Caffe Di Roma

[Sarisin]

During my occasional forays into the ?pong I have seen Caffe Di Roma located on Patpong across from the King?s Garden nightspot. I finally had a chance to check it out with a friend this past weekend. I came away with mixed feelings.

 

First, two big pluses:

 

The food was outstanding. My friend and I shared a very large mixed salad which was very tasty. Even better were the pasta dishes we ordered. They have a dozen or so choices of pasta dishes and you also choose from five different pasta shapes (penne, rigotoni, fettucine, etc.). I had penne al quattro formaggio (with four cheeses) and it was perfect. My friend also had penne, but with a vegetable sauce. He thought it was great.

 

They serve plenty of bread with some interesting spreads (I think one was like a clam dip), and service is fine. Some of you might recall the seafood restaurant formerly at this location. Well, you can still order fresh seafood in the restaurant, which they have on ice, and still swimming in the tanks.

 

The second very positive thing about this restaurant is the location. We dined at a window booth and enjoyed quite a visual treat as Patpong?s night denizens reported to work and strolled down the soi. One of the best people-watching places I have ever been!

 

Now, the two minuses of Caffe Di Roma:

 

The prices were just too expensive. The previous week three of us ate for less and had more food. For example, a small carafe of house red wine (described by my friend as so-so) was 250 baht. The pasta dishes started at 200 baht, but most were 250 baht and up. Pizza, which looked good, but I did not try, is expensive too. Same with desserts (very fancy stuff there). Our bill was nearly 1,500 baht for salad, pasta, a carafe of wine, and two sodas.

 

The other thing was the restaurant was pretty damn hot inside. They keep the front doors open as they have two cute girls out front hustling business. Also, the open kitchen is generating heat. Not much fun eating good food when you are sweating.

 

There was plenty of seating in Caffe Di Roma and the staff seemed to be very service oriented.

 

In summary, an excellent Italian restaurant, but the prices make other places like Biscotti?s, Pasta ?n Noodles, Pan Pan, La Gritta, and De Meglio?s (to name a few) more attractive to me. Here are the particulars for Caffe Di Roma:

 

Caffe Di Roma

3 Soi Patpong 2

Patpong Road

Surinwongse, Bangrak

Bangkok

TEL: 02-632-8250

FAX: 02-632-8251

EMAIL: caffediroma@siam-mail.net

Open Daily: 1700 - 0200