Pizzeria Giotto @ Meechok Plaza

Pizza Giotto is a relatively new Italian restaurant opened earlier this year by a young Thai chef. She did a fantastic job with the restaurant providing lovely Italian fare, including thin crust wood fired pizzas, lovely pasta, and various other dishes. There's even breakfast too!

Another good thing about it is, it's just a few doors down from my office at Meechok Plaza. This is welcomed addition to the various restaurants and eateries, providing a nice mix of International cuisines from Thai to Chinese to Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese...and now Italian.

The service is very friendly and warm, and the staff very well trained.

Ok...on with the food!

Ceasar Salad with Prawns. This this the first time I've had caesar salad with prawns, and it was lovely! Beautiful, creamy dressing that I can just keep eating non stop. The prawns were well seasoned and full of flavour, and I was quite pleasantly surprised with this as the prawns I've had in Thailand are generally tasteless. 185 baht.

Pesto Pizza - also quite lovely, cooked in one of those impressive igloo looking wood fire pizza ovens. Crispy thin crusted pizza topped with pesto sauce (crushed garlic, basil, parsley and nuts blended with parmesan and olive oil) and topped with mozzarella cheese. I love the thin crust that actually felt quite healthy, and I was able to un-guiltily enjoy the pizza...after all, there's lot of calcium in cheese, right? The flavours, by the way, came together very well.

Just as a general note:  I find the food at Pizzeria Giotto not too salty, and I could enjoy the "real" flavours of the cheese (beautiful!), and the pesto sauce.  250 baht.

The Oven

Home Made Potato Fries. I think potato chips and fries must be the ultimate comfort food. I particularly like thick cut fries and potato fries / wedges. There's something about biting into the crispy "skin" into the warm and soft "centres" that's immensely satisfying, especially on a rainy day or when you're tired and hungry! So...being very hungry and tired that day, I couldn't help myself but order these potato fries served with spicy mayonnaise... And the fries were scrumptious, especially with the paprika sprinkled on top for a little added kick. 95 Baht.

Spaghetti Olio Garlic, Prawns, Mushrooms and Dried Chilli. This was a great dish infused with beautiful garlic aroma, and quite strongly flavoured and pretty spicy. The prawns were very well seasoned. A very nice dish. 250 baht.

The Verdict

The food here is very nice, and the staff very friendly and knowledgable. Great addition to the variety of restaurants at Meechok Plaza. Not cheap, but comparable to other Italian restaurants around town.

Pizzeria Giotto
206/24 Meechok Plaza
T Faham, A Muang, Chiang Mai
Tel: 0835821551
Opens: 10am-9pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

I'm trying out the New Google Maps. Hope you like it!

Fiore Rosa - Homemade Italian in Doi Saket - Now closed

Dining at Fiore Rosa is like going to a friend's place for dinner...not just any friend though..a friend who can cook, and is passionate about cooking.

Roberto and his wife, Khun Dao makes a great team. As soon as we sat down, Roberto, the man behind the kitchen, started recommending and explaining recommended dishes straight away.

The first dish.. Beef Capaccio - I've had this before a couple of times at other Italian restaurants, but didn't actually know that Beef Capaccio is actually raw beef until Roberto told us, and the reality of its rawness dawned on me when the paper thin, super fresh, bright red beef slices came topped with cheese, rockets and I think, lemon juice (as opposed to lime). I never knowingly eat anything raw except for sashimi, so I told myself, I've eaten capaccio before..just eat it! ..And I was glad I did, because it was lovely! The cheese on the beef was very creamy and smooth, and the lemon added a slight hint of tanginess.  170 baht.

Mediterranean Salad - This was also beautiful in terms of looks and taste! Comprised of lovely salad greens, anchovies pieces which added a nice accent to the salad, fetta cheese (mmmm!) and olives. The dressing was lovely and light. 130 baht.

Fish Fillet in olive oil, vinegrette, lemon and almonds served on a bed of spinach. This was SO good.. very, very special. Never had anything like it before. Gorgeous and smooth with a lovely rounded fragance of what I think is almond and lemon wedge that has been placed in the pan with the fish.

Roberto explained that we should never squeeze lemon juice on the fish, rather, the lemon should be placed in the pan. Squeezing lemon juice on the fish will "kill" it. Wow.

Very good value at 160 baht.

Unfortunately, that's all us 2 ladies could fit in that night, well we did have some very nice house red wine as well. I guess we'll just have to come back. Would definitely want to have the fish fillet again, but also want to try other dishes to....choices, choices!

The other great thing about Fiore Rosa is the ambience... very casual and relaxed. You have a choice of dining outside or in an air-conditioned room indoors.

Getting there involves driving down a windy road passing through rice fields, which feels almost like an adventure!

