By Elle Faraday
I was out with a small group of friends the other evening and
after enjoying a couple of glasses of wine we decided to look for an Italian
restaurant that none of us had tried before and I think we have unearthed a bit
of a gem!
Roberto’s is situated on Rachamanka Soi 2, tucked away just off Moon Muang
behind a collection of bars which include Cozy and the Laughing Leprechaun.
There is both indoor and outdoor seating and the location on the quiet Soi makes
for pleasant al fresco dining away from the bustling traffic charging around the
moat.
As we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Roberto and his
charming wife Lai. Such was the warmth of their welcome that I decided I would I
would combine work with pleasure and make Roberto’s the subject of this weeks
review. Roberto’s menu is packed with everyone’s traditional Italian favourites,
mouthwatering pasta dishes and tempting pizza combinations. There were so many
wonderful dishes to choose from that I was glad I was in the company of four
fellow diners to help me savor at least some of the range.
After
ordering, Lai bought us some wonderfully fresh Italian bread laid out on an
attractive wooden board which she set in the middle of the table. Our ever
smiling host also bought a couple of carafes of the pleasantly quaffable house
wine which at 180 baht for a half litre was excellent value for money. We stuck
with the house selection throughout the evening even though there was a good
range of very reasonable priced Italian red and white. The highest priced
offering was a quality Valpolicella or Pinot Bianco Sauvignon at 950 baht - an
absolute steal in a Chiang Mai restaurant!
Our glasses were charged and the table was alive with amiable chatter when the
food arrived. Every dish was wonderfully presented and a feast for the eyes. We
all tucked in with great gusto.
I first tried the Cannelloni Vegetariani which at first bite was an absolute
winner. It was a perfect blend of wonderfully fresh pasta with a divine spinach
and cheese filling which I could have eaten until the last speck of sauce had
disappeared. However one of my compatriots was after the cannelloni and I moved
onto the Penne al Pomodoro. This dish was simply fresh pasta in a tomato sauce,
but as any chef will tell you, simple food when made with fresh local
ingredients can be sensational. You could taste the freshness in the tomato
sauce and it was finished with just the right amount of basil to give that
wonderful fresh herb taste.
I moved onto to the Fettuccine al Salmone, ribbons of fresh pasta in a
deliciously creamy salmon sauce perfectly seasoned and complemented by the
generous side portion of parmesan cheese.
The remaining pasta dish was the homemade lasagna in a special Italian beef
sauce which one of my friends declared the finest lasagna he had eaten outside
Italy – high praise indeed!
Only one of my fellow diners opted to select off the pizza menu and selected a
pepperoni pizza. At just 110 baht, it was very generously sized with liberal
toppings of spicy sausage, wonderfully stringy mozzarella cheese and a perfect
crisp base.
After sharing five lavish meals, we were all fit to burst but the dessert menu
was just too tempting to ignore. We took the pudding out onto the terrace and on
a lovely cool evening shared a heavenly tiramisu, delicious profiteroles with
cream and a rich dark chocolate sauce and a range of traditional Italian ice
creams.
Roberto’s Ristorante and Italiano Pizzeria serves a wide range of fresh pasta
dishes and pizza ranging from 90-140 baht. They also serve other Italian
favorites such as meatballs, chicken, chops and salads. A range of desserts and
a full wine and drinks list is available.
For more details or to make a reservation call 09-757-6618.
