Bored of eating the same thing twice? Fear no more, here's a list of restaurants that have shuffled things up to make sure you're never bored or short of choices while dining out.
Clara
Italy in the summer is magnificent. The sun shines, the sea glimmers and the land gives abundant produce. To experiences the best of an Italian summer without leaving Bangkok is to dine at Clara, where the new menu brings bounties of the land and sea to the table.
The trio of amuse bouche starts off with seafood. Begin with a bite that comes from Puglia, originally made with rice, potatoes and mussels. Chef-patron Christian Martena has turned the traditional into a Rice cracker with razor clams, instead of mussels for something lighter. Then comes the Oyster, which has been poached and char-grilled, served with an oyster mayo and seaweed of tempura. However, it is the last amuse bouche that really gets the tastebuds going. Red prawn from Sicily served with ragu in a brioche. The prawn bursts in your mouth filling it with that rich tomalley flavour. Delish!
The staple Sicilian summer salad of prosciutto e melone is reinvented at Clara. Instead of using ham, the chef uses Bluefin tuna, specifically otoro. The belly is salted and air-dried for a week, shelved and dry-aged for three weeks so it can get that beautiful pancetta-like texture. This is paired with juicy melon, marinated in melon jelly and Thai basil, and drizzled with olive oil sabayon.
Another favourite on the new menu comes from Puglia, which is the region that chef Martena comes from. It is worth making note of the fact that Puglia is known as the great granary of Italy. House-made pasta made with Scelte di Campo, an ancient flour, is served with smoked tomato, tomato confit and tomato water topped with salty ricotta salad. Deliciously light, the addition of tomato water to give the pasta that soup-like consistency at the end with the tomato and cheese broth almost is so comforting. Genius.
I have a thing for rice; I love it in all forms. The Rizi with nduja and Crusco pepper may just be my new favourite rice dish. This is definitely a savour-each-bite-and-make-it-last-longer dish, if there ever was one.
I’ve never had a bad meal at Clara and every menu satisfies my palate and stomach in different ways. A great start to the summer!
Pastel
As many of the old timers in Bangkok would agree, Sukhumvit 11 is avoidable these days. The entire vibe of the soi has gone downhill, so to speak.
But, if there was ever a reason to go back to that soi, it would be to have an evening out at Pastel, pun intended. Soaring at 22 floors in the Aria Hotel, the rooftop bar and restaurant may just be “the” IT place on 11.
Though opened in 2022, Pastel levelled up the Mediterranean dining scene with the appointment of the new executive chef, KIllian Fioretto. Fresh off the boat from chef Fioretto has spun the menu in new, delicious ways.
Drawing on his culinary heritage in fine dining establishments, chef Fioretto presents new creations like the Patatas bravas 2.0, which is a new take on the classic Spanish dish. Potatoes are confit in thyme and served with a spicy aioli and garlic cream. A good amuse bouche with a glass of sparkling to kick the evening off!
The Truffle toast with a generous lashing of freshly shaved black truffle comes with Parmigiana cream. Peruvian-influenced Hamachi ceviche, which mixes the tropical freshness of pomelo with leche de tigre or tiger's milk, yellow pepper coulis, coriander cress and paprika oil. Easily one of the best tasting dishes on the menu, and one worth ordering again and again. The Seabass crudo has a twist of flavoured radish, avocado, and miso mayonnaise. Fresh, light and perfect for a humid evening.
Though it is all about lobsters on a Tuesday, which is a weekly celebration showcasing an array of lobster-inspired dishes. Dig into the freshly-baked Lobster toast topped with lobster salad dressed with aioli and herbs. After whetting the lobster appetite, go straight into the Lobster risotto. The dish uses a mix of various rice cooked in a lobster bisque with chorizo. It comes to the table with half a grilled lobster.
If seafood isn’t your thing, try the Signature Rossini. Beef tenderloin is served with pan-seared foie gras, winter truffle, spinach and truffle mashed potatoes. Yum, yum and indulgently some! If you love both seafood and meat, get the Surf and Turf featuring Charcoal-grilled beef
tenderloin alongside Grilled lobster, served with a rich sauce made from shellfish bisque and meat jus reduction. From the sides, get the Asparagus and garlic and you will not be disappointed with it.
Desserts are special here, with chef Fioretto serving up extremely good renditions of classics. The one dessert that took me back to a holiday as a child is the Ile Flottante or Floating Island. Light and creamy, this is a good dessert to end the evening. However, the Lemon pavlova combines citrusy and sweet meringue, lemon sorbet and lemon curd, topped with whipped cream, is also a good choice.
Pizza Massilia
Fresh off the award for ‘Special Award Best Fried Food Asia Pacific 2024” at the 50 Top Pizza Asia Awards, the popular pizza restaurant has launched a menu with the fried foods they offer.
But this isn’t just fried food as head chef Michele Fernando has created some scrumptious delights. Try the Baby panuozzo salsiccia e friarielli, which translates as the Neopotlocoam pizza sandwich. It is deep fried and baked and is filled with Italian sausages, turnip tops and provola. Provola is stringy cheese made from non-skimmed cow’s milk and comes from Campania, Italy.
Next up is the Frittatina di pasta alla carbonara or Carbonara pasta friter. This is more like a fried mac and cheese pie, but uses Pecorino, Parmesan and Italian pancetta. What’s not to love?! The Suppli pomodoro e mozzarella has been a staple on the Pizza Massilia menu. Now part of the special fried menu, it is Italian carnaroli rice, Italian tomato sauce, fior di latte, mozzarella and Parmesan rolled into croquettes.
An Italian staple, how can the classic Calamari fritti not be on a fried menu. Deep fried squid rings are served with lemon and garlic mayo. Though to finish off a deep fried meal, all one needs is a substantial wedge of the Sbriciolata al caffè or the Crumb coffee cake.
Coming soon to delivery platforms are fried sandwiches from Pizza Massilia. Expect Mortadella with cheese and a delicious aubergine one.