Fiore Rosa
Opens: Mon-Sat 5:30pm-9:00pm
(It's a shame they don't open Sundays otherwise I would go quite often!)
Tel: 053 039 221; 085 032 5865

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I am Gourmet

Merry Christmas, everyone! Sorry I'm a couple of days late! 

Today's post is about an unexpected Christmas dinner I had. My family don't really celebrate Christmas, but we thought we would pay a second visit to a restaurant recommended by a friend. 

I will have relatives coming to Chiang Mai soon (tomorrow!), and I'm always scratching my head as to where to take visitors. You'd think I'll have a list of restaurants ready in hand, and I do, (and will share with you soon), but it's always nice to put in a mix of new restaurants. 

... So here we were, back at I am Gourmet, to try out other dishes on their menu to see if it makes the cut (to bring visitors). 

I am Gourmet has a selection of good American food, as well as good Thai food...and it's not easy to find a restaurant with good Thai food, and Western food all in one place! 

So, there we were for our Christmas dinner! 

The special of the day was the Turkey Dinner Set. My first ever Turkey Dinner, and I had it in, of all places, Chiang Mai! There were several pieces of roast turkey (very nicely done, I must say), mashed potatoes (very good!), stuffing (I haven't had these for years! ... and it was great!), bean salad, and what I thought was beetroot (LOL), which turned out to be cranberry jelly (I guess), and a plate of salad. The whole thing was great, but my favourite on the plate was the stuffing! 250 baht for the set - very, very good value! 

The next thing we wanted to try from the previous visit were the BBQ Pork Ribs, which were nice and tender, and falling off the bones. The sauce was very tasty as well. You have a choice of chips or salad on the side.  Only 100 baht!

As my 6 year old nephew and 3 year old niece from Australia will be visiting, we were on a look out for something that they'll eat. I am Gourmet has a good selection of Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. Last time we tried the Pad Thai, which was pretty decent. This time, we had the spring rolls, which were very nicely done - nice and crispy, probably too peppery for the kids, but fine for us.

The most astounding thing for me here is the very reasonable prices, particularly of the American dishes eg. Pork or Chicken Burger cost 50 baht plain and 70 baht with cheese, onions and bacon; a reasonably generous serving of green tossed salad cost 35 baht! And as mentioned before,  the BBQ ribs were 100 baht.

The restaurant itself is simple and unpretentious, and it's totally unexpected to have a Western restaurant in a setting more like that of a large Thai noodle's shop. So don't expect anything fancy here! The service is warm and friendly, and the American owner very approachable. 

I am Gourmet

Chiang Mai-Doi Saket Rd (118)

If you come from the city towards Doi Saket,  once you pass the pedestrian bridge at Bohin, slow down and stay in the left lane. I am Gourmet is on the left just before the next U-Turn. 

GPS: 18.851894,99.093761 

(Keep in mind the restaurant wasn't there when Google came around a few years ago!) 

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Piccola Roma Palace (Italian Restaurant)

Having been opened 22 years and still going strong is a testament to how wonderful Piccola Roma Palace is. I think the restaurant's popularity is due to the very skillful and lovely chef / owner Angelo who comes an greet diners, give recommendations and take orders personally. This combined with excellent food and excellent service, is a sure recipe for success!

The restaurant is lovely, and has a classy yet comfortable feel. The staff are very attentive - I could hardly touch the water bottle on my table - as soon as I reach for it, a waiter comes and takes it off me to refill my glass. This actually makes an amusing game between my friends and I - let's try to touch that water bottle before a waiter comes running...lol...and yes, I would give the service 5 stars.

And the food....I must say it's excellent - excellent in quality and very, very large portions. You might want to consider sharing. The three of us ordered 3 entrees, 2 mains (pasta) and a dessert to share - I felt it was just right, but I don't normally eat a huge amount.  Just let Angelo know (if you want to share) when you order and the waiters will bring everyone extra plates and cutleries.

...And importantly, the pasta here is homemade.

Some of the dishes we had:

Prawn Cocktails - Simply delicious, tasty, oh-so-fresh prawns with lovely creamy sauce just to get the appetite going.

Bruschetta with olive oil, tomato and basil leaf - lovely and refreshing,  but I thought the bread was slightly dry (?). The table next to us ordered Bruschetta with garlic - wow, it was so fragrant and smelt so delicious, I must try it next time! 

Penne Carbonara - I don't usually order carbonara, mainly because for some reason, I have always thought that it's a creamy dish, and I can't eat too much cream....but this one was fantastic. The menu lists the ingredients for the "sauce" as bacon, egg and parmesan cheese, which I guess would be the "original" recipe. I could really taste the parmesan! Check out the chef's recipe here.

The next pasta dish wasn't on the menu. Angelo made it for my friends before and he did it again for us. I think it was Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, chilli and tomato and prawns - beautiful!

