Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa, 257 Charoennakorn Rd., 02-476-0022.
The buzz: High demand for Italian cuisine on the Thonburi side of the river led the Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa to sacrifice their beloved Chinese restaurant (The Rice Mill) to make room for this new arrival.
The décor: A warm Tuscan villa with wooden furnishings, terracotta tiles, and sandstone brick walls. A view of the hotel’s pool is visible from the candlelit dining area, while you can peek into the kitchen through frosted glass panels. There’s also a retail cheese counter and shelves offering imported pastas, olive oil and sauces to take home.
The cuisine: Authentic Italian. Resident chef Antonio Facchinetti hails from Milan and promises up to eight different varieties of homemade pasta daily. Start with the deep-fried soft shell crab, served on a bed of creamy polenta, or opt for a lighter favorite like their quality Parma ham with melon wedges. For mains, order their Aregostella pizza with Mascarpone cheese, buffalo mozzarella, lobster and asparagus; you can even watch the chefs take the dough for a spin by the oven.
The crowd: At the moment, in-house guests—mostly Europeans and Japanese—looking to sate their Italian urges.
The booze: For a little kick, order their Del Capitano Campari or Chef Facchinetti’s homemade limoncello with cream.