Italian cuisine is reputedly the most popular in the
world, so perhaps it should not have been a surprise that somebody would
open an Italian restaurant in the new The Avenue Center (Second Road on
right, just past Soi Yamato on the left).
The Avenue is fast becoming the culinary center, with Fatboy’s Diner
(reviewed last week), McDonalds, Starbucks and now Pizza Pizza (by Yanee)
located on the ground floor, next to Au Bon Pain and below Shenanigans.
Let’s get “by Yanee” explained first. The owner of the company, Sam Armenio,
an ex-pat Australian of Italian heritage, married a well known Thai movie
star called Yanee. The recipes come from Sam’s Italian forebears, but being
a family company, this is where “by Yanee” comes in. She has added some
uniquely Thai flavors and herbs, to give some dishes an extra little ‘zing’.
They also have a son called Frankie, and he ‘stars’ in the menu too. A
family company!
The restaurant is roughly semicircular, with all glass perimeter, where you
can sit and watch the world pass by. It is all clean, glass, chrome, black
seats and copper table tops. Along the back walls are the two wood-fired
pizza ovens and open kitchens. You can watch your food being prepared.
The menu includes all the Italian items you could want, plus many
variations. Antipasti range from B. 60, with most under B. 200. There are a
couple of soups (minestrone B. 90 and a lobster B. 120) and then a range of
seven salads (B. 140-240), using hydroponically grown lettuces.
23 pastas follow (most under B. 200) and 25 pizzas with regulars mainly B.
200-300 and the enormous super family size which feeds 10-15 hungry Italians
between B. 1000-2000. There are also single slices of the enormous pizzas
available, mainly B. 100-200.
Wines, beers and soft drinks available, including Prosecco, to wash it all
down.
We were guided by restaurant manager Scott Tanner, a very pleasant young
American-Thai, and with three of us at the table we managed to try something
from almost every section of the menu. The Calamari Fritti (B. 150) was
quickly fried in a very light batter leaving the squid soft, and was the
nicest calamari I have tasted. A great start.
We then tried two salads. The first was a truffle salad (B. 180) with very
fresh hydroponic greens with a warm gorgonzola truffle dressing drizzled
over the top. Sensational. The second was Frankie’s salad (B. 200), so named
because young Francesco wouldn’t eat his greens, so Yanee added Norwegian
salmon and her own spicy seafood dressing, resulting in a dish that is Thai
‘fusion’ and a great hit with Thai guests.
For pastas we tried the taglolini (B. 200), tossed with porcini mushrooms
and parmesan in a cream butter sauce, which was very nice, but the ravioli
truffle (B. 220) with the ravioli stuffed with white wine, truffle and fresh
ricotta and swamped with a hot white and black truffle and parmesan cream
sauce was as Scott described “oral orgasm”.
Finally we sampled Yanee’s vegetarian lover pizza (one huge slice at B. 165)
and the thin and crispy based pizza was universally popular.
We all enjoyed the food at Pizza Pizza. It was definitely of ‘fine dining’
standard, and the ravioli truffle was just superb. Little touches such as
roasting the vegetables in the wood oven before being used in Yanee’s
vegetarian lover pizza, just adds to the flavor - and enjoyment.
If you think Italian food is thick and greasy pizzas, heavy handed garlic
and swimming in olive oil, then don’t go to Pizza Pizza. If however, you
enjoy light, tasty high quality food, thin and crispy based pizzas and
ultimate freshness in ingredients, then Pizza Pizza is where you want to go.
We have no hesitation in recommending Pizza Pizza by Yanee. In fact, make
that Highly Recommended!
Pizza Pizza (by Yanee), The Avenue, Second Road 399/9, telephone 038 723
928-29. Parking within the complex, but beware of the outside parking areas
as you will only get one hour free (with a stamp from the restaurant), it is
better to drive up to the secure multi-storey covered car park behind Villa
Market.
Coconut chicken
This is another way to present chicken starters for your
guests. Select chicken breast or chicken thigh fillet, skinless. The
marinade is important and best done in Ziploc bags inside the refrigerator.
Cooking Method:
Chop the chicken fillets into large, bite-sized pieces. Combine lime
juice, salt, curry powder and ginger in a small bowl. Add chicken pieces,
then place in Ziploc and refrigerate for at least two hours. To prepare
coconut coating and beer batter, lightly toast coconut on cookie sheet at
375 degrees for three to five minutes. Set aside. In another bowl, mix beer,
flour, white pepper, sugar and paprika to make the batter.
Now heat oil in heavy pan or deep-fryer. Dip chicken pieces in batter and
fry until pale brown in color. Remove quickly (do not overcook) and roll
immediately in toasted coconut. Serve with skewers or fondue forks and any
dipping sauce of your choice as an appetizer.
Ingredients Serves 6
Chicken fillets
400 gm
Lime juice
¼ cup
Salt
½ tspn
Malaysian curry powder
1 tspn
Ginger
½ tspn
Grated coconut
2 cups
Beer
330 ml (1 tin)
Flour
3 cups
White pepper
½ tspn
Sugar
1 tbspn
Paprika
2 tbspns
Oil
2 cups
Skewers or fondue forks