...And of course, we have to leave room for dessert. My friends tell me that the tiramisu here is great. Tonight though, we opted for Profiterole with whipped cream and chocolate sauce to share.  and yes, it was wonderfully decadent. I think it would have been great even just having the cream and chocolate sauce!

The price: It worked out to be about 600-800 baht/person - on the expensive side of the scale for Chaing Mai, but well worth it for the quality.


Piccola Roma Palace 
144 Charoenprathet Rd
(Opposite The Chedi Hotel)
A. Muang, Chiang Mai
Tel: 053 820 297-8
http://www.piccolaromapalace.com

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Beccofino Italian Trattoria Chiang Mai

There are plenty of good Italian restaurants in Chiang Mai. Beccofino Italian Trattoria is no exception. Lovely food, beautiful restaurant, relaxing ambience, easily accessible location off the trendy Nimanhaemin Road - what else can you ask for?

Actually this restaurant was first suggested to me by a reader a while ago. I have been meaning go there for a while, and finally got a chance this lunch time when we aimlessly drove around Nimanhaemin looking for somewhere to eat...and there we have it - Beccofino.

First impression? Beccofino is a beautiful restaurant, and has a small terrace for outdoors dining in front. Unfortunately, at the time of arrival, there is a mild odour from the drain in front of the restaurant (quite common in Thailand), so we decided to eat inside. (Hopefully they will fix this problem soon.)

The service is professional and efficient enough, but I find there is a lacking in warmth that I have come to expect in restaurants in Thailand, particularly in restaurants of this calibre. Considering the great food and lovely ambience, having friendly and smiling staff will make the experience even better.

The food is great.

My choice - Baby penne with eggplant, fresh tomatoes, ricotta cheese and basil. All I can say is that it's delicious, simple & tasty. 250 baht.

The homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach, served with mushroom and cream sauce is lovely as well. Fluffy pillows of ravioli, and the sauce is creamy but light.

Fettucini with Rock Lobster, fresh tomato & white wine sauce. This is also very good with the lobster being very juicy and firm. 380 baht.

The Chef's Special Pizza with Cherry tomatoes, rocket salad & parmesan cheese is nothing to write home about. It looks great, but the pizza is more a like a salad on bread. As a salad, it's pretty good though - nice and fresh, especially with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil supplied on the table! 290 baht.

The verdict:

Good restaurant, good food, lovely decor. The service is professional and efficient, but would be better if the staff is friendlier and smiles more. Will go back again.

The total price came to 2539 baht for 6 people and 1 child.

The rating:

The food: 7/10

The ambience: 6.5 /10 (I would have given it 7.5 if the staff smiles more!)

Value for money: 6.5/10

Beccofino Italian Trattoria, Chiang Mai

20/2 Soi 7, Nimanhaemin Rd

Suthep, Muang, Chiang Mai

Tel: 053 226 590-2

Website

Ridgley's (now closed)

Touted by many expats as having "the best pizza" in Chiang Mai, I simply had to check it out and I was certainly not disappointed. Not sure if it's the best in town, but it's certainly right up there, and the price is very reasonable too.

The restaurant itself is quite small, but has a cosy, home-like feel. Interestingly, Ridgley's has an open kitchen, right at the front door. It's quite nice being greeted by the kitchen staff as you walk into the restaurant.

Although I had an idea that the pizza was good, I also wanted to see what else was on the menu, and I was pleased to find that "French Fries" was spelt correctly! Thai restaurants serving Western food often spell it "French Fried". : )

Other things on the menu included various salads, sandwiches, burgers and pastas. The desserts, ice-cream and shakes all look very indulgent! If you have tried them, please let us know how they are!

This is what we had:

Bruchetta! I haven't had these in a while! ...and they were pretty good.

Yes, I love my salads. The mixed salad was great! The serving was quite big and the large size was very reasonably priced at 79 baht. The garlic-vinaigrette dressing was rather interesting though - we didn't really expect a tomato-sauce look alike dressing, but it was nice.

This is the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pizza - yum! Very nice and not oily base. Loved the BBQ sauce (?) on the pizza and the Jalapenos peppers were a nice touch. (205 baht for the medium size)

I was hoping for a bigger range of pasta - there were only two. We opted for the Spinach & Chicken Alfredo - nice and creamy. (119 baht)

It turned out to be a very nice and hearty meal. The service was very good and the staff attentive. The food came out rather quickly, much faster than expected. On the way out, we saw the BBQ Spare Ribs being prepared - looked delicious - so I guess having the kitchen by the door as we walk in and out was a good idea afterall. We will definitely try this when we go back next time!

The whole meal came to around 475 baht for 4 people! Fantastic value!

For a map, check out Ridgley's website. 053 490 846

Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00, Closed Sundays

If you've been to Ridgley's, let us know what you think!