Taya Starling

I’m lucky enough to have four amazing groups of girlfriends in different corners of the world.  Every chance I get I like to celebrate them and how lucky we are to have each other.  Here in Bangkok, Scalini is the perfect place to host a nice intimate girls night.  I got there early and set up the table: some confetti, and some little treats for my girls- chocolate bars and an inspiration notebook for those thoughts and dreams I so admire them for.   Scalini is gorgeous inside.  Big but cozy with romantic lighting, the industrial decor and warm hues… not to mention the walls of wine! I love a restaurant with a good wine selection. Unlike most of the industrial designed restaurants that have been emerging in Bangkok’s dining scene, Scalini posses a warmth and a distinct character that invites you to come back and get comfortable again and again. And I also love a restaurant with a good bread basket- or in this case, platter!  It’s like they just know me all too well.  Fresh baked sourdough, olive bread, wheat, grisini…. plus GOOD butter, REAL butter, and some bread dipping sauce.  We went through the bread like a pack of wolves on steak. After opening a nice bottle of red, the food came pouring out of the kitchen- from both kitchens, Scalini and their downstairs counterpart Mondo.

  Fresh seared Hokkaido scallops along with guacamole, guaciale ham and organic tomatoes, with cherry vinaigrette and fresh basil

 Crispy Yesterday Roast Polpette Juicy homemade meatball filled with melting cheese and pesto oil… We could’ve eaten an order of these EACH.

 Marriage of tuna and salmon tartar, dressed with an Asian mixed lemon aioli, mango salad and seared Ciabatta… The perfect light interjection to an otherwise Italian meal.

 Sword Fish Belly, Foie Gras, Shallot Compote Miso – Grilled sword fish with foie gras… a pairing I would never have imagined but it worked oh so beautifully.

 Oven baked fresh black cod fillet, with caramelized white asparagus, on a bed of Sicilian couscous, black mussels sauce, and Prosecco cloud

 My favorite dish of the night:  Freshly handmade Gnocchi, with cherry tomatoes, burrata cheese in pesto sauce “Genovese style” and traditional Napolitano paccheri with a tender duck ragout, flavored with black truffle and sheep pecorino cheese

 Cannoli “Sicilian style” stuffed with ricotta cheese, candied orange, pistachio crust, and topped with chocolate chips.

 And of course their famous dessert- the Adult Playground: Vanilla Ice Cream and orange Affogato with chocolate Soil Caffe’ Corretto with Grappa

 Many many compliments to Chef Egidio Latorraca for the magnificent meal and the wonderful staff who made our Girls Night Out Dinner a very memorable evening

 When you get the chance I hope you take your friends, your parents, anyone really who loves good food.  Hell, it’s even worth a first date- that way even if the date goes badly…. the food will be AMAZING (;