Master chef Nicola, who hails from the region, is whipping up some of his home specialities including fried eggs and white truffle cream and braised beef with Barolo wine, polenta and Piemonte cheese.

The Gastronomic Pleasures of Piedmont promotion runs through the end of the month.

Call (02) 236 7777, extension 6205.

Smooth sensations

True coffee introduces its latest bottled juice produced from 100 per cent natural fruit juice.

The new "True Smoothie" has no artificial sweeteners, colours or preservatives added, so customers can rest assured that they're drinking nothing but nature's purest that is rich in vitamins and nutrients.

The products come in four flavours - strawberry, blueberry, strawberry banana, and passion fruit with pineapple.

The 250ml bottle is priced at Bt65 and is available at True Coffee.

Cuisine Creole

Experience an exciting blend of Indian, Chinese and African culinary diversities, as Mauritian and Creole specialities come under the spotlight at the Pan Pacific Hotel's Heights Cafe.

Executive chef Patrice Dumont offers a sumptuous menu that includes the spicy cauliflower and seabass Vindaye, crab salad from Agalega with eggplant and tomato, Halim soup with lamb and lentils, jackfruit curry, and a wide range of desserts like floating island with guava jelly and a la minute flambé banana.

The delicacies are available buffet-style for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday until July 31. Lunch costs Bt610 and dinner is priced at Bt690.

Call (02) 632 9000, extension 4343.

Middle East marvels

Guest Chef Ahmed Hassan Bagy Youssef, from the JW Marriott Cairo, is showcasing his culinary flair with such delicious dishes as chicken and lamb shwarma, ground beef and crushed wheat with yoghurt, pine nuts and minced lamb, meat and cheese sambusak, mezze, hummus, babaganouj, tehina, fattoush and much more.

The Middle East food promotion at the JW Marriott Bangkok runs through September 30, is available daily for dinner and costs Bt1,090.

Call (02) 656 7700, extension 4200.

Hot stuff!

Fire up the tastebuds with spicy Sichuan food at Shanghai 38. Master chef Sam Lin Yu prepares a myriad of dishes unique to this province including a distinctive poached fresh fish cooked in a pungent sauce and sautéed prawns with a fiery chilli and garlic gravy.

Get into the mood for a feast with Chinese art deco and the sounds of contemporary music performed by Yao Lin. The Sichuan promotion runs until the end of July.

Call (02) 238 1991, extension 1362.

Special gifts for readers

The Nation is giving away 20 GFA Privilege cards valid through the end of next year that will save you 10 per cent off purchases from Coffee World, the Cream and Fudge Factory, Pizza Corner and New York Deli.

Also available are discount coupons worth a total of Bt400.

Simply call (02) 231 6158-9 today between 9am and 6pm. The first 20 callers will receive a GFA Privilege card. We'll publish the names of winners in next week's column.

The editor can be contacted at focusfood@

nationgroup.com