It is not everyone who can tolerate spicy food. Some are allergic to it, others have medical conditions which precludes the intake of spicy food and others just don't like it.

Hence, when penning reviews, particularly those pertaining to Thailand I have always been aware that it is not every tourist who dines on Thai cuisine day after day during their visitation to the Land Of Smiles.

Over the past couple of years two friends and one acquaintance have asked my advice on where to eat good Italian food in Bangkok, as they had for various reasons a dilemna when it came to eating Thai cuisine.

I have always recommended an Italian restaurant - Basilco's - that I reviewed on this forum about five years ago.

However, when those people returned to Australia all three of them said they were of the opinion that Basilco's was extremely overpriced.

Mindful that I had given 8/10 for "value for money" and an overall score of 40/50 when I initially reviewed this restauant in 2005, I notated Basilco's for another visitation as soon as I could manage to do so.

On a Saturday evening and with nothing to do, I took the BTS a few stops along the Sukhumvit Line and alighted at Phrom Phong station.

Basilco's is located down quite an (in)famous Soi not far from the station.

It is modern in design, with lots of brickwork, large ceiling to floor windows, mercifully darkly glazed to keep out the burning heat of Bangkok, with concrete and wooden floors and it is by Bangkok standards a very big restaurant for one concentrating solely on Italian cuisine.

As soon as I entered I could see that this was quite a busy Saturday evening, but nonetheless, the wait staff were not put out by the fact that I was dining alone and found me a small table besides one of the huge windows.

I recalled the last visit all those years ago and my abiding impression of the lovely Northern Italian pizzas and the "thin" bulk Italian wines.

Determing to give the wines a miss and also determining to stick to the pizzas my eyes clasped on the thin base offerings that are cooked in a wood-fired oven in an open kitchen.

Scrutinising the menu I could immediately see what my friends and acquaintances had referred to as questionable value for money in this by now well-known Sukhumvit eatery.

Looking at my 2005 notes and comparing the modern version of the restaurant's menu I ascertained that prices had more doubled over the past five years, or an annual increase of 29.65 per cent.

The medium pizzas of 2005 that were 155 baht were now 365 baht and the ravioli that was priced at 160 baht in the same year was now also listed at 365 baht with both selections having increased by almost 140% over the five year interim between visits.

After waiting some 15 minutes for the placement of my selection, a female waiter took down my order of "Erotica Pizza" and a drinks order of one bottle of iced green tea.

Whilst waiting for the pizza to arrive I had a closer look at the menu and saw that the "thin" bulk Italian wines had increased in price by 95%. The last time we were here a medium carafe of the Italian wine had cost us 275 baht but now it was 535 baht. Yes, indeed, the inexorable price rises in this part of Bangkok surely didn't have too far go go before they hit the consumer resentment ceiling.

The green tea arrived and as I sipped it I noted that the vast majority of the diners had opted as I had done, that is, they had gone for the thin base pizzas.

After 25 minutes I had finished my green tea and following some semaphoring to the indolent wait staff I managed to secure a second bottle.

After another 20 minutes and having been in the pizzeria for almost an hour, I inquired of the passing waiter when my pizza would be ready. He never returned and after a further 15 minutes and just as I was contemplating leaving the restaurant, the pizza arrived on a round metal plate.

The "Erotica Pizza" I could see had onions, green and red capsicums, black olives, mozzarella cheese, two types of salami one of which was quite spicy (peperoni?) and what appeared to be thinly sliced Italian sausages, which once again were somewhat spicy.

All of the ingredients were bedded down with the obligatory tomato paste.

The pizza was very nice indeed. Spicy, yet not over the top, the various flavours blending and yet contrasting nicely and the thin crisp base was of above average quality.

Cut into four large wedges, I further downgraded it into eight slices and spent the next 10 minutes thoughtfully masticating the crust and ingredients. There is something to be said for a restaurant that goes to the trouble and expense of setting up a proper eucalyptus-burning pizza oven. It dispenses a special taste to the pizza and as such the initial expense and endeavour of the setup pays off handsomely in a far superior product than that cooked in an electric pizza oven.

The 365 baht "Erotica Pizza" did not I believe increase my hormonal levels beyond that which I had entered the restaurant with nearly one-and-a-half hours earlier, but nonetheless it was a very good pizza.

At around $AUD13 for dine in I did not consider the price to be overly expensive by Bangkok Italian restaurant standards, but most certainly the other offerings on the long menu were very much over priced.

I left the restaurant with the feeling that I could still recommend Basilco's for the pizza alone but with the adjoiner that if one were to select other items on the menu, the final tab might be more of a nasty surprise than a delight.

