CIAO Terrazza, A Classic Italian on The Riverside Legend

Located at the riverside terrace of the luxury five-star hotel Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, a classic Italian restaurant Ciao Terrazza is offering an al-fresco dining experience, accompanied by the breathtaking view of the majestic Chao Phraya river in a quietly serene, sophisticated atmosphere. Today, The Great Gastro: Ultimate Dining Experience is inviting you to embark on a journey through the living legend Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Ciao Terrazza has recently opened once again this year at the beginning of October as a warm welcome in the cold season of Thailand. The modern dining tables are stylishly set against the backdrop of the hotel’s original Authors’ Wing building, suitable for casual dining in a tranquil ambience. Guests will experience the rustic Italian recipes that are meticulously cooked by the hotel’s culinary team as the setting sun paints a cloudy sky red until a spectacular lighting brings the city to life at night.

This year, Ciao Terrazza is bringing a new Italian chef, Danilo Aiassa, who has a lot of experience and talent in Italian cuisine, especially in Neapolitan cuisine. His focus is exclusively on the combination of the Italian taste throughout the region with his signature Neapolitan cooking techniques using only the finest ingredients from the origin.

With over 10 years of experience working at top Italian restaurants in Bangkok, Chef Danilo Aiassa is quite popular among Bangkokians who fall in love with succulent deliciousness of Italian food. He started his career in Bangkok at Biscotti Restaurant before launching his own outlet called L’ulivo in 2011. He later became an important part of the Roman-style restaurant with a rustic Italian touch, Appia. Currently, he is returning to the hospitality industry as the chef de cuisine who is responsible for creating authentic Italian flavors for Ciao Terrazza at one of the best luxury hotel brands in the world with a profound history for more than 140 years, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Today, Great Gastro has got a great opportunity to sneak a peek at some of the Chef Danilo Aiassa’s creations at Ciao Terrazza.

Lingua di vitello in salsa verde con piccolo insalata

Sliced veal tongue with parsley deep and young salad

Tickle your taste buds with a taste of the veal tongue sliced thin and round. These unusual cuts of meat offer a strong, yet delicate tasting with an unbelievably tender texture and a noticeable smell. The beautiful dish is then poured with the Italian green sauce, salsa verde which consists of aromatic herbs like parsley, mint, and thyme, giving a little salty and sour to the menu. Meanwhile, the fresh salad greens are significantly boosting a complex flavor of the menu, together with tomatoes, olives, and olive oil. This starter is a highly recommended menu to arouse your appetite while enjoying the beautiful colors of twilight and sunset.

Focaccia al tartufo e mascarpone

Focaccia filled with mascarpone cheese and truffles

Guide your palate through the taste of focaccia, an Italian flatbread with a similar touch to pizza. With a traditional Italian method of cooking food, Chef Danilo Aiassa starts the process by hand kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough, then, is being oven-baked and filled with a mixture of a buttery mascarpone cheese from Lombardy and premium truffles to add unique and attractive scents to its nice crust. Before served, the chef will bake the dough once again until the crust turns golden-brown and the cheese is completely melted. Pile your favorite seasoning on and give your taste buds a kick.

Ravioli fasciti di ricotta e spinaci conditi con pomodoro picante

Hommade ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and spinach with tomatoes spicy

At Ciao Terrazza, there is nothing like fresh handmade pasta. Chef Danilo Aiassa has made his own pasta dough for ravioli from a scratch. His smooth and velvety dough is fully packed with ricotta cheese, the most frequently used cheese in Italian food made from cow’s milk which offers a small bit of sweetness with a creamy white texture; and the garden-fresh spinach which helps strengthening the mild essence of the cheese. After that, the spicy tomato sauce is used to maximize flavor and jazz up your meal.

Carre d’Agnello al forno in crosta di rosmarino con tortino de melanzane, asparagi Verdi avvolti nella pancetta, polenta croccante

Lamb rack in rosemary crust with eggplant pudding, crispy polenta and asparagus wrapped in pancetta ham

Next is the area for main course. Tender cuts of lamb are served up in impressive racks that come delicate with beautiful fat marbling. The racks are coated with herb mixture which includes rosemary crust to enhance the aromatic scent of the herb, while eliminating the slightly gamey flavor of the lamb. Once the meaty parts of lamb hit a scorching hot pan, they release even more appealing color and pleasing aroma making it hard to resist. The dish is served with an appetizing sauce to keep it moist and juicy, complemented with eggplant pudding that fits well with fresh tomatoes; crispy polenta that is made from coarsely ground cornmeal, usually served with meat dish; and asparagus wrapped in pancetta ham that highlights the distinctive savory taste of the main ingredient.

Prospino al Limoncello

Lemon sorbet with limoncello layered with almond cake

Don’t forget to save some rooms for the restaurant’s special treat. Flavored with sweet and tangy lemons, this refreshing frozen delicacy arrived with an Italian lemon liqueur limoncello known to be an excellent digestive drink, layered with the dense almond cake. The contrast between zesty and sweet goes amazingly well together, making it a perfect summertime treat to cleanse your palate after the wonderful dinner on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

This 2016, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is celebrating its 140^th anniversary of establishment. It is such a good opportunity for guests to appreciate the beauty of the hotel’s heritage where memories swaying in every corner of the hotel. At the restaurant’s riverside terrace when night begins to shine, guests can also enjoy a wide selection of cocktails that reflect the unique style of Italian cuisine such as CIAO Spritz, the menu that is adapted from the original Aperal Spritz; or the classic Expresso Martini and CIAO Negroni, each comes with their unique bouquets and mouthfeels.

Surrounded by the picturesque scenery of the Chao Phraya river and the beautiful architecture of the Authors’ Wing building, diners will enjoy a lively atmosphere filled with melodies of happiness, while savoring delicious specialties from Chef Danilo Aiassa. Only at CIAO Terrazza, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

CIAO Terrazza

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Daily from 18:00 – 22:30 hrs.

Dress Code

Ladies : an elegant attire and proper footwear

Gentlemen : a smart shirt, long trousers and closed shoes

*Dress Code apply to children also*