Chef Dario Shares the Love at Attico

Chef Dario Shares the Love at Attico

Mick Shippen ascends to the 28th floor of Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok where Chef Dario Busnelli works his magic at Attico

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE

It’s no accident that Italian is one of the most popular western cuisines among Thai diners in Bangkok. There’s the obvious similarity between noodles and pasta, of course, but also rich culinary heritage and a love of family dining. At Attico, a warm and welcoming restaurant perched on the 28th floor of Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok, Executive Chef [SC1] Dario Busnelli is the perfect bridge between two cultures. Born in Thailand but raised in Lombardy in northern Italy from the age of eight, it was his auntie who instilled a love of good food and conviviality in this passionate chef. At my table, Chef Dario is animated and eloquent as he speaks about his childhood, recalling food memories that paint a picture of a young helper’s hands covered in pasta flour, of chipped glazed bowls filled with rustic home-style cooking laid out on a wooden table, and of Sunday afternoons when family and friends were united by meals shared.

Despite having worked in some of Europe’s most revered kitchens, including the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Da Vittorio near Milan, Chef Dario’s welcome return to Bangkok sees him tapping into his roots. Attico’s lofty ceilings, unvarnished wooden tables, and rough red brick walls hung with sepia images of Venetian alleyways and rolling Tuscan hills, create a fashionably retro setting in which to enjoy an evening of unhurried dining. While enjoying a soft pillow of herb-infused focaccia dipped in virgin olive oil enlivened by a startling burst of balsamic, I scan the menu. It’s peppered with classics revisited, each made, Chef Dario enthuses, with palette of carefully chosen imported and local produce. For my starter I am presented with a pert little milky-white burrata cheese, made here in Bangkok. Sitting like a medieval drawstring purse on a nest of rocket leaves and surrounded by jewel-like Chiang Mai grown cherry tomatoes and black olives, the outer skin tears easily to reveal a soft creamy interior with a delicate flavour. Next, a skillet arrives filled with diminutive Dutch mussels swimming in a blushing lobster bisque. It’s a fabulously well-judged dish that balances taste and texture with precision; plump meaty cold-water mussels soused in a fragrant white wine and shellfish liquor, a welcome punch of chilli, shards of crisp bread glistening with olive oil, and a scattering of fresh herbs.

Attico’s menu also offers comfort food. It’s almost impossible not to utter a deep sigh of satisfaction when presented with a whole baby Parmesan, carved out and filled with white asparagus risotto, topped with seared jumbo Hokkaido scallops and shavings of white truffle. Then there’s the Atlantic sea bass wrapped in parchment to cook in its own juices with the help of a dash wine and herbs.

Chef Dario is my kind of chef. He favours simplicity over fuss, allowing his ingredients shine through. This is, like the food of his youth, food for sharing. Rustic elegance is the order of the day at Attico and Chef Dario does it brilliantly.

Attico is open daily from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Dreaming of a Blu Christmas

This Christmas, Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok has an enticing calendar of festive feasts including special menus at Attico. The hotel’s culinary event, “The 12 days of Christmas” runs from 14th – 25th of December. There’s also New Year dining and celebrations for the whole family:

Festive Dinner Buffet at Twenty-Seven Bites – treat yourself to fresh seafood on ice, succulent roast turkey and honey-glazed ham, indulgent desserts, and much more. From 6 p.m. – 10.30 p.m. THB 880++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages. THB 1,290++ per person inclusive of buffet and free flow selected beverage.

Festive Italian Dinners at Attico - savour Chef Dario’s 5-course set menu of Tuscan-inspired classics complemented by half a bottle of Prosecco, an affogato coffee and a glass of Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. Italian festive hampers are also available, each filled with Chef Dario’s favorite Italian delicacies. Daily 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. THB 1,700++ per person.

Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner at Twenty-Seven Bites -  Christmas turkey and all the festive trimmings, afabulous array of fresh seafood, salads, Asian and Indian favourites and decedent Christmas-themed desserts.  Santa will also make an appearance to delight the young ones. From 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. THB 990 ++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages. THB 1,590 ++ per person inclusive of buffet and free flow selected beverage.

A Tuscan Christmas Eve Festive Italian Dinner at Attico – a welcome drink of Prosecco and the Radisson Blu Choir set the scene for Chef Dario’s 5-course Tuscan-inspired set dinner. From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. THB 1,900++ per person. THB 2,900++ per person with free flow Prosecco.

Christmas Day Brunch at Twenty-Seven Bites – celebrate with a bountiful buffet of seafood, salads, succulent roast turkey and beef, authentic dim sum, Cantonese classics, spectacular dessert including traditional Christmas pudding. There’ll be Christmas carols, a visit from Santa and a free flow house beverages. From 12 noon to 3:30 p.m. THB 990++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages. THB 1,590 ++ per person inclusive of buffet and free flow selected beverage.

New Year’s Party at Twenty-Seven Bites – join our glamourous party at our popular international restaurant. After welcome cocktails and inviting bubbles, there’ll be a buffet feast of tantalizing appetizers, carved meats, fresh seafood and decadent desserts, with free flowing house beverages served all night. A DJ will also spin top tracks into the wee hours. From 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. THB 1,215 ++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages. THB 2,015++ per person inclusive of buffet and free flow selected beverage.

A Tuscan New Year’s Eve at Attico - celebrate New Year’s Eve at Attico and enjoy panoramic views of Bangkok from the 28th floor. Your evening includes free flowing house beverages and Chef Dario’s creative Tuscan menu. From 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. THB 2,900++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages. THB 3,900++ per person inclusive of Prosecco.

New Year’s Day Brunch at China Table - celebrate New Year with a fine dining brunch at our Cantonese restaurant, China Table. Share the banquet with family and friends as you savour authentic dim sum and Cantonese classics including Peking duck, wok-fried seafood, hand-pulled noodles, barbecued pork, suckling pig, and many more. From 11:30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m.  Price is at THB 888++ per person inclusive of buffet and soft beverages.

For reservations, please contact 02 302-3333 or email restaurant.bangkok.blu@radisson.com


ATTICO is located on the 28th floor of Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok, Soi 27, 489 Sukhumvit Road. Visit the website at www.radissonblu.com

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