When you think Italian, the classics come to mind; spaghetti bolognese, carbonara, and thin-crust pizzas. At iO Italian Osteria, they’ve brought the all Italy regions onto the plate so expect to find your classic or special Italian dishes flavored out of the ordinary!
 
In the chaos of Bangkok, an osteria-style Italian restaurant begs to be the difference when it comes to a unique Italian dining experience. iO’s interiors boasts rustic wooded, copper brass and ceramic-tiled décor sets a homely ambiance. Conceptualized on the powerful history of an Italian ‘osteria’, iO Italian Osteria replicated its designs around it, proudly continuing the Italian tradition with a modern twist.

The aromas of freshly-baked bread and spices linger invitingly when we enter. Chef Anna Borrasi, Partner and Group Executive Chef, welcomed us with such hospitality and journeyed us through her own culinary journey with iO. She had sought out special ingredients from Italy to Thailand to create a variety of dishes beyond what we’ve ever tried. Every menu in iO Italian Osteria was inspired by Chef Anna who proudly presents signature dishes from all parts of Italy.

Our aperitif started with the Crispy Golden Seafood (260 THB) consists of prawns, fishes and squids, served with garlic sauce and spicy sauce. The seafood combination was so fresh that it reminds us of scents of the sea.

​Unlike any other pizza experience, we tasted Chef Anna’s signature large size of pizza (720 THB). The pizza was a mixed 5 different toppings full of robust flavors served on a huge plate.

By CK Lee
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Fine dining in Bangkok is like haute couture. The food is a work of art and the chefs; exceptional. Their cooking is an odyssey in itself. Once plated, it resonates like a fashion statement. Each plate portrays a story, every menu crafted from chapters of culinary anecdotes.
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Such is the feeling invoked when dining at The Allium in The Athenee. Those of us who are blessed enough to call Bangkok our home will need no introduction to this hotel. Head up to their newly rebranded third floor for a gourmet experience that is distinctive and unforgettable.
 
The Allium serves European haute cuisine with a contemporary flair. We were promptly seated upon arrival and the experienced team put us at ease and presented the menu. Memoirs from Home is the culinary journey recommended. Crafted by the superbly talented Chef Roxanne Lange, and priced at 3280 Baht per person for 11 courses, this is great value!

edge restaurant, Hilton Pattaya has launched a unique ‘7 Days 7 Themes’ lunch buffet, a brilliant new dining concept featuring some of the world’s most popular and famous dishes, served with stunning panoramic views of Pattaya Bay.

The line-up changes daily so there’s always a variety of delicious dishes to suit every palate.
 
Monday ‘Smokehouse Grill’
Your choice of homemade BBQ and Churrasco, including pork sausage, pork neck, bacon wrapped chicken, chicken wing, smoked chicken, smoked pork shoulder. Tex-Mex menus are also available; taco, quesadilla, Tex-Mex salad together with churros. Only 580 baht net.
 
Tuesday ‘Mediterranean Classics’
Enjoy fresh and familiar Mediterranean cuisine featuring healthy ingredients such as olives, tomatoes, fish and vegetables. Highlights include selection of bread, cheese and cold cut, Antipasto, Tapas, Mediterranean salad, salmon in puff pastry with spinach, homemade pizza, pasta, Lasagna, Paella and Crêpes Suzette. Only 580 baht net.
 
Wednesday ‘Burgers, Sandwiches & Salads’
Choose your favorite from our freshly cooked burgers straight from the grill – beef, chicken and fish. Enjoy club sandwich, tuna cheddar melt, croque monsieur, chicken doner kebab, lamb kofta in pita bread, bananas foster and ‘create-your-own’ salads. Only 580 baht net.

Thursday ‘Hawker Highlights’
Enjoy a variety of favorite dishes from Southeast Asia such as Khao Soi (Northern Thai noodle), papaya salad, Hoy Thod (crispy fried mussel pancake), Phad Thai (stir-fried rice noodle in Thai style), Chicken Tikka Masala (Indian chicken curry), Dal Makhani (urad dal and kidney bean butter curry), Hainanese chicken rice and braised pork leg and Khanom Khrok (coconut-rice pancakes). Only 580 baht net.
 
Friday ‘Beachfront Seafood Grill’
Discover a Pattaya institution with white shrimp, crab, mussel, squid, river prawn together with internationalcuisine; sushi, maki, whole roasted chicken, homemade pizza, Asian and Western dishes, desserts and live station of waffle and pancake. Only 650 baht net.
 
Saturday ‘Wok and Roll’
Introducing a new and edgy style of Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine. Highlights include red pork and crispy pork with rice, dim sum, fried rice with Kimchi, beef with Gochujang, Tteok-bokki, salmon sashimi, sushi, maki, cold soba noodle, Yakisoba, Japanese curry, Teppanyaki, Bua Loy Nam Khing (rice dumplings in ginger soup) and Japanese crepe. Only 650 baht net.
 
Sunday ‘Edge Sunday Brunch’
Experience a truly spectacular Sunday Brunch offering a variety of premium dishes from around the world; seafood on the grill – tiger prawns, rock lobsters, steamed blue crabs, seabass in banana leaves, baked mussels, Japanese squids together with river prawns, seafood on ice – imported oysters, prawns, rock lobsters, whelks, New Zealand mussels, caviar, salad, sashimi – Maguro, Hamachi, Salmon, Tako, Sukaru Shrimp, Kani, Hokki Gai, Hokkaido scallop, sushi, live cooking station. Plus Australian lamb T-bone, Australian beef, pork chop, foie gras, Asian favorites, Western dishes and an array of mouth-watering desserts with chocolate fountain. Only 1,500 baht net.

​By CK Lee

​Since its launch in August 2017, the amazingly different Made By TODD’s multi-purpose chili sauce has proved so popular that its makers – Father of All sauce Co and its CEO TODD Piti Bhirom Bhakdi – have made it an integral part of their new Made by TODD POP UP Restaurant.
 
Key Product of Made By TODD is Made by TODD Chili Chili (Multi-Purpose Chili sauce) made from Top quality raw materials, the sauce comes in four types, all made from Thai chilies. They include Cayenne pepper, Chili Padi, Yodsun Chili pepper and Bird Chili. Each carries the Made by Todd Brand.
 
The products are distributed online and via modern trade channels. Since its inception, the Made by Todd brand has been widely viewed as the new rising star in the Thai sauce market. Customers love its hot peppery flavor and outstanding taste.
 
The success of Made by TODD Chili Chili has led the company to invest in the development of a new range of products featuring its unique taste, including sweet corn, popcorn and varieties of Mixed Root Chips.
 
Thick and full of creativity, TODD’s Sauce offers a new culinary experience for chefs and regular customers.
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This is now being expressed in the most delicious way at the Made By TODD POP UP Restaurant, whose menu features TODD’s Sauces in many of its mouthwatering dishes. And if the customer loves the sauce, they can buy it at the restaurant.

Highlight dishes include many appetizers, such as Janglon, Samonkung, Crispy Noodles with Coconut Sauce, Coconut Milk Noodles, Traditional Pumpkin Cream Soup and Chicken Curry. Main dishes include HaoDong, Pickled Pork Basil, Pepper Chili Paste Rice, Spicy Seafood Rice, Fried Rice, as well as Sweet and Sour Noodles. Each of these dishes is carefully prepared with TODD’s Sauce. More than 30 other quality dishes are also available. 

This month saw the return of the Club to a favourite venue, No Idea in Soi 22. As ever, we received a warm welcome from Dave Hallam, his wife and Chef, K. Duandern and the several long-serving members of the gastropub team. Proceedings commenced with Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (Nelson, NZ) which I and many others enjoyed along with a generous serving of Antipasti, cold meats from the Mediterranean. Wine spokesman, Tom Whitcraft and possibly not white wines’ biggest fan, was rather complimentary about the first of three New Zealand wines, finding it “not too blancy”.
 
Our first dish, Mushroom Risotto with fresh Australian winter black truffles, made for an excellent start. As confirmed by food spokesman Alex Fisken, the truffles were not over-powering, the rice cooked perfectly, and the dish a resounding success; the unexpected pairing with Tongue in Groove Pinot Noir 2015 (Waipara ,NZ) gave us plenty of scope for comments, mostly positive - “Ripe and attractive black-cherry and plum aromas with a neat thread of spicy and earthy, savoury notes” with Tom admitting that Kiwis can make a good Pinot Noir.
 
There followed New Zealand Ora King Salmon, radish, asparagus tips, and dill butter. Again K. Duandern performed a culinary miracle; the salmon was moist, of course cooked perfectly, and even the garnish attracted deserved praise from Alex. This was my and many others’ favourite dish of the day.
 
Thomas Boedinger had selected Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2014 (Auckland, NZ) to go with this and both Parker and
Suckling had bestowed compliments on “without a doubt NZ’s finest chardonnay producer”. I really enjoyed this wine with just a hint of oak, correctly described as “succulent and curvaceous; it really offers fleshy impact on first sip and then whips into a taut, long finish”.