Gastronomic adventures

Volti lulled us with a pop tune as we stepped into the restaurant at noon on Sunday. Not only was the Japanese temperament instilled in the audible background, but also, and more notably, in the culinary offering.

Since its opening in 2016, the double-deck restaurant and bar at Shangri-La Bangkok has welcomed casual diners for comforting Italian cuisine amid vibrant live music.

Classic dishes, from flame-baked pizza to handmade pasta to well-crafted main dishes prepared to Italian recipes with fresh seasonal produce are the all-time bestsellers here.

However, the management recently decided to add a new sensation to Volti's culinary repertoire.

Starting last month with a Barcelona theme, the 100-seat restaurant has been hosting a special Sunday brunch buffet with a monthly "gastronomic adventure around the world" concept.

Priced at 1,600 baht per person, guests can indulge in an all-you-can-eat selection of dishes from the highlighted destination as well as other culinary options, including Italian and Thai, prepared at live cooking stations.

July is the month for Tokyo's version of contemporary Japanese cuisine.

Hand-rolled temaki sushi.

Representing the fresh seafood bar are Japan's highly-prized Kumamoto oysters, served freshly shucked and cold on dashi granita.

There's a lengthy line-up of creative sushi and sashimi, including hand-rolled temaki, salmon nigiri teriyaki, yellow tail nigiri with shoyu, soft shell crab rolls, hamachi sashimi rosette and baked scallops on sushi rice.

From the kushiyaki (flame-grilled skewered meat) section are Wagyu beef, chicken, seafood and bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms.

You will also find entrees such as golden fried prawn tempura, deep-fried chicken karaage, grilled cod fish with miso glaze, kurobuta pork tonkatsu on curry rice and zaru soba noodles, to name a few.

Italian food buffs will find joy in Volti's much-cherished truffle pizza, as well as cook-to-order pasta vongole with white wine and spaghetti Bolognese.

Grilled cod fish with miso glaze.

While those who are into Thai will be treated to local favourites such as pad Thai noodles, crispy mussel pancakes, grilled beef and chicken satay as well as a variety of spicy yum salad, including DIY, at the Taste of Siam corner, which is set on the open-air patio.

I found Volti's Sunday dessert offerings, crafted by the hotel's new executive pastry chef, some of the best in town. The choice was impressive and well thought out.

For the Japanese affair, there are delicacies such as souffle pancake, matcha tiramisu, wasabi creme brulee, green tea opera cake, black sesame pannacotta and Japanese yuzu raindrop cake. All proved heavenly.

The "Tokyo Bangkok Brunch" is on offer every Sunday throughout July. Prices are 1,600 baht per adult and 800 baht per child aged six to 11 years, inclusive of free-flow soft drinks. Alcoholic beverage packages are also available.

The following themes are Singaporean cuisine for August, Korean for September and Indian for October.