was also visually stunning. Along with this I had ‘A Date with Roselle’ herbal tea with dried roselle, jujube and fresh lemongrass tea, good for the heart, fights infection and contains antioxidants according to the menu. It was sweet and refreshing.
On my third and final meal of Koh Phayam, I was only there for a couple of days, I opted to go to Cha Chai Home for a final visit with a friend. We both opted for the vegan fish in tamarind sauce, it was flavoursome and unique. I couldn’t resist a dessert this time, a raw, vegan (and gluten free) lemon cheesecake with frozen passionfruit and strawberry sauce, it was a lovely frozen dessert, refreshing in the heat.
As a vegetarian or vegan, I would say any visit to Koh Phayam would not be complete without a meal or two at Cha Chai Home, located centrally, it’s a nice cycle ride from any of the beaches on the island.
The Greedy Herbivore 