 “If it works – change it!” This is the philosophy of the General Manager of Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort and Olivio – Chaweng’s award-winning Italian beachside restaurant.
But that doesn’t mean discarding the things that are obviously satisfying the customers. What it does mean though is not resting on laurels. Being constantly on the look-out for improvements. A change of menu here, more entertainment there.
And with such an absolutely superb restaurant already, finely honing it to even greater perfection is a difficult task. But he doesn’t do it alone. He’s fully-supported by an experienced restaurant team. One that’s headed by master-chef Luigi Fadda.
And that’s rather like performing an opera with Pavarotti in the cast! Luigi is the archetypal Italian chef. He’s smiling, he’s round, and he’s not a teenager. Luigi’s had a life-long love affair with food, which is far from over! He’s been wowing diners at Olivio for 3 years now; a culmination of 25 successful years in Asia where he’s been ‘spreading the word’ of Italian cuisine. And collecting countless converts!
But before I tempt you with his dishes, a word about the restaurant. It’s set near the northernmost tip of Chaweng Bay, so you get a panoramic view across the turquoise blue water to the mountains and resorts dotted along the coastline. Great in the daytime, but truly lovely when the sun begins to set and all the twinkling lights start popping on. Very romantic.
The contemporary Thai-style restaurant sits next to the swimming pool right on the water’s edge, and its terra-cotta décor gives off a warm glow that’s accentuated at night when lit by the stylish hanging lanterns, and the flaming torches that border the pool. There’s seating for 50 under cover of the open-sided restaurant building itself, and tables for a further 30 on the beachside terrace under the stars. So, now the scene is set, back to the food.
And although there’s an excellent Thai menu available, it’s the Italian cuisine that most people come to Olivio for. And with dishes like these, I’m hardly surprised: Carpaccio di Manzo con Verdurina e Olio di Tartufo – Australian beef carpaccio with artichoke hearts, vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and truffle oil; Zuppa di Pesce alla Siciliana – seafood soup siciliana with squid, prawns, sea bass, mussels and vegetables; Risotto con Gamberi Reali, Pomodoro e Basilico – risotto with king prawns, fresh tomatoes and basil; Fettuccine Nere al Tonno e Funghi –homemade black, squid-ink fettucine in a spicy tuna, mushroom tomato sauce; Filleto di Salmone al Mascarpone e Zafferano – fillet of salmon in a mascarpone saffron sauce; and the very popular ‘Osso Bucco’ di Agnello con Risotto allo Zafferano – braised lamb shank served with saffron risotto and seasonal vegetables.
“... and the contemporary Thai-style restaurant sits next to the swimming pool right on the water’s edge.”
But do leave room for dessert, if you can! There’s a tempting list of goodies such as: Spumone di Limone – lemon mousse with honey sauce; and Panna Cotta – Italian milk pudding with fresh fruit. And everything is homemade, making it all so fresh and decidedly original.
Wine connoisseurs aren’t left out here either, as there’s a good selection of bottles from Chile, Australia, South Africa, California, France and Italy.
There’s entertainment too every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:00 to 10:30 when a duo serenades diners with a wide mix of old and new hits. They also play requests if you have any ‘special’ songs to please your partner.
And as Olivio is obviously going to be even more successful with all the latest additions, no doubt Chef Luigi and the General Manager will soon be changing things again! | 
