After three months of abstinence we resumed B&B lunches of course at Chesa, home for the Club, and it turned out to be a great homecoming. 

Though numbers were restricted to acknowledge that social distancing is still in force, 16 gourmands assembled to dine and wine in style.  

Our aperitif, Alma Cuvée Franciacorta Brut Bellavista NV (Brecia, Italy), is set to become a Club favourite; one-third the cost of a Champagne, it is a delicious, predominantly Chardonnay sparkler with an elegant, lush mouth feel and earned compliments from Danny Arn, wine spokesman and white wine aficiando.   

Dining commenced with an amuse bouche, an Irish oyster enhanced with Whitcraft-style relish, presented on a golden mat.

It was followed by a colourful and tasty dish, White Shrimp Bolognaise topped with Slow Cooked Pork Belly and Grilled Pacific Scallop, found by food spokesman John MacTaggart to be excellent, with the pork having been slow cooked for 18 hours.  

With this came Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (Nelson, NZ), a very typical NZ SB, and said by a Vivino critic to be “very crisp and clean. Apples and lime come through on the [sic] pallets”.  Our bottles arrived in a carton and were enjoyed especially by Danny.

Beautiful Italian restaurant at Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok

DUE to last-minute confusion in the setting the date of our March lunch, we found ourselves several months ahead of schedule but in very familiar territory.
 
The Chesa team performed wonders by creating a menu for us within thirty minutes of uncovering the mistake and two days later proceeding to feed 16 gourmands in effortless style.
 
Thomas and Rene even were able to match the food to the wines instead of in the customary reverse order, starting with Ottosoldi Gavi 2016 (Piedmont), bright yellow colour and flavourful, and tasty “Snacks at the bar”, with the prawn served on a spoon attracting the most compliments.
 
Stuffed Cremini Mushroom with Foie Gras on Port Wine Sauce was the first dish to leave the kitchen; when asked to identify the stuffing we learned it was to a secret recipe. You have to return to enjoy the taste which had prompted the question, food spokesman Alex Fisken was told.
 
Wine spokesman John Handley was able to be more forthcoming with an excellent presentation of the merits of Tegernseerhof Riesling Steinertal Smaragd 2016 (Austrian) with pale golden colour, and complex nose including apricot and spice. I thought this was the best wine of the day and had been scored 93 by Parker.
 
There followed Poached Snow Fish Fillet on Green Pea Puree and Noilly Prat Sauce, with John telling us perhaps this was the only bottle remaining in Thailand of the white wine based vermouth, made with two wines which are matured separately for a year before a secret selection of herbs and spices are macerated for three weeks. 

THIS was our first visit to Galleria Milano, tucked away in the Mille Malle at the far end of Sukhumvit 20, where Michelin-starred Chef Roland Schuller and his team of attentive lasses were at hand to welcome us. They did a great job.

Our Apéritif, Domaine François Pinon Vouvray Brut NV (Loire valley), found favour with most of the 21 diners.
 
This traditional method sparkling wine is made from 100% Chenin Blanc from old vines and spent over 18 months on lees in the bottle lending complexity and depth to the style.
 
Knowing in advance that our starter was to be Cantabria Anchovies and Tuna Tartare with Caviar and Tofu-Yuzu Emulsion, some of us deliberated on a suitable matching wine. Thomas Boedinger’s final choice of Domaine Frédéric Lornet Arbois Nature 2015 (Jura) was confirmed by wine spokesman Tom Whitcraft, to be an excellent one.

Made from the indigenous Savagnin grape variety, it was not too dry and even had some hints of apple. Food spokesman John MacTaggart singled out the tuna which was especially nice and the dish colourful.
 
The next course was Fettucine with Quail Périgord Truffle, which featured generous shavings of the prized fungus along with delicious portions of quail that was cooked to perfection. This was paired with Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (Western Cape, SA), which proved to another good match for the food, though it is perhaps still a bit young.
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Venison with Rustic Polenta and Chestnut Honey, Chestnut Purée and Blueberry Juice was our main dish. Chef Roland did an excellent job of cooking the venison just short of medium rare; overall this was a really excellent presentation.
To accompany it, Thomas had selected Hacienda Monasterio Crianza 2014 (Ribera del Duero, Spain), for which Robert Parker had awarded 94 points. “The secret was an early harvest to keep the acidity and freshness in the wine and keep the alcoholic degree under control. It’s mostly Tempranillo, with 10% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, fermented with indigenous yeasts and with long and soft macerations. It matured for some 18 months in French oak barrels”. A big and lovely wine said Tom.

IT was nice to be back in Pizzazo which we had visited as recently as January last. Familiar faces were to be found expertly performing the service and our host, K. New Vongasawad, was to be found everywhere - at the door, at the bar and in the kitchen.

Proceedings started with a choice of two aperitifs: Casali Lambrusco Amabile NV (Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy) and Feudo Maccari Rosé di Nero d’Avola 2014 (Sicily), neither of which elicited too many compliments from wine spokesman Roy Dean, who was reminded of Vimto and excursions to Ibiza. (As usual, all wines were selected and supplied by the Club).

However, any offended taste buds were quickly reset when we were presented with a very delicious first course of Baked Hokkaido Scallop prepared with tobiko, spicy mustard, and mozzarella that was served with wonderful crispy garlic bread. This was judged by our food spokesman, Alan Rankin, to be the most interesting dish of the day, and some of our 18 diners even suggested it would be great as main course.

It was accompanied by Lesehof Stagård Gaisberg Riesling 2016 (Kremstal, Austria) which Roy and others declared to be excellent and was heartily enjoyed by all.

Alan went on to praise Beef Carpaccio classic style with extra virgin olive oil, shaved parmesan and rocket though I thought that the beef should have been cut a trifle more thickly to secure more of its flavour. Tegernseerhof Bergdiestel Grüner Veltliner 2016 (Wachau, Austria) was served with this; I shared Roy’s respect for this first-rate wine and he reminded us that it had been served at an optimum temperature. Lobster Soup with minced lobster meat came next with more Grüner Veltliner This was an excellent rendition of a classic soup, and while perhaps not as thick and creamy in texture as some might expect, it was more than satisfying in terms of rich flavours and received well-deserved praise from all quarters.

Our main course was a generous portion of Australian grain-fed Rib Eye Steak, cooked to order and served with potato gratin, vegetables, and a Bordelaise sauce. To accompany this delicious beef our Winemaster Thomas Boedinger had chosen Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno 2013 (Tuscany, Italy).

​It was a good choice – easy drinking and excellent value for money. Everyone agreed that “the flavours swirl around a firm core of tannins that channel the fruit toward a long and spicy finish”, but many felt Suckling’s score of 97 was rather generous for this blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot that was aged 18 months in new French barriques.

LOCATED on the 28th floor of the hotel, Attico is the only rooftop Italian restaurant in Bangkok that boasts breathtaking vistas of the city from both the intimate main dining room, as well as two alfresco lounging terraces.
 
Designed to capture the casual charm of a Tuscan villa, the space highlights warm dark woods, exposed brick walls and incorporates wine barrels into the design. Front and centre is a semi-open kitchen and butcher counter with a display of Italian charcuterie, giving the place an inviting and homey feel.
 
The wood furniture and a semi-private room for family style dining add a feeling of comfort and floor to ceiling glass windows framed by dark drapery highlight the energetic city views for an unforgettable urban vibe.