One of the charms of an Italian-style Sunday brunch, is having someone pass around the food. Of course there are lots of friends on hand, toasting with glasses of sparkling Prosecco and chattering on until feasted to the brim.

"It's a cultural thing in Italy," says Nicola Coccia, the new chef de cuisine at Angelini Italian Restaurant and Bar at Bangkok's Shangri-La Hotel.

"When you sit down for an Italian-style Sunday brunch, there's always someone passing around the food, and you just sit there and enjoy the feast."

Angelini recently launched a new Sunday brunch concept to incorporate this. There are the long tables of infinitely varied dishes on both floors, but the main courses are also passed around.

And the imagination's willingness to believe it's in Italy isn't hurt by the sunny atmosphere at Angelini.

"Italians usually gather in big groups for brunch, and we usually have lots of food for special occasions," says Coccia, "but we hardly move around at all because there's always someone serving, bringing plates to the table that we pass around."

Given the fact that Angelini was voted best Italian restaurant in town for eight years in a row up to 2005 by readers of Bangkok Dining & Entertainment magazine and in 1995 one of the top 10 hotel restaurants in the world by US-based Hotels magazine, it has a lot to offer for Sunday brunch.

Oysters imported from the US, Japan and France start the banquet with various dressings, followed by Italian starters like sliced Parma ham, culatella and shoulder ham coppa, served with fresh slices of cantaloupe and figs.

"We only use top-quality products, which might not be found in other buffets," Coccia says. "The fresh oysters, foie gras and beef are carefully selected from trusted places. We use Australian beef and, of course, our foie gras is flown in directly from France."

Though just 25, Coccia has worked in some of the world's best restaurants, including the Michelin double-star Il Lago in Italy, the Artigiano in London and the Walliserkanne and the Grand Hotel National in Switzerland. In Thailand he's worked at La Regatta at Le Royal Meridien Phuket Yacht Club.

Variety being crucial to a great buffet, he changes the choices regularly. His steaming-hot fresh "pasta dim sum" corner has tortellini, ravioli and cannelloni with tomato, Bolognese and Carbonara sauces and four cheese dips.

The main courses he passes around each week range from a delicious, morsel-packed clam chowder that goes great with the restaurant's freshly baked bread to roasted snowfish in creamy thyme and fennel sauce and grilled tiger prawns with citrus dressing.

Coccia recommends taking your time at brunch.

"Start off with the seafood appetisers," he suggests. "Then walk along to the cold cuts and downstairs to the salad bar and pasta dim sum.

"Then you can choose from our warm dishes, like the rock-salt-crusted prime rib served with aromatic creamy garlic mashed potato and red wine sauce. Or for those who are more into fish, try our rolled stuffed monkfish with sun-dried tomatoes with lemon and caper jus."

Passed-around dishes include crab cakes, cups of beef-filled lasagne, roast beef tenderloin with eggplant and breaded lamb fillet with grain mustard. If you like the soup as much as I did, you can order three cups at a time!

Angelini's Sunday feast is not all about food, though.

The bar has all kinds of wines, including sparkling vintages from Italy and Australia, as well as vodka, gin and tequila. Among non-alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, fruit juice and health drinks flow freely.

Families with children might want to choose tables on the ground floor for better access to the hotel's Kid's Club. Youngsters can trot over there and leave their parents to enjoy their Italian feast and the live music.

Angelini's Sunday brunch is served from 11.30am to 2.30pm. The price is Bt2,250++ for adults and Bt1,300++ for children. For reservations, call (02) 236 7777.

The writer can be contacted at saleewong@yahoo.com.

Sirin P Wongpanit

The Nation