Piccola Roma Palace Ristorante Italiano 144 Charoen Prathet Rd. (opposite the Chedi Hotel), A.Muang, Chiang Mai Tel: 053 820297-8 Open: Lunch 11 am - 2 pm Dinner 5 pm - 11 pm

Having cooked in and owned restaurants in Italy and Holland, proprietor of Piccola Roma Palace's Angelo Faro and wife Marisa moved to Chiang Mai to open their restaurant in 1991, moving to their current premises on Charoenprathet Road opposite The Chedi Hotel in the spring of 2000.

The high class European style decor is apparent in both the elegant ground floor dining room and al fresco terrace. Angelo, Grand Officer Maitre Chef of the prestigious Chaine des Rotisseurs and Degustateur Actif of the L'Ordre Mondiale des Gourmets Degustateurs (to name but a few of his esteemed titles) is a man of integrity, stubborn in his beliefs that only the finest and freshest ingredients: pasta flour and olive oil from Italy, Australian Black Angus Beef, seafood from Vietnam, are to be used in his dishes that range from a simple plate of Salmon (from Tasmania) with Orange Cream to an opulent creation of rigatoni with porcini mushrooms and Italian black truffles (all imported, naturally). Piccola Roma's cellar holds 60,000 bottles of some of the world's finest vintages as according to Angelo no meal, however well prepared, is complete without a decent bottle. From the house Chianti to the 1952 Brunello Di Montalcino Banfi, there is a wine for all meals and all palates.

As you would expect, service is first class, with Angelo himself often seen presenting diners with a view of the fresh daily ingredients from which to select. Portions are as generous as they are exquisitely prepared and the impressive menu will give you plenty of choice and reason to come back time and again.

Antique House 71 Charoen Prathet Rd., A.Muang, Chiang Mai Tel. 053-276810

Built in 1877 during the reign of King Rama V, this antique house restaurant, located in the centre of Chiang Mai city at the back of the Night Bazaar, is made of golden teakwood with Lanna and European style architecture. The two-storey building houses three rooms per floor, with a holy and rare Junkapor tree growing in the centre of the house. Food can be taken either inside or al fresco in the elegant garden and there is an extensive menu of typical Lanna Thai and international dishes, which can be enjoyed at dinner time whilst classical Thai performances take place.

Of the Thai food available, pla chon rai kag a dish of deep fried water fish with no bones stuffed with minced pork is a delicious treat, or for something spicier try the hor mok, a steamed curry with spicy minced meat and coconut milk served in a coconut, with a choice of meat, fish or seafood. Chinese cuisine and a Korean barbecue with a choice of meats are alternative options to the Thai fare.

There is a second branch you can try, called The River Ping Terrace located east of the river, with a slightly different ambience but with equally quality food and service.