Ullrich O.
Google
When the Name Is Louder Than the Food
I write this review as a professional chef with 20 years in the restaurant industry, and as someone who has dined extensively in restaurants of comparable or higher caliber, including Da Vittorio (Bergamo), Riva del Fiume (Four Seasons Bangkok), and many others.
All four of us at the table, independently, shared the same reactions.
Service: performance without comprehension
The waitstaff consistently spoke English in a very fast, low, mumbled manner, making explanations impossible to understand not occasionally, but constantly. None of the four of us could clearly understand the dishes. At all.
Italian words were frequently misspelled
It was immediately evident that:
the staff did not deeply understand the food,
had likely not tasted the dishes properly,
and had not been trained through real dialogue with the kitchen.
In serious fine dining, front-of-house must taste every dish, understand why ingredients are chosen, and be able to explain them with authority. Another striking absence: not a single Italian staff member was present, and the chef was not visible. This is not a requirement in itself, but when compared with places like Riva del Fiume, where Italian professionals anchor the identity of the cuisine and greet guests, the difference is enormous.
A troubling detail: the “welcoming drink”
When booking, we were told a welcoming drink would be offered.
It was charged.
If a drink is charged, it is an aperitif and must be presented as such. A welcoming drink is a gesture, especially at this price point.
At 60,000 baht, the issue is not the cost of a glass, but the philosophy.
Great restaurants are generous. They are confident enough to give.
Charging a welcoming drink is not fine dining.
It is cheap hospitality.
Culatello
No aroma, no character. Something was clearly wrong storage or sourcing. Having eaten excellent culatello recently at Riva del Fiume, the contrast was stark.
Scampi tartare, Oscietra caviar, apple, hazelnut
Excessively fatty, with too many elements overwhelming the dish. The caviar supposedly the star became completely tasteless. A classic mistake: too many ingredients fighting, resulting in confusion instead of harmony. Again, the caviar itself seemed mishandled.
Linguine Mancini with Hokkaido uni and seafood
Thick, heavy sauce completely covering the uni and seafood. A recurring pattern throughout the meal: aggressive, dense gravies used as camouflage.
A note on the menu proudly stating “Spaghetti Mancini”:
Mancini is a decent modern pasta producer, but it is widely available, not historic, not IGP, and not something to “flex” at this level.
Homemade pasta, “Alps cheese” fondue, porcini, Alba truffle
Poorly explained. The so-called fondue was another greasy sauce. “Alps cheese” — which one? From where? No answer.
The porcini were cut into microscopic cubes, heavily overcooked, bitter, and completely devoid of aroma, either not porcini at all, or destroyed beyond recognition.
The Alba truffle had no smell and no taste.
Same for the ravioli completely tasteless and a bit gummy. The brodo was good.
Beef tenderloin, pumpkin, porcini, “balsamic dressing”
The meat tasted cheap — there is no kinder way to say it. Anyone who eats quality meat knows immediately. Technique cannot hide poor sourcing. Again buried under a thick, sweetish sauce.
“Charcoaled” Brittany blue lobster, beetroot, lobster bisque
Fishy, not clean or sweet. Shockingly small Completely overwhelmed by sauce again.
Desserts followed the same pattern: bland flavors and unpleasant textures, often gummy or plasticky
Pastries just fine.
Better pastries can be found in any competent Italian pasticceria. At this level, desserts should bring relief and pleasure. Here, they confirmed the emptiness.
Wines
Correct, safe, commercial selections.
The Grappas selection outstanding.
Final thoughts
The cooking felt designed to look luxurious rather than taste good.
The service felt rehearsed rather than knowledgeable.
The ingredients felt mislabeled, mishandled, or chosen for prestige rather than quality.