A Taste of Spring: Chef Paolo’s Garden

Shangri-La Chiang Mai Executive Chef Paolo had the task of closing out Italian Culinary Festival. Chef Paolo’s Garden following in the steps of the Michelin star chefs left everyone in attendance licking their plates. Shangri-La Chiang Mai should be very proud of their executive chef, as he not only held his own against gastronomical giants but has found his own way, in a highly critical and unforgiving industry. If you are a Chiang Mai expat or local foodie, you need to do yourself and your taste buds a favor and give Chef Paolo Pelosi a chance.

Amuse Bouche

For the amuse bouche we were served several dishes all at once and all with own unique flavors and plating. The parsley sponge with a dab of tuna sauce was plated on top of a rock which made it visually amusing and a conversation starter. The tuna sauce was marvelous and hit my taste buds in all the right places.

The second amuse bouche, the pasta with a puttanesca sauce made from capers, anchovies, olive, topped with tuna and a slice of pickled onion. This one was served on a fried plate. This was my first-time having puttanesca and hopefully not the last, the sauce went well with tuna, and the pickled onion added contrast flavors that complimented to the dish flawlessly.

Foam with codfish lemon zest served in a cocktail glass. Before I could even grab my spoon, everyone at the table had finished their servings. One spoonful and I followed quickly in cleaning up my glass.

The last amuse bouche that I got to try was Corn with a corn puree and amaranth, popped to resemble popcorn — quite a fantastic line up to start the dinner.

White asparagus, Perigord black truffle, ham, Chiang Rai organic egg

Scallop, purple and sweet artichoke, pistachio

Seared scallop with a roasted purple artichoke laid over pistachio powder. The sweet artichoke is introduced on this plate as a crisp. While the foam made from scallop and lemon juice encompasses the seared mollusk. Every bite was marvelous.

Ravioli, brown crab, foie gras, green pea, thyme

Ravioli stuffed with crab meat and ricotta cheese, set on top a green pea puree. To add refreshing accents to this recipe, fresh green pea, thyme and a bit of lemon zest were also added. In turn, truly made it felt like a spring-inspired plate.

Wild seabass, almond, broad beans, green asparagus, mint

When explaining this dish, Chef Paolo shared a bit of his childhood in Italy. He explained that during spring he and his family would pick green beans fresh and eat it with a bit olive oil, so this part of the dish reminds him of spring. He went on to explain that seabass that is imported is also a seasonal item. Available only in spring. This dish was fresh, vibrant, savory, and I think it was one of the dishes that fit him spring theme the best.

Black Angus Ribeye, organic rocket & radish variation

The black Angus beef was roasted, served with a rocket and radish sauce along with red wine sauce and pickled radish. The radish sauce was a bit spicy with reminiscent of the characters of wasabi but more subtle. The final meal was a straightforward dish, simple in manner but that doesn’t take away from the taste at all. Lately, I had been eating quite a lot of red meat, all good but nothing that excited me.

Fast forward to Chef Paolo’s offering of striploin. It was probably one the most perfectly seasoned beef; I’ve had in a while. I have often ended up with steaks that need a bit more pepper or a bit more salt. This was not the case at Shangri-La, for me, this quite possibly the best steak I’ve had in a long time.

Rasberry mille-feuilles, vanilla ice cream    

The ice cream was made in house by the chef, and the raspberries were imported. I do not have much to say about this dish, it looks delicious, and it tastes better than it looks. The raspberries played so well with the chocolate, and the vanilla ice highlighted the whole plate.

It was an exceptional ending to an exceptional dinner, executed the Chef Paolo and his team perfectly. As i stated before, Shangri-La Chiang Mai should be very proud of their executive chef.

Dhala Wine Lounge, Level 1
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For reservations, please call (053) 253 888.