Favola Chiang Mai — Restaurant in Chiang Mai Province

I want to start on a good note. The Thai staff in this restaurant although not at a fine dining level of service, are very very sweet, warm and kind. It was their kindness that kept a smile on our face through what was a comedy of errors and possibly the worst Christmas Day ever. At least we look back and laugh.

Having worked in multiple five star establishments around the world for more than 10 years myself, I have learnt that one needs to loosen their expectations off service if they are ever to enjoy a meal out. I quite happily enjoy street food at 30THB and everything in between.

To start, this is not a fine dining restaurant. While the food was adequate, and the kitchen is open for your viewing pleasure, it is simply a bog standard, generic hotel restaurant that you would find in any large hotel chain. It has equivalent pricing to a fine dining restaurants in the area, but is not. Don't pin your expectations on it being so.

Our meal by western standards was middle of the road cost wise at 5500THB. However putting that in perspective in Thailand: it's a week of accommodation on Koh Phanang, three weeks scooter hire, 110 pad thai from a street vendor or 25 upper end cocktails.

We were presented with a menu that had a totoally different choice from what was listed on the website. Staff were quick to offer drinks but this was the last time our glasses were topped up, and I didnit myself although we had multiple staff visit the table. Glass of proseco to start was very good. The wine recommended by the Manager who appeared and disappeared just as quickly (on Christmas dinner?) I am sorry to say was insipid, although he guarenteed it would not be. But that is not a reason to send it back, just disappointing so we just had a laugh about it.

We quickly made menu choices as most of the menu was seafood, which we don't eat, so that was easy. I then found out my starter was actually a main course (illogically layed out menu). I asked as a special request if I could have the ravioli as a starter size, fine, but no. Then the waitress produced a totally different menu that we hadn't been shown, and said I could have one of the standard (non filled) pastas as a starter. We made a decision and then later were told our main course was sold out (Head chef didn't even know this when he was standing at our table talking to us about it mere minutes before??). This left us with very little choice considering the predominant seafood on the menu.

We had to start again. I asked if I could order from the other menu (which I assumed was a lunch only menu) to find out it was the classic dinner menu??? Why didn't we get both at the beginning. Ok so meals reordered, waitress back again minutes later as part of my cold cuts plate unavailable, I wave her away with fine fine, whatever you have. Starters come and mine is obviously a serving for two, never mentioned when it was pretty apparent I didn't want a big starter. Gave the rest to the staff to eat, thankfully it wasn't wasted.

The food itself....

Antipasti platter: Speck was good, salami tasted like stomach bile, Parma ham very metallic. Artichokes very basic from a tin with no flavor and low quality sundries tomatoes.

Tartare: Excellent

Ravioli with artichoke in butter with roast tomatoes and parmigano: No artichoke flavor at all, no taste of butter. Tomatoes tasted raw and were the main sauce and overpowered the whole dish.

(In all of that the food was edible and well presented. We left fed if anything.)

We then decided to look at the dessert menu. Ordered the chocolate tort (lava cake) which we were then told would take 20 minutes.... no mention of this on the menu or previously. We just ordered coffee, at this point I had ran out of cheer. We never complained, (unlike table next to us who were compensated) paid our full bill and left.

Our leisurely wander back to hotel became a gallop as we clenched buttocks in fear of an accident! Just made it to the lobby toilet and my partner our room! Worst Christmas...

I am Italian and I can confidently say that this is not a good Italian restaurant. I ordered a parmigiana pizza which tasted like margherita pizza with a few eggplant slices on top (cooked in a LOT of oil). Not very tasty. I had some grilled vegetables. The carrot was good but the pepper was tasteless and the eggplant dripped in oil (it didn’t seem grilled it seemed fried). Everything could use more seasoning, salt and pepper… I ordered a burrata which they took forever to serve even though you don’t have to cook it, and again it was not seasoned at all (it had no oil, no salt). Plus they served it very cold which made it seem that they had just pulled it out of the fridge and put it on a plate. Burrata should be room temperature not super cold. The tiramisu was also very disappointing, too liquid, not creamy enough. The service was quite bad. They took forever to serve things. They didn’t pay attention to customer cues. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Also, it was very expensive. I don’t mind paying high prices if the food and service is good, but it...

Go Somewhere Else — Not sure how they’re “aiming for a Michelin star” or how they are recommended by Michelin. We arrived at the restaurant to an empty host desk, waited around, another couple walked up and entered and was served first. Their 5 course set menu which has 2 options for appetizer and pasta had no option for either and was a completely fixed menu.

The focaccia was subpar for an Italian restaurant. The scallop first course was not hot. The pizza was ok but considering the price I’ve had MUCH better pizzas elsewhere. The pasta was bland and lacking depth and taste. The fish was barely cooked enough. The portions for the pizza and fish was also very large considering a tasting menu. There is no way a person could finish that in one sitting. The dessert was a very strange combination of flavours. I couldn’t even eat and I’m a dessert fanatic. The service was also sub par. So much waiting for everything. The whole experience was a disappointment. Don’t waste your...