It has become a regular feature of the culinary year at Bruno’s Restaurant, that
owner Fredi Schaub invites a top European chef to come and work in his kitchen
for one month. A couple of years go Fredi brought over Peter Marty, a Swiss chef
with three star Michelin restaurants to his credit and who had worked previously
at the famous Fredy Girardet restaurant in Switzerland; however, these days
Peter Marty works full time as a freelance visiting chef working in restaurants
all over Europe, Russia and the USA.
Peter
Marty
Peter’s food had been the most popular from all the visiting chefs that have
been invited to Bruno’s over the past four years, so Fredi decided to ask him to
come back, and he is here for all of August.
The Dining Out team was very lucky to be able to sample this year’s menu before
the ‘official’ start of Peter’s month, and the wide range of the dishes will
certainly delight the discriminating palate. Incidentally, the finalization of
the menu for August took six weeks of emails back and forth, but it is certainly
a good one.
Peter Marty is a most inventive chef who aims to produce light dishes which
incorporate several flavors, all of which can be tasted, adding to the mystique
of the item. Even the ubiquitous foie gras is handled differently described as
goose liver ‘Torchon’ with sour cherries and pistachio oil. Or try the egg
surprise in a martini glass, with the four layers from the bottom being a clear
tomato jelly, cauliflower puree, crab meat and poached egg sitting in foam. A
visual surprise as well!
In the hot appetizers there are many choices, but the artichoke ravioli with
green and white asparagus and parmesan essence sounds wonderful. Even in the
soups, Peter Marty does let his creative nature come through with, for example,
a parsley cream soup with pine nuts-ricotta cheese dumplings or a capsicum cream
with pink pepper and ginger.
The main courses show a similar approach to modern cuisine with such items as
duckling breast glazed with honey served with onion parcels, vegetables,
potatoes and herb jus and other chicken, veal and lamb creations. Fish is not
neglected either with John Dory, salmon, lemon sole, snow fish and lobster.
I mentioned the egg surprise being a visual treat, but eating it was a taste and
texture sensation. Taken with a spoon, you can dive down through the four layers
to enjoy each one individually or combine them. The crab meat was plentiful and
a wonderful flavor. Peter told me afterwards that this style of dish is very
popular in Europe.
Madame had the vegetable tart and shrimp cakes served with herb sour cream and
again this was another meld of tastes and received very high marks from her.
For our mains, I had the Australian Angus beef tenderloin wrapped with Italian
bacon and bay leaves, olives and red potatoes. Supremely tender beef and the
strong flavor of the very thinly sliced Italian bacon adding to the enjoyment.
Madame’s dish was a pan-fried salmon served over cassoulettes of carrots, peas,
mint, ginger and potatoes in chicken jus and carrot foam. This had a much more
delicate flavor and should be eaten with the cassoulettes to get the full impact
of the ginger and mint. Again another Peter Marty palate pleaser.
We finished the evening with a chocolate tartlet flavored with passion fruit and
coconut, for those chocaholics needing a top-up, whilst I had a very interesting
variation of Crème Brulee with apricots and flavored with lemongrass. This was
another dish to savor and just let the flavors run over the taste buds.
You will certainly see (and taste) why Fredi has brought Peter Marty back to
Bruno’s. His light approach to his cuisine makes for an evening meal that does
not weigh you down. This is superb food. Highest recommendation possible. Do go,
you will not be disappointed, but I do suggest you book.
Bruno’s restaurant, 306/63 Chateau Dale Plaza, Thappraya Road, Pattaya, tel, 038
364 600, fax 038 364 602, email [email protected], www.brunos-pattaya.com.
Open seven days, lunch noon until 2.30 p.m. and dinner 6 p.m. till late. Secure
parking outside.
