Scalini, at the newly opened Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, stakes its claim on the Bangkok food scene.
By Melissa Richter
It takes something quite special for a new restaurant to stand out from the crowd, and Scalini is primed to stake its claim on the Bangkok food scene. Located in the sumptuous Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, the restaurant is already creating a buzz with their exciting New York City 1920-30’s Prohibition Era dining concept, and approachable Italian-American cuisine.
Located on the second level, you enter via a bold and dramatic spiral staircase that leads to an open and inviting space. The warm color scheme is a symphony of rich caramels and dark chocolate browns. It boasts an easy-going aesthetic with a contemporary feel accented by a contrast of textures in silk, leather, and metallic hues of silver and copper. The focal point is the interactive kitchen with wood-burning pizza oven, and the centrally located wine cellar that doubles as a stylish yet unconventional room divider.
Executive Sous Chef Egidio Latorraca, who hails from Milan in Italy, has designed a captivating menu inspired by the cuisine that Italian immigrants prepared when they first came to New York City. You will find clever interpretations of traditional favorites that utilize ingredients sourced locally in Thailand and the highest quality ingredients imported from abroad. You can expect to find a range of tempting salads, pastas, and homemade pizza’s as well as certified USDA Black Angus Beef steaks grilled to perfection in their wood-burning oven. Roberto Visaggio, the gregarious and immensely knowledgeable outlet manager, is readily on hand to suggest a signature cocktail or bottle of wine to enhance your dining experience.
Never one to turn down sage advice, I opted for a lovely Chianti by Classico Banfi, which is available by the glass. To start the meal off, Roberto recommended an intriguing selection of imported meats and cheeses that can be ordered from Scalini’s sister restaurant, Mondo, which is a tapas style venue on the lower level of the hotel. Served with a trio of house-made jams (kiwi, mango and fig), and an evocative mix of Gorgonzola, Asiago, and Brie with black truffle, and a rare Parmesan cheese that was aged for 24 months.
The cold cuts included a mild Bologna with pistachio nuts, spicy Salami, 28 month-aged Prosciutto di Parma, and a homemade cured beef called carne salada. Next I tried a sampler platter of mini wagyu burger with aioli sambal, black cod mantecato with miso dressing and fried whole tempura prawns. The burger — with its soft bun, juicy meat, and tasty caramelized onions — was particularly successful, as was the hot and crispy tempura shrimp. Scalini’s signature dish of tuna and salmon tartar, bitter leaves, lemon aioli, mango with grilled ciabatta was up next and I was immediately impressed with how large the portion was. Bright and colorful, it was big enough for several people to easily share.
For the main course I indulged in roasted Mediterranean seabass, EVOO, aglio candito, vongole sauce, saffron emulsion, and pomodorini ciligia. Beautifully composed, this is a delicate dish of perfectly cooked seafood with complementary elements of clams and sweet sundried tomatoes. Dessert was another pleasant surprise as I dive into a light and refreshing lemon verbena panna cotta with strawberry preserves, wild berries and rosé sorbet. Scalini is memorable for more than a few good reasons. It encompasses all the key ingredients required to make it a resounding success.
When you visit, you will discover a sophisticated contemporary venue with superior service and provocative cuisine that is neither pretentious nor contrived.
Contact Details:
Scalini,
2nd Level, Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok
Sukhumvit 24 (BTS: Phrom Phong)
Tel: 02-620-6666
