Dining Snippets in Bangkok (2024): L’Oliva x Chatuchak Weekend Market x Mae Samphao’s Kitchen

L’OLIVA RISTORANTE ITALIANO AND WINE BAR

Upon checking in our hotel, Hotel Karaarom, my friends and I were famished as we have yet to have a proper lunch. Fortunately, within walking distance was an Italian restaurant, L’Oliva.

We stumbled upon it without knowing that it was a multi-awarded pizzeria – at that time, it got the Ospitalita Italiana seal of approval from the Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce; and since then, reached 21^st place in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific list.

CREMA DI NOCI E SPECK (THB550)

They had an extensive list of pizzas which made it difficult to choose – but we ended up opting for the Crema di Noci e Speck. It featured thick and wonderfully chewy brick-oven pizza layered with the gooey Fiordilatte mozzarella, smoked speck and radicchio. Truffle cream, mushrooms and walnuts add finesse and character to this splendid pizza.

ROSEMARY COFFEE

I opted for the Rosemary Coffee just because it piqued my curiosity. The unmistakable smell of rosemary wafted across the table as soon as the cup was served -and unsurprisingly, it had savory notes. I loved how novel it was, but I guess it’s not my cup of tea – apart from the herb overpowering the coffee notes; it was served in latte form which further diluted the coffee flavor.

L’Oliva Ristorante Italiano and Wine Bar

4 Napha Sap Alley, Lane 2, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok

Date of Visit: February 2, 2024 with Randolf Constantino, Maryrose Constantino and Kerwin Chua

CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

We then headed over to Chatuchak Weekend Market – one of the famous night markets in Bangkok which features rows and rows of food and retail kiosks.

Fortunately, the stalls were organized in a straightforward layout that was easy to navigate through although it’s best to buy already though once something catches your eye as it was a bit of a struggle going back to a particular stall.

Bangkok is a notoriously warm country so we timed our visit near sunset already to make our stroll a tad bit more comfortable.

Fret not though, as there would be endless rows of drinks – from sodas to fresh fruit juices and shakes! I gladly helped myself to a fresh coconut (THB60)

My first dish was the King Octopus – which featured perfectly tender octopus pieces which were perfectly grilled. The twist – it comes with a fiery chili sauce which was equally fragrant and delicious as it was spicy.

I can handle heat in my food – but this was a bit overwhelming that I had to gulp down a large cola to quench the heat! The combination filled me up quickly though that I didn’t have enough appetite to try any other finger food.

MAE SAMPHAO’S KITCHEN (still inside the Weekend Market)

My friends wanted to have a sit-down dinner in the market – and fortunately, there’s no shortage of options for that. The deciding factor for us on which stall to eat at would be – whichever had a vacant table – lo and behold, Mae Samphao’s Kitchen was able to accommodate us thanks to its ample seating (which was also packed)!

SHRIMP PAD THAI (THB99)

We started with a classic – the Shrimp Pad Thai – but nothing about it was noteworthy – honestly, I’ve had better ones in Manila.

CRAB OMELETTE (THB250)

Fortunately, its other dishes made up for the lackluster start – the Crab Omelette may not be a looker, but you’d enjoy how much crabmeat this deceptively thin omelette actually had! Admittedly, it was on the greasier side – but nothing a quick soda refill can’t address.

ROASTED DUCK

I was surprised to see Roasted Duck on the menu – as I’ve always associated this as a HK/Chinese staple – but regardless if this was a wild card dish or not, they do know how to serve up a mean version of it! I wasn’t a big fan of the glaze that they topped over the duck slices though – fortunately, the bottom pieces were spared from this!

Chatuchak Weekend Market

587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Date of Visit: February 2, 2024 with Randolf Constantino, Maryrose Constantino and Kerwin Chua