Nothing beats that smoky tang

REGULARS at the Italian restaurant and cocktail bar Vesper on Soi Convent now have a second venue to enjoy on Rama IV Road. The same restaurateur has opened Il Fumo, home to rare and delectable European cuts prepared with Italian flair. 

It’s almost “hidden in plain sight”, down a small soi where the big leafy trees have so far escaped the notice of chainsaw artists. 

And the building itself is gorgeous, a spacious, early-20th-century house that belonged to descendants of the king for whom the main thoroughfare was named. The bar and dining area are kept separate, but both are homey, warm and relaxing, not fancy but rather elegantly understated. Wood predominates in both the surroundings and the nostalgic, European-style decor.

Fumo is of course Italian for “smoke”, or, in the case of the main dishes, “smoked” – charred over flame and rendered aromatic by the coals. “We believe the preparation and the cooking are as important as the ingredients,” says founder Chotipong Leenutaphong.

“Great ingredients speak for themselves, and our job is to treat them with the utmost respect. That’s why our cuisine centres on the wood-charcoal grill, which allows us to get the purest flavours from the meats and savour what nature intended us to taste.” 

The choice of wood is crucial – imported cherry wood and the timber of olive trees lend their distinctive scents to meat and fish, respectively. The various cuts of meat come from all over Europe, and in Thailand Il Fumo has exclusive access to many of them. 

A great whet for the appetite is the salty and addictive Spanish Rubia Gallega Ham (Bt1,290 for 80 grams). The meat is dry-cured in spices and then aged for six weeks, so it’s amazingly tender and has a lovely subtle aroma. Cinnamon-coloured Rubia Gallega cattle are raised northwestern Spain and their milk is turned into Tetilla cheese. The meat is lean but succulent, perfect for grilled steak as well as ham. 

Also available only at Il Fumo is Chianina beef from Tuscany in Italy. The breed is one of the oldest in the world, bred by the ancient Romans for what eventually became celebrated as bistecca alla fiorentina. 

Fast-forward to Bangkok 2016 and 800 grams of Chianina T-bone becomes Fiorentine Steak (Bt4,320), seasoned with only salt and pepper and broiled over cherry wood until the outside is caramelised and crusted while the inside remains rare. 

If you’re used to Wagyu and Kobe beef, this might seem chewier, but Chianina exudes a more beefy aroma and has a wonderful texture, a real winner among connoisseurs of grilled steak. The meat is lean but never tough, natural fat lining the edges rather than marbled throughout, so the juices are sealed in. 

Eel often arrives on the plate in a too-sweet glaze and tenderised to mushiness, but Il Fumo’s Charcoal-grilled Eel from Holland (Bt1,290) will convert any sceptic. The surprisingly firm fillets are brushed with aged balsamic vinegar before being put to the flame to absorb that smoky tang. The meat is not so sweet but tender, and not at all fishy. The dish comes with salted cauliflower-almond puree and creamy polenta. 

A pasta entree also gets the “charcoal” treatment. Paccheri with Crabmeat (Bt890) is so hearty and tasty that it could be filed under “comfort dishes”. 

The flat, smooth tube pasta is cooked to al-dente perfection and topped with slightly creamy tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes. The chunky crabmeat is lightly grilled over charcoal for a faint smokiness and a charming aroma that overrides any crustacean odour. 

Room must be left for dessert, because the choices are all generous portions. 

Popular and thus highly recommended is Bomboloni (Bt380). The name alludes to small doughnuts, but these are pastry balls filled to bursting with decadent hazelnut-chocolate sauce and served with vanilla cream and wild berries. 

For a nightcap, head to the cocktail bar manned by Pailin Sajjanit, named the World Class SEA Best Bartender this year. He oversees a wide selection of single malts, luxury spirits and vintage cocktails, as well as wines from Italy, France and Spain. 

 

A BEAUTIFUL HOME

Il Fumo is on Rama IV Road close to the Lumpini MRT station. 

It’s open daily from 6pm to 1am. 

Reservations are recommended at  (02) 286 8833 and (097) 170 6260.

Find out more at www.IlFumo.co.