Café Thai is the realm of Gianluca and Ratana, partners in work and in life, who a few years ago decided to provide Como with an authentic gastronomic experience with ethnic flavours. It all started with Elle Cuisine, a hidden kitchen service in which they hosted ten strangers into their kitchen to offer them typical Thai food. All the dishes were freshly prepared by Ratana, Elle to her friends, who was born and raised in Thailand and has been passionate about cooking since childhood.
After a few trial evenings, Elle Cuisine began to take off and Ratana's spicy dishes became increasingly popular. After the birth of their two children, Gianluca and Ratana changed the business model slightly by offering a home-cooking service. In 2015 they took the decision to take the plunge and open restaurant in their own, and so began their search for a suitable venue. Three years later, in November 2018, Café Thai opened in Via Valleggio. It was an elegant space with minimalist furnishings and Italian design pieces, such as the Floss lamps and the sophisticated furniture in shades of red and black at the entrance, the work of Ettore Sottsass for Gruppo Memphis. There are also references to Thai culture, in the form of paintings, masks and wooden Buddhas.
“Our first customers were those who had known us as Elle Cuisine. Then with the arrival of the pandemic we had to reinvent ourselves by starting a food delivery service in the city. We also hired a man to deliver in the province as well, every night choosing a different town and posting the menu on social media. So we began to make ourselves known in the neighbouring areas as well”, explains the owner. Today Café Thai is the home of Thai cuisine in Como. The food on offer is also influenced by numerous dishes from China, India and Malaysia. At Café Thai a small staff is ready to welcome you and guide you on a journey through the aromas and flavours of the Orient, typified by intense contrasts between sweet and savoury. Many fresh spices are used in the most typical recipes, including the likes of galanga, lemongrass, coriander root and chilli.
The à la carte menu has only a few dishes, all prepared by Ratana with products that are always extremely fresh.
“Many ingredients that are difficult to find in Italy come directly from Thailand, and always from top-quality suppliers. But many others, like papaya and lemongrass, are brought in from local and Italian producers”, explains Gianluca.
One of the most popular is pad Thai, which is an excellent introduction to Thai cuisine. For those who want to delve into more typical and authentic flavours, Gianluca recommends curry soups or antipasti, typical Thai street food recipes that they have adapted to a restaurant menu. To satisfy Western tastes, Gianluca suggests accompanying the dishes with both Thai beers and natural wines or Italian craft beers. The sophistication of the recipes, prepared according to tradition but adapted to palates less accustomed to typical Thai spiciness, Café Thai is the perfect place for anyone wishing to indulge from time to time in what is for these parts an unusual food experience.