Reviews

Italics Restaurant: Playing with Fire

Nestled inside one of Chiang Mai trendiest boutique hotels, Italics is a modern bistro concept providing contemporary flavors bound and presented in a unique style. Akyra Manor’s Italics creates an Italian cuisine that has grown with one concept in mind. A concept that is based on rigorously handpicking and using the finest ingredients in making their dishes. The majority of the elements used in the kitchen are all locally-sourced and are of the highest quality that can be ascertained in Chiang Mai. Whatever cannot be found locally is imported but still upheld by the standards that Italics has placed on themselves.

In terms of method and preparing the kitchen, the staff possess all the skill, components, experience and characteristics of a premier restaurant. The kitchen personnel works meticulously and carefully on every dish that comes out of their kitchen. Evidence of this care is more apparent when it comes to their hand made pasta, sauces, and of course the pizza dough. Producing as much as they can in-house, a good percentage of their menu is made from scratch, proving Italics it’s here to compete. It’s no wonder that they are in the top 10 restaurants in Chiang Mai on Trip Advisor. With over a thousand reviews this high of a ranking not an easy task for anyone. So, it is certain that Italics concept is working well in their favor.

The man at the helm of the kitchen is Chef Phubase ‘Base’ Chuprakong. Chef Base began his career apprenticing in a hotel kitchen before moving to Melbourne to study culinary arts. When talking to him, he expressed how important it was for to source and stock his kitchen with local products as much as possible. While the quality of products in Chiang Mai has risen over the year and recently it is at a level the city has never seen before, it’s still no easy task to find quality products. This is where Italics chef shines. Chef Base has a keen sense for finding quality local ingredients, and we experience it first hand through his food. From cheeses to the local avocados, it is undeniable that the chef has a talent for finding these components.

Playing with Fire

I can’t think of a better symbol for Italics menu than their custom wood-fired oven constructed just outside the restaurant. After writing so much about their selection of ingredients, it’s no surprise that one of their calling cards would be rustic. No matter who you are or your background, there is something about the taste of food that is cooked with an open flame. I can describe it as smoky, but it’s more of a feeling you get inside when you take a bite.

For those curious, you can take a walk outside and see the staff hard at work creating your meal. The wood fired oven creates a delicious thin crust pizza with slight smoky accents. Chef Base assures that everything is hand made for each order and guarantees the freshest dining experience. For cheese lovers, Chef Base highly advocates trying the four-cheese pizza, which is made using only Thai made cheeses. The four cheese you get to enjoy, and savor is blue cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, and goat cheese.

When first walking into Italic the first thing that captivated my eyes was the decor. Its unique light installations, fixtures, and curved sofas can’t help but make you want to take out your camera and snap away. The interior appearance adds to the intimate but chic atmosphere. Combine Italics decor with their carefully crafted menu and you have the makings of dinner to remember. With an attentive staff, the restaurant offers a dining experience that suits its artisanal attributes.

Rooftop: Rise Bar

After enjoying a wonderful meal there is no better way to unwind than under sunset canapés, with amazing drinks. We easily took the elevator up to RISE Bar on the rooftop. As soon as our eyes absorbed the view we were immediately left in awe. From the pool to the bar to view, we didn’t know where to start.

This rooftop retreat displays a chic design and Chiang Mai’s only see through infinity pool. Having sat here during the cocktail hour, watching the sunset from beginning to end. It would be almost a sin to miss out on the opportunity of an experience like this. Sipping on a beautifully constructed cocktail while overlooking the Chiang Mai Landscape, how can this get any better? Plus, you can enjoy this in various ways, which provided by the layout of the seating.

If you’re visiting with a group, you can sit back on the couch and chat it up. For those who take every opportunity to be in or near the water, the pool has some day beds, which is perfect for those that want to sit and take in the sun while sipping on their favorite cocktail. What was key in helping create this chilled relax environment was that RISE Bar played they music at a good volume. Not too loud where you can’t enjoy a conversation. Not too soft, which helps those of us who sometimes get lost in thought.

Need snacks to munch on so you can enjoy with your favorite beverage? Don’t worry. Rise Bar has an array of poolside snacks you can order. Not many places with set you up with your own private poolside BBQ to your table. However, if that’s a bit too much, you can order bar food staples like French fries, if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, then I recommend taking advantage of the smores. This is delivered to your poolside, where a small charcoal grill is placed on your table, and you can toast some marshmallows and dipped them in delicious chocolate.