• 
• 

Published on September 9, 2007

Rajdamri Road has a big secret - and it's easy to find: just opposite Central World right next to Narayana Phand.

Here the Arnoma Hotel Bangkok offers extremely fine food at extremely low prices, with an executive chef who enjoys using his experience and expertise in a spectrum of cuisines.

Award-winning chef Prachan Vong-uthaiphan, 39, has worked in a wide range of hotels and restaurants in Thailand and Malaysia - the Capitol Club, De Meglio Italian Restaurant, Brauhaus Bangkok, Samui Peninsula and now Arnoma.

In the hotel's Trattoria Felice, he's been re-working the menu, aimed at attracting diners to the charming Italian restaurant with decor recalling an ancient Roman villa.

Comfortable and low-key, Felice offers a pleasant dining experience, both for lunch and for dinner.

"Perhaps people don't know how low our prices are," says Prachan. For the "Special Lunch Pizzas and Pasta Promotion", for instance, every dish on the special menu is only Bt99. This promotion lasts until the end of October.

Every day, Felice has some promotion going, from a business set lunch for Bt299 to a "Happy Monday" set lunch ("come 2, pay 1"). In the evenings, a buffet dinner (Bt499) is on offer.

Order from the a la carte menu, and prices are still reasonable. Pizzas range from Bt150 to Bt200; pastas, from Bt150 up to Bt290, or you can design your own pasta (Bt150).

To enjoy Prachan's offerings to the fullest, however, try out his other a la carte dishes. He does a lovely "Cajun-style" seared salmon (Bt180), peppery, with a horseradish sauce for extra spice.

In the section of main dishes Prachan "unleashes" his culinary surprises. Check out the salmon steak (Bt350) with honey grain mustard, sauteed mushroom spinach and a Parmesan salad. He serves his rack of lamb (Bt490) with rosemary sauce, as well as pesto mashed potatoes that will make any spud-lover ask for seconds.

Among the favourites in this section is Prachan's chicken carbonara (Bt200). The chicken is marinated, then grilled, and, along with what he calls his "fettuccine cream", he adds a balsamic vinegar reduced with honey. Sauce-lovers will be extremely happy with this dish.

Arnoma has always been popular for its bakery goods, and Prachan continues the tradition, offering in Felice "simple" but memorable desserts. You'll love the hot-baked chocolate (Bt150) as well as his tiramisu (Bt100).

Wine, by the way, is Bt210 (house wine, by the glass); Bt260 for a glass of the wine of the month.

It's true that in terms of traffic, Arnoma is in the congested heart of the city.

On the other hand, it's entirely accessible by the BTS (Chidlom station).

And once you arrive, you're going to have a grand time dining on Prachan's palate-pleasing dishes.

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation