5 Star Brilliance

Five Star Brilliance.

FATTIES

“Sheraton Grande, Italian, 7pm?” Those words were chilling to my ears. Another 5 star escapade. I couldn’t handle it. How could I go back to another Italian restaurant

 in a 5 star hotel. People will start thinking I only visit places I know are bad so I can make fun of them. I mean it's like when you’re a kid and you get hit for doing something wrong, only a monkey will keeping doing the same thing to get hit again and again.

So naturally I said, “SURE! I'll be there”

In Bangkok recently; where you eat has become more prestigious than what you eat. People say I had dinner at ‘Hyatt, 4 Seasons and St Regis.’ You could be serving donkey ass with poop still inside (most of the time I wish they did instead of the rubbish they put on the plate). Yet people love it!! Places are packed with punters having a blast eating rubbish. People are tagging, hash tagging, instagramming, checking in and out at these places like no tomorrow. THIS HAS TO STOP! 
You are encouraging a bad habit. What we are doing in essence is saying , ‘Hey charge us however much you want, make us mediocre food and we will still eat because you’re in a great establishment’.  NO ONE WILL IMPROVE! It’s like encouraging kids to watch porn, not go to school and eat chocolate all day (day in the life of a food blogger). BAD very BAD.

So could Sheraton prove me wrong? Could they still have pride in what they put on the plate? Is this the place that will have all the 5 star food as majestic and beautiful as the hotel it's in. 

Let's see.

Upon sitting down I glanced at the menu. I was incredibly sceptical. Like a lion stalking his prey, I was ready to tear this place to shreds. But then, something happened. Alfredo Russo happened (wonderful Italian Chef). Looking at the menu I realised that the dishes here are signatures of Alfredos (yes we're on a first name basis now) underneath the dishes were dolcestilnovo, giving credit to this great Italian establishment. Not many people do this anymore. 
Marco Pierre White used to do it at Harvey's in London. He would write the names of the Chefs that inspired him for a particular dish underneath the dishes name. If memory serves me correct, it was Pierre Koffmann’s pig trotter dish that he put “pig trotter made by Koffmann or something along those lines.

So 10 points so far.

We ordered a round of appetisers to share. Now I’m all for world peace and curing world hunger, however sharing food is not on my list of things to do. I’m an eater. I eat A LOT. I’m never full, always hungry and always the person to go ‘no one wants the last piece? OH, I'll have it!’. 

Amuse-bush or cured ham, Sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, a fresh ball of mozzarella and a dash of olive oil. 

This is Italy on a plate. Eating all of this at once, you can remember your favorite pizza, your first bolognese sauce, basically the first time you entered an Italian restaurant. Perfect start to the meal. Whilst eating every component I found a refined freshness. Simple and clean flavorous. High end ingredients done with finess. I was excited. 

Look at this! Top quality ham and salami with melons and pickled vegetables. This dish though is not really the mark of a chef. More the mark of a cute sales lady who knew how to sell her products. But none of this was the cheap stuff. The fat from the ham was still on my fingers (for those of you who are idiots and think eating with you hands is barbaric, Ferran Adria eats his ham with his fingers, then with the fat still on his finger tips he dabs his finger tips on his lips, waits a few seconds then licks his lips. The true taste of Iberico or any top end ham is when you taste the fat at body temperature according to the master. SO HAH!!!)  

Ravioli stuffed with Duck Confit in cream sauce. 

Now, after my recent experience with pasta in a 5 start Italian restaurant I was asking for trouble ordering this. Ravilois have to be made in house. There is no other way to enjoy them. Possibly one of the most diffuclt arts to master is to get the pasta thin enough to hold the filling. Too thick and all you taste is pasta or too thin the filling comes flying out. "They are little silk pouches holding bundles of flavours", our chefs in cooking school used to tell us. This I dare say, is a perfect example of a perfect ravioli.  If you're an aspiring cook, chef, maid or work at Spasso Bangkok. Come here and eat this! PLEASE! You will understand the importance of fresh pasta and properly seasoned filling. 

This was for the beautiful lady to my left. Known only as the 'cookie monster' for her uncontrolable urges to consumes massive amounts of cookies and sweets, with a mild case of dessert tourettes (when she just feels like will shout out things like 'OH Chocolate! or' Berries I love berries'). Not really the ideal dinner date but food bloggers can't be choosy. This was a fish on a bed of cream potatos garnished with olives. The fish was cooked very well. Everything came together and well, just lacked a little bit of salt. Great textures and combination of flavours. But hey! compared to other palces this was a 1000% improvement. 

This was for the old man (a young youthful individual that lost his way in the world of business and exercise, gave up drinking. And is now miserable). The dish looks beautiful, very vibrant and rich. Flavours were all there. Could use a little more on the garnish side (with seafood main courses, you need to pack in some more carbs or something filling as the seafood is usually every light). 

 Rost pork with sauté mushrooms and mashed potato.

 WOW! The pork was juicy and scrumptious. The skin is beautifully crisp and roasted to perfection. The mushrooms were nice and earthy. They complimented the rather one dimensional flavour of the pork. Mushrooms done right is great with pork. Gives you an earthy and rich flavour. The mash was interesting, usually puree de pommes

is creamy, fatty and buttery. That's how the French do it, and well they are always right. This pommes puree however just showcased the potato. A refershing change. Thicker and more starchy but rather delicious.

What an experience. This place has renewed my faith in 5 star hotels and their eateries. Sad thing is it was pretty quiet. Maybe they need to add some hookers in their lounge area? I don't know. 

I strongly recommend you to have a go. Their pastas look the part and taste even better. Some of the dishes do lack some salt, but hey ask for some and sprinkle it your self. If MK can be an awesome cooking experience so can seasoning some fish in a 5 Star Restaurant.