by Miss Terry Diner
Where else, other than in Pattaya, could you find an
Italian restaurant which is related to a couple of restaurants in India,
which serves French food, is not at the location where its neon sign would
make you think it was, and is the hobby of a Danish fashion designer?
Let
me begin with locating this restaurant for you, so you do not get as lost!
There is a restaurant on Beach Road, between the mouths of Soi 6 and Soi
6/1, which has a sign proclaiming “The Stone Oven”. This is not it! This
particular restaurant has a food sharing agreement with the Stone Oven,
receiving European food from it, in return for supplying Thai food for the
‘real’ Stone Oven. The Stone Oven is actually 20 meters up Soi 6 from Beach
Road, and extends through to Soi 6/1. After that confusing start to our
evening, was it all worth it?
The restaurant has been in existence for four months and is housed in a
single shophouse, with numerous tables packed together on the ground floor.
The kitchen is reached by some very steep stairs, and some very athletic
young ladies rush up and down with your order. On the review night, the
restaurant was packed, and the serving staff was in training for Olympic
medals!
The owner, Peter Miller, the Danish fashion designer, had prepared a
‘tasting’ menu, and explained the philosophy and background to his
restaurant. The name Stone Oven comes from the fact that it requires a
special stone oven to be able to cook pizzas correctly. He also owns two
more Stone Ovens in New Delhi, so hence the Indian connection. Italian food
is well known in India, so his restaurants are called ‘Italian’, even though
much in the menu is French. Food and restaurants are his hobby (in ‘real’
life he exports his fashion designs to Italy) and he has been collecting
recipes from three star Michelin chefs for many years. The Stone Oven is
truly eclectic!
The menu is quite large, with well over 100 items and has small ‘thumbnails’
so you can see what to expect. Why others do not follow this simple
‘international’ expedient, I do not know. There are clearly itemized
appetizers and starters, and you can even order pizzas by the slice
We began with hot goat cheese with a cold Italian grappa, and what a
sensational appetizer! From there it was starters, with the Norwegian smoked
salmon with lemon cream (B. 200) and excellent way to get your taste buds
ready. We also chose the French house wine, which can be bought by the glass
or carafe.
A
Cream of Seafood soup was Peter’s next dish (B. 200). A creamy broth, with
plenty of seafood, with prawns and mussels and a lovely Dill sprig to add
that little bit extra.
We were then treated to a couple of the Stone Oven’s beef dishes (both very
tender), which come either as a 250 gm size or a 600 gm! These are around B.
400 for the smaller size, but honestly I do not know how anyone could get
through the larger portions. It would require a huge appetite!
Peter was not finished with us yet, bringing out a 12 inch pizza called the
Milan Royal Parma Pizza with Gorgonzola (B. 290). This was ‘designed’ by
Armani to include the costliest items possible and features the ham with
black olives, garlic, gorgonzola with flakes of parmesan cheese, arugula and
garlic dressing added after baking. Absolutely brilliant, Giorgio (and
Peter).
There were desserts, to which we could do no justice, we were too replete,
I’m afraid.
To sum up, the food is superb at the Stone Oven. Madame described the pizza
as “the best pizza I have ever eaten” and I agree. The other dishes all
exhibited wonderful flavors, and the portion sizes were large. This is one
restaurant you owe it to yourself to try. Highly recommended. (If parking is
a problem, try along Beach Road.)
The Stone Oven, Soi 6 (20 meters from Beach Road), telephone 06 722 0201.
Open seven days, from 1 p.m. until midnight (low season), longer hours in
high season (but don’t wait till then).
