This special occasion brought us to Concerto Italian Restaurant, at the Niu's Jazz Club on Silom as I was excited about bringing my parents, who were staying at the Shangri-la hotel, during their 4 day stopover in Bangkok. My dad was a musician in the 50's in New York, the jazz mecca of the world, and an avid fan, even if his heart was with the music of his favorite singers during his boyhood years. My mother, who as early as I can remember, always seemed to be in the kitchen, an example of Piedmontese who love and know their food and wine. We always took our time over meals, spending hours with family and friends, around the dining table with wine always a part of the meal and that was just what I had planned for tonight.

We arrived about 7PM to enjoy a drink in the terrace area so my dad could get the last puffs of his cigar before going inside but after about an hour our appetites forced us to move inside. Unaware this was a lot more than a bar and restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a fantastic lounge with leather chairs on the mezzanine level where guests enjoy an evening of jazz. A winding stairway extending above a pool of Japanese Koi leads to the restaurant of heavy starched linen and high-end cutlery along with its own piano player and bass guitarist entertaining guests. With that being said, eventhough the ambiance oozed of quality in this upscale venue, there was a seemingly casual atmosphere that made guests feel very comfortable.

When dining with my parents, it was expected that we would drink the type of wine they have been drinking for years as my father and mother both are from the most north-eastern province of Italy and believe it produces the best wine in the world. I certainly wouldn't argue as the wine from this region is considered some of the best quality in the country, with many highly prized wines produced from their distinguished grape, the Nebbiolo. So, from a selection of about 20 Piedmont reds, my dad ordered a bottle of Barbera D' Alba 2004 which had a slight ruby red yet maroon color. It was a dry still, full-bodied wine while quite sapid to the taste. The aroma was that of sour cherries and even if it wasn't the perfect match for every dish, it was certainly a very nice wine. The wine list is extensive, with more than 300 quality varietals, it is one of the best wine lists I have seen in a restaurant (be it free-standing or in a hotel) in Bangkok.

Along with deciding what we would enjoy for dinner, it was also a pleasure to see that my parents were really enjoying the live music. The menu was pleasantly straight-forward with dishes based on the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients rather than numerous pages of the old boring selections often found in so many restaurants. From the list of soup, my dad couldn't resist the Vegetable Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto. He said it was delicious and it reminded him of the Minestrone he ate at his grandmothers house in Sicily. My mother and I chose to forgo the soup as we each selected an appetizer.

While I decided on the Seared Sea Scallops with Eggplant (Aubergine) Caponata, my mother chose the Vegetable & Goat Cheese Terrine with Tomato Honey. After I tried one of my scallops, I told my dad that he must also try one, and although they are not his favorite dish, he admitted, it was fantastic. The Caponata is a classic Sicilian eggplant dish, with its savoury blend of eggplants, tomatoes, balanced with green olives, capers, celery, sugar and vinegar for its characteristic sweet and sour taste with a balsamic reduction, I ate every morsel. My mom was still trying to disect her terrine to figure out each ingredient as she said "this is carrot, this is pumpkin, this is beetroot, and this a very good goat cheese" but she definitely appeared to be enjoying every bite. I tasted her terrine and I got a good taste of the cheese and a piece of carrot. I mentioned that the carrot tasted especially sweet and she told me that was a sign of a good Italian chef in the kitchen as she also learned very young to cook the carrot with sugar as well as salt.

The evening moved along and we ordered a second bottle of wine just as our main courses arrived.

My parents were not really big eaters and chose to share an order of pasta, selecting the Spaghetti with Tiger Prawns, Mushroom, Garlic, and Chilli while I selected the Australian Rack of Lamb. They were both more than satisfied with the fresh plump prawns in a dish of perfectly al dente spaghetti with slices of mushroom and a touch of garlic and chilli. My mother tasted my selection of slow-roasted lamb and gave me the thumbs up as it was deliciously tender and cooked to perfection. The Asparagus Flan that accompanied my lamb was delicious, and although I've never been a fan of asparagus, the flan was absolutely delicious.

While my father was not much on dessert, there was no restraint on the part of my mom and I, she chose the Tiramisu and I ordered the Mango Cheesecake. Her tiramisu came in a champagne glass and was an example of how traditional tiramisu should taste. It also had strawberries & coffee gelatine on the side. The mango cheesecake was superb, it had fresh mangos on top of the perfectly creamy cheesecake and a scoop of sorbet on the side.

Everything at Concerto is homemade and the talents of the Executive Chef, Marco Cammarata (click on: our Chef) and his culinary team shine through as the use of fresh ingredients and rich herbs and spices ensures the food smells delectable and the clean bold tastes of classic italian cooking are represented in every dish.

I knew my dad was excited about going downstairs to take in some of the jazz being performed by a vocalist from the states with a backup band of jazz musicians. We sat downstairs for at least an hour, just relaxing and enjoying an after dinner cocktail. It was a lot of fun and a great finale to a lovely evening. Great jazz by local and International artist, food that's out of this world, and a vast selection of superb wine - doesn't that say it all?. We had a great time and it will leave some wonderful memories.

I'm usually not a fan of glowing reviews but Concerto Italian Restaurant operates on a very professional level, therefore, it's very hard to find fault.



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