New chef, new menu, new flavours
by Miss Terry Diner
The La Gritta Italian Restaurant has been around for
some time, and like all very well established restaurants eventually loses
its position in the forefront of the dining public’s consciousness. A
certain ‘sameness’ sets in and the restaurant becomes forgotten. The
new management team at the Amari Orchid Resort were aware of this and has
turned the La Gritta upside down (as well as around) using the services of
a (relatively) young new executive chef, Rick Ney from California.
Parking is a breeze, either right outside or in the
Amari’s Henry J. Bean’s secure car park next door. The surroundings
are as before, the white stucco archways and alcoves, high standard table
settings, good quality glasses and attentive service personnel. It does
have the Italian ambience and I enjoy the candles on the tables, plus your
own pepper grinder. And of course there was the container with olive oil
and balsamic vinegar to go with the breads baked in La Gritta’s own
kitchens.
The menu is in Italian, with English explanations, and
is quite large, both physically and literally! It commences with a 3
course “tasting menu” covering a choice of starters, mains (such as a
stuffed chicken breast with prosciutto ham, ricotta cheese and
fig-balsamic sauce), and a dessert and coffee for 500 baht ++ (remember
this is an outlet of a hotel). There are 9 antipasti (B. 145-275)
including old standards as Parma ham and rock melon carpaccio, 2
minestrone style soups (B. 105-115) and 7 pasta and risotto items (B.
135-225).
4 pizzas (B. 165-180) with innovative toppings (such as
smoked salmon, sweet onion and anchovy) are next and then 9 fish and
crustaceans generally around B. 350, with the saut้ed lemon sole
with baked zucchini, tomato and citrus butter sounding very inviting. Next
up are 6 meat items (B. 240-430), including a saut้ed beef fillets
with pepper sauce flamb้ at the table (I love the ‘theatre’ of
it all). Finally there is a section called “Dolci” which has desserts,
cheese and the like but will also have some of the all-time favourites
from the original La Gritta menu.
There is also an extensive wine list with wines ranging
from B. 550 per bottle. We chose the Chateau de Loei Chenin Blanc
(eminently drinkable, try it) and followed that with a Bay View 1997 South
African Cabernet-Sauvignon, which was an excellent wine.
Chef Rick supplied us with a selection of his
favourites beginning with antipasti (including a cute one with fried quail
egg) and then his special pizza featuring caramelised pear, hickory smoked
bacon and gorgonzola. This was sensational! Different and mouth watering
with subtle flavours. Madame’s dish of the evening!
The next item was another Rick Ney ‘special’ - a
Red Snapper lasagne with a tomato/basil sauce, that was not at all heavy,
and then a roasted duck breast with steamed pizza bread with a balsamic
black pepper - cherry sauce. The next dish was my choice for the evening,
some very tender and juicy lamb chops with roasted eggplant-potato puree
and almond mint pesto. The potato just had that hint of spice which went
so well with the lamb. Bravo Rick!
Yes there were the Italian desserts, but as always,
Miss Terry had to decline, but Madame of the sweet tooth managed to pack
away a Venetian tiramisu with Amaretto liqueur!
Chef Rick Ney’s philosophy is apparently, “Keep it
simple, be innovative and let the natural flavours enhance themselves.”
There is no doubt in my mind that he has been very successful with this
concept as applied to the La Gritta menu. Madame is still talking about
the pizza with caramelised pear and hickory smoked bacon! The Dining Out
Team did enjoy our evening at La Gritta and if you had previously been a
regular, it is time to renew the acquaintance. There are enough of the
‘old favourites’ still on the menu if that is what you want, but I
would recommend you try some of chef Rick’s innovative items. Highly
recommended.
La Gritta Italian Restaurant, top end of Pattaya Beach Road and next to
Henry J. Bean’s Bar and Grill, telephone 038 428 161, email [email protected]
