Brunch on a hot Sunday doesn't have to be a boring affair in the blistering heat. It can be poolside while you sip on white wine as the DJ plays breezy tunes.
On the 4th floor of the Rembrandt Hotel on Sukhumvit 18, Da Vinci Ristorante Italiano has undergone an extensive renovation, originally having been a closed restaurant to opening its doors to provide a lively and sunny view of the hotel's swimming pool. Once you head up the elevator from the dimly-lit hotel lobby, you might feel surprised at the quick and bright change of setting from the hustle and bustle of Thailand's urban jungle. Walking past the gym on the left, you might feel like you have jet set to Italy. That is most likely because of the restaurant interior is modelled after an Italian trattoria, a casual and inexpensive restaurant serving a range of Italian dishes. From the copper-made pizza oven to the paintings of the regions of Italy sprawled across the walls, you can truly feel the ambience of the place. The red, white and green colours of the restaurant's roofs and tables blends well with the blues of the swimming pool.
Food stations are scattered throughout and you are given cards of your table number, so when you order food at the stations, the staff know where to bring it to. You can either dine indoors or poolside, like one does under the Tuscan sun.
THE MENU
We tried the Al Fresco Brunch (B1,250), which is an all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drinkwhite-wine buffet available every Sunday. The buffet is split into various "live stations", which offer made-to-order dishes by chefs who use the freshest ingredients.
The cold cuts station offers a wide selection of meats from parma ham and salami to spicy pepperoni and speck. Cheese lovers will be spoilt for choice as the international cheese station lets them pick a range of cheeses such as Gouda, Taleggio, feta and Emmental. The variety of cold cuts and cheese is plenty reason to keep coming back to the stations to experiment different combinations, mixing them up for a diverse range of flavours. A salad station is placed in the middle of the buffet for those who are health conscious and has a live preparation of Caesar salad from time to time.
You can either wait and watch the chefs cook your choice of fresh pasta or risotto, or you can give them your table number cards while you make your way to further indulgence at the foie gras station. Head to the BBQ station where the chef carves pieces of a huge roasted pork or lamb for you. The Kid's Corner is near the entrance and serves up fast food meals, which include sliders and fries.
Of course, it wouldn't be an Italian restaurant if there wasn't a pizza station, where head chef Alessandro Eusebi personally prepares all the pizzas. Choose your type of pizza from Margherita, flambé, capricciosa, Davinci or pepperoni. The pizza is stone-baked at a high temperature which results in a deliciously hot thin crusty pizza. A half-spoon of rum is flambéed before being poured onto the pizza to give that fiery extra flavour.
For those with a sweet tooth, fret not, the Crepe Suzette station has just what you need. Freshly made crepes with a sauce, made from butter, sugar and liquor is flambéed, poured on top, is served with a scoop of ice-cream. White wine is served as your main drink (and it is also freely refillable, which is also a plus), although there is a beverage station for those who are thirsty for something else. Let's not forget that since this is an all-you-can-eat ordeal, you might want to hit the gym come Monday morning!
From left: Ravioli; Crêpes Suzette. Photos: Thiti Wannamontha
INSIDER'S TIP
Take a dip in the pool and you'll notice that the diving boards have a snack menu etched onto them. You can enjoy sunbathing or swimming while waiting for your pizza, burger or choice of drink. Hotel guests get a 20% discount, so value for money is guaranteed. A slice of Italian paradise!
From left: Foie gras; BBQ lamb.
VALUE & VERDICT
Having only tried the Sunday brunch menu, Da Vinci is a great value-for-money for an all-you-can-eat Italian banquet. Whether you are with family or a large groups of friends, the restaurant serves as a great, relaxing place for a lazy Sunday, complete with friendly and welcoming staff. From a design viewpoint, we think the restaurant made the right move to open its doors to the pool. It is a treat to enjoy your meal with loved ones, complete with music in the background and a wonderful view that invites brunchers to dive in for a swim.
DA VINCI RISTORANTE ITALIANO
Italian Cuisine
12-11pm, Sunday brunch is 11.30am-3pm
Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok 19,
4th Floor, Sukhumvit 18
http://fb.com/davincibkk, http://rembrandtbkk.com
02-261-7100
