Wine lovers in Chiang Mai, where there's a limited choice on restaurant wine lists, should try Farang Ses French restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi.

Stocking more than 300 of the world's best labels and celebrated champagnes, the restaurant has been selected by "Wine Spectator Dining Guide 2006" as the best restaurant for wine lovers, with two special awards: The New Winners and Upgrades Awards 2006 and the Award of Excellence 2006.

The 2006 Dining Guide lists almost 4,000 restaurants around the world, and 14 of those are in Thailand. Farang Ses was the only restaurant in Chiang Mai to make the list.

The restaurant is in a magnificent Lanna-style building overlooking paddy fields.

It serves some of the finest traditional French dishes in Thailand with a light touch that avoids the rich butter sauces often associated with the cuisine.

Call (053) 888 888, extension 8549.

It's snowfish

time in Pattaya

It might not be snowing in Thailand, but equally as exciting is what's on the menu at Pattaya's newly opened Mantra Restaurant and Bar. This month, the chef is giving diners the chance to discover the delicious snowfish. It's a melt-in-the-mouth experience, with steamed snowfish fillet in soy sauce, laid on sautéed Hong Kong kale and scallions.

Call (038) 429 591.

Bursting buffet

Landmark Bangkok offers a different theme to their buffet each day of the week.

For Bt1,100 per person, you can enjoy a plethora of prawn dishes on Sunday, crayfish prepared in all kinds of delicious ways on Monday, steak variations on Tuesday, curries of the world on Wednesday, piles of ribs on Thursday, blue crab on Friday or chocolate on Saturday.

There's a 50-per-cent discount for a group of four.

Call (02) 254 0404, extension 4288.

Italian flavours

with Felice's flair

From this month on, executive sous chef Prachan Wongutaiphan of Trattoria Felice Restaurant at Arnoma Hotel Bangkok offers the best in creative Italian cooking.

On the menu, there's golden calamari with smoked tomato dip, smoked salmon, Italian tuna salad with red-wine vinaigrette, tomato cream soup with croutons, spaghetti anchovy with crispy lettuce, rack of lamb with rosemary sauce, snow fish with white wine and lemongrass sauce and more.

For dessert, you can choose from Italian classics like tiramisu, served with mocha ice cream or pistachio ice cream with hot chocolate.

There is a buffet lunch and a set menu for dinner everyday.

Call (02) 255 3444, extension 7511.

Love at first

strawberry bite

The Cream & Fudge Factory are welcoming the winter with "Strawberry Shortcake", a concoction of vanilla ice cream with fluffy sponge cake and strawberries, topped off with caramel sauce.

The shortcake is available until the end of November at The Cream & Fudge Factory at Siam Paragon, Seacon Square, Future Park Rangsit, Market Village, Suvarnabhumi International Airport (concourses B and F) and the Sailon Pavilion at Hua Hin.

Compiled by Juthamas Cholthavornpong

The editor can be contacted at focusfood@nationgroup.com.