In
a major step for Bruno’s Restaurant in Pattaya, accepted as one of the
leaders in fine dining and haute cuisine, owner and chef Fredi Schaub has
deserted his traditional menu to present a special Italian Food Promotion
for August. To make this an authentic culinary promotion, Fredi has imported
an Italian (well, Sicilian actually) chef whom he has spirited away from his
usual kitchen in the Two star Michelin Panoramica restaurant in Asti, in
Italy. To evaluate this innovative step, the Dining Out Team was invited to
Bruno’s Restaurant and Wine Bar for a pre-event tasting with Fredi and
Luca Messina, the visiting chef.
Fredi
Schaub with Italian chef Luca Messina
Before getting into the food and wine, a brief word about
the restaurant itself. There would not be too many Pattaya residents who
have not caught up with the fact that Bruno’s shifted from North Pattaya
to the current address almost two years ago. However, there may be visitors
who are unaware of the change of location. Let me assure you that if you
remember the old restaurant, you will be delighted with the new one –
almost a plank by plank restoration in the new premises. And 95 percent of
the staff followed Fredi over as well.
The concept of an Italian Food promotion came from
Fredi’s own love of Italian cuisine. “I like Italian food, everybody
likes Italian food, and nobody has done it (an Italian food promotion) down
here.” Having decided that this was a promotion he would enjoy himself, he
went looking for an Italian chef. He was told about a young trend-setter,
Luca Messina, and flew to Zurich to interview him. It was a first for
Bruno’s and a first for Luca, and the Italian Food promotion was signed
and sealed to run for the duration of August.
Service
Sicilian Style
To make this an authentic promotion, Fredi has produced
an entirely new menu for August, and a new range of Italian wines as well.
(Incidentally, the wines, which range through the 1999 to the 2004 vintages,
are exceptionally reasonably priced, with most bottles only a little over
1,100 baht.)
The new Italian promotion menu is comprehensive and is
also presented in Italian, English and German, to cover the majority of
Fredi’s faithful following. The seven Cold Appetizers include French goose
liver (the goose must have strayed over the border) through to a White
endive salad with Parma ham and ricotta cheese.
Warm appetizers feature pan-fried shrimp on Zucchini
Timbale and Chicken and bell pepper strudel. These are followed by several
Italian soups, pasta and risotto, salads and meat and fish mains.
We tried several dishes, but for me, the following were
the stand-outs – firstly the Poached Rock Lobster in cold Tuna sauce (B.
290), with the crustacean elegantly displayed on black plates. The capers
accompaniment with the tuna sauce sets this dish apart from other more usual
rock lobster offerings.
The Black squid’s ink noodles with lobster ragout and
herbs (B. 280), was another taste treat, with the fresh squid ‘milked’
for their ink that morning. A beautiful pasta dish.
Finally, the team was split between the mains of Parrot
fish served on a potato-cepe mushroom tart in a light curry sauce (B. 380)
and the Baked pork tenderloin (B. 360) on apples and dry prunes in Balsamico
sauce with Rosemary potatoes in a parmesan cheese case. For me, the pork got
the final nod, but it was a close decision.
The
Italian food promotion was truly outstanding. It was not a case of throwing
garlic at the food in large quantities to give a pseudo-Italian taste, but
one where the individual items in the dishes were allowed to show their real
flavors, unmasked by a heavy-handed “Italian” approach. This was five
star (or Michelin Two Star) dining in the true sense. The Dining Out Team
recommends that you try this new Italian promotion during August. You will
have missed something really special if you do not make the effort. Highest
recommendation possible.
Bruno’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, 306/63Chateau Dale Plaza, Thappraya
Road (the main thoroughfare between Pattaya and Jomtien), telephone 038 364
600, fax 038 364 602, email brunos@loxinfo .co.th. Secure parking within the
Chateau Dale complex. Open for lunch 12 noon until 2.30 p.m. and dinner from
6 p.m. until 11 p.m.
