Sensational secrets

In one short year, Giusto has refurbished itself, upgraded its already substantial wine list, opened a wine bar and expanded into supermarkets and malls around town.

"You can't stand still," says partner/chef Fabio Colautti, pointing to his Grill by Giusto in Mah Boonkrong (Fifth Avenue), Siam Paragon and the Food Lofts of Central World and Central Chidlom.

With its ultra-modern design, Glass, the Giusto wine bar, offers wine dinners, wine tastings and a comfortable venue for passing the time between traffic jams with a glass of wine in your hand.

The refurbishments in Giusto retain the restaurant's elegant, relaxed charm, where you can enjoy Colautti's fine culinary offerings in style.

You should come by soon. Starting today, he's introducing his new menu. He's keeping diners' favourites, of course, but he's added dishes that anyone who appreciates fine cuisine is sure to enjoy.

His crabmeat and avocado salad (Bt450) also has capsicum and an extraordinary balsamic dressing. I'd guess another ingredient is thyme, but Colautti won't confirm. His recipe is secret, and he's keeping it close to his bosom.

Another new dish is his home-made tortelli (Bt370), tiny "pasta packages" filled with bleu cheese, topped with shavings of Parmesan and served with a thyme butter sauce. This is a perfect dish to mop up the sauce with some of Colautti's fine home-made bread.

All the beef at Giusto is imported, but depending on availability, the origin might shift from Argentinean to Australian. Right now, it's from Argentina, very tender beef that you can have grilled, roasted or baked. Another choice is to try out the beef filet (Bt980), served with truffle mashed potatoes and porcini mushrooms, and a red wine sauce that brings everything together.

Do leave room for sweets. Colautti,

 whose tiramisu is lovely, offers other desserts, such as his creme brulee trio (Bt300), in an attractive arrangement of cappuccino cups.

The Giusto wine cellar now stocks wines from around the world, and the list of wines available by the glass has been expanded. Now available are five white wines from Bt280 to Bt440, and eight reds, from Bt320 to Bt680. Also available by the glass are sweet and sparkling wines, as well as champagne.

Even better news is that despite the addition of the wine bar, Giusto still has its carpark in front of the restaurant.

Now you have every reason to drop by Giusto, even to while away the time waiting for the traffic congestion to de-congest.

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation