After cocktails/dinner at this new riverside Italian restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, your group would loathe to say goodbye. Raini Hamdi writes why
When the sun goes down, the riverside terrace of the grand old dame never fails to take the breath away. Twinkling with lights from decorated trees, and full of life with traditional boats and private party cruisers plying the Chao Phraya, it is a setting that will wow delegates, especially those from overseas. Add to this the heritage hotel’s new Italian restaurant, Ciao, whose mission is to create a chilled and relaxing atmosphere. That, I felt right at the start as the whole team welcomed me warmly.
MICE application
Ciao’s size and layout are right for a small group. Its open-air restaurant seats 54 pax. A clear advantage is everyone will be together in one spacious area, yet this space is fashioned intimately, with a striking bar as the centrepiece decor, not to mention that your guests could admire the beautiful building of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok itself from where they sit. The disadvantage is, in some months it will be hot and humid, although I understand there are plans to install fans that blow cold air.
If you have a corporate group of just eight pax, you might want to take up the Chef’s Table section. But you will lose the river setting, as it’s tucked at the back of the restaurant. The advantage though, is this section is air-conditioned.
Planners can take up the entire 54-pax alfresco area for a private function at a minimum charge of 350,000 baht (US$10,781) to 450,000 baht in the low season.
F&B concept
In keeping with the chilled and relaxing mission, Ciao’s menu is delightfully down-to-earth, yet innovative, comprising both classic Italian and ‘Spuntino’ (ie, Italian tapas). Our parma ham bruschetta, for example, had parmesan over it, which gave the taste a new dimension, a trick I quickly squirreled to the back of my head, to use when I’m cooking at home. Seaweed in the slow-poached tiger prawns with pomelo salad added a new dash. Chef Luca Casini draws new interpretations of classic dishes from his experiences across Europe and Asia. The result is fine Italian, but one that does not take itself all too seriously.
So we ended up with the happy predicament of deciding what to eat because most dishes on the menu were enticing. For Italian food aficionados, there was even a list of Luigi Guffanti cheese selection and a list of Levoni salumi selection on the menu.
Service and ambience
There was a lot of happy chatter and laughter – the kind of ‘buzz’ you’d expect in a good Italian. It’s hard not to feel fashionable in this restaurant, a 70 million baht investment by the hotel which engaged Fenn Design, Hong Kong to create a stylish venue that has a warm, natural and easy gait to it.
Capping it all are service staff who are confident, friendly and attentive in an intuitive way. I can’t remember the last time a service staff in Bangkok made a smart suggestion to me, such as the Ciao staffer who suggested getting us some starters while we studied the menu. In between courses, she also asked if we were ready for the next course.
Ahh, this is Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok after all.
Contacts
48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Email: Mobkk-Ciao@mohg.com; website: mandarinoriental.com/bangkok
Opening hours
17.00-01.00 (drinks and snacks)
18.00-22.30 (dinner)