I also noted that Basilco's has now spread its wings and has offshoots with the same name in Sukhumvit Soi 20 and a newly opened outlet in the Paholyothin 7 area also known as Soi Aree. I asume that the prices in the other branches are the same as those in Sukhumvit Soi 33/1.

SCORE: Pizza 8/10; Service, 2/10; ambience, 6/10; Value for money (apart from the pizza), 4/10. Total:20/40.

COST: 2 x bottles of iced green tea at 50 baht each; 100 baht. One medium sized "Erotica Thin Base Northern Italian Pizza", 365 baht. 7% VAT. TOTAL: 497 baht ($AUD17.45 at the time).

VERDICT: This original Basiclo's Pizzeria and Restorante has gone up markedly in price over the intervening five years between visitations. If one sticks to the pizza selections and gives the low quality Italian wines a miss, then a nice meal can be had in this large restaurant with a reasonable bill at the end of proceedings. If however, one does go on to select more exotic offerings from the very large menu and also opts for the Italian carafe wines, then you will undoubtedly be presented with a bill that will represent very bad value for money.

RECOMENDATION: For pizzas only. Expect off hand service (at least when it is busy). Stick to teas or soft drinks as all the alcoholic drinks are overpriced.

CONCLUSION: At $AUD17.45 I thought it represented reasonable value for dining in. There are other Italian restaurants in the same Soi, such as Pan Pan, but later that evening looking at their menus, there did not appear to be much difference in the pricing structures of the Italian eateries located in this infamous Sukhumvit soi.

LOCATION: Basilco's Pizzeria and Restorante is at 8 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1. It has other branches at Sukhumvit Soi 20 and Paholyothin 7 (also known as Soi Aree).

NEXT WEEK: The final instalment for this series when your correspondent visits a Sukhumvit landmark: Bully's Pub.

I know plenty of Thais who can't tolerate spicy food, yet don't turn to typically overpriced, Western cuisine.

Although Westerners define Thai by spiciness, the variations are endless.

Just one question dear Emdee. What is the value addition by this wood fired oven to the Pizza?
The best Pizza we ever ate was at Vico Equance, a small town on the sea close to Pompei in southern Italy.

JY
The burning euclayptus wood imparts a scented and slight woody taste to the pizza. The crust is lovely and crunchy whilst the laid ingredients remain much more moist than the same pizza cooked in an electric pizza oven.

The specialised pizza ovens are costly and time consuming to build and the operator must know how to maintain a constant termperature with the wood. It is not for novices.

Another fabulous food review Emdee and I've enjoyed them all. I really love most foods but sadly I'm married to a man who detests Italian food. However, he does have a slight foodie side to him and he LOVES Indian tucker so he can't be that bad... plus he's partial to the local drop of any Country we visit .

Cheers Geri

Well said EmDee. Looking forward to trying out Basilco's and comparing my experience wit yours!

I think I may have been in there is it at the top of soi 23 (cowboy)

Phil Mac

No its not in Soi Cowboy. The second Basilco's is in Soi 20, on the other side of Suk Road. The original Basilco's where I went is at the very top end of Suk Soi 33/1 (another "girlie" bar strip). I know the one you are talking about in Soi Cowboy and I think it is called Bobbolino's. The pizza's there are not a patch on Basilco's but then again, they are a lot cheaper. I think place caters mainly for the booze brigade before they hit the "girlie" bars in Soi Cowboy.

Geri,

I will bet London to a brick that your husband would enjoy Basilco's pizzas. For my money, they are the best in Bangkok. However, I can not say that about the rest of the menu at Basilco's. It is OK, but terribly overpriced.

Hi Emdee

It was interesting and enjoyable to read your updated review on this place

We have been to Basilico's twice since 2008. The first time just the two of us and the second visit with a table of eight friends. I agree the Pizzas are fine, although the second visit was not as good as the first time as the pizza fillings were sparse on all our orders with our big group. On the first visit they were overflowing with ingredients and the pizza base excellent. Plenty of staff standing around and talking to each other but indifferent service and hard to catch their eye for service. With the poor service you have plenty of time to watch the antics of the girls over the road touting for business if you get a window seat. (Some of the girls looked as scratchy as the wine we had although business appeared to be steady). The carafe wine was pretty ordinary to say the least and the price of 450bt ++(10% service charge and 7% vat) was overpriced for the size of the carafe. On the second visit we went on a Wednesday night and the place was 75% full by 7pm. I had booked and if I hadn't I may have had to wait for 30-40 mins for a table. The restaurant set up is good and its clean and fresh. However, I think there are better places to eat at other than Basilico's for the price. I know our table of eight was a tad disappointed for what we paid for and what we got. I don't think I would go back again for another try.