Bolognese to die for

[ericpasansai]

Last night we went to Ragu at Promenada. I've been in the past for a sandwich or flat bread which was great. I never really thought of Ragu's as a 1 st class Italian restaurant, UNTIL last night. I ordered bolognese with penne and was blown away. I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years. I even went to Bologna, Venice and Florence, however last night at Ragu ended my search.

[Ulysses G.]

Ragu really is excellent. I had an Italian dish there, a few days ago, that was really good too and their sandwiches, flat breads and deserts can't be beat. Chiang Mai is lucky to have such a good restaurant.

[uptheos]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail

[chiang mai]

[CMHomeboy78]

My brother was here on a visit last month and we took him to Ragu.

Of the seven or eight dishes we ordered everything was good, and the bill when it came was not unreasonable considering the quality of the food.

It's the kind of place that could be recommended to newcomers.

[PostmanPat]

The original poster is not seriously stating that a Spaghetti Bolognese at Ragu is better than any similar product in Italy.......seriously??!! Italian food in Italy in most restaurants is to die for, try watching "Italy Unpacked" TV series, or Steve Coogans "The Trip To Italy" or "Ginos Italian Adventure"......etc etc etc !!!

[norstatin]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail

Funny that as a result of that quest that he thinks the bolognese citizenry of bologna, italy that invented bolognese sauce and have been making it since the 18th century somehow make an inferior bolognese sauce to one that is found in chiang mai, thailand (of all places).

Amazing Thaivisa.

[ovenman]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail

Funny that as a result of that quest that he thinks the bolognese citizenry of bologna, italy that invented bolognese sauce and have been making it since the 18th century somehow make an inferior bolognese sauce to one that is found in chiang mai, thailand (of all places).

Amazing Thaivisa.

Funny thing that. I've been all over northern Thailand for the past twenty years but found the absolute best khao soi to die for at a street stall on a back alley near the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Go figure.

[norstatin]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail

Funny that as a result of that quest that he thinks the bolognese citizenry of bologna, italy that invented bolognese sauce and have been making it since the 18th century somehow make an inferior bolognese sauce to one that is found in chiang mai, thailand (of all places).

Amazing Thaivisa.

Funny thing that. I've been all over northern Thailand for the past twenty years but found the absolute best khao soi to die for at a street stall on a back alley near the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Go figure.

Two funnies.

[Oscar2]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail

Funny that as a result of that quest that he thinks the bolognese citizenry of bologna, italy that invented bolognese sauce and have been making it since the 18th century somehow make an inferior bolognese sauce to one that is found in chiang mai, thailand (of all places).

Amazing Thaivisa.

Funny thing that. I've been all over northern Thailand for the past twenty years but found the absolute best khao soi to die for at a street stall on a back alley near the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Go figure.

not unusual at all. other than a couple of ridiculously expensive places i've dined at in Bangkok, the Thai food in many restaurants in Los Angeles, California is much better than in Thailand.

[Oscar2]

i also think that that the pasta sauces (Ragu, Bolognaise) served at Ragu are absolutely fantastic.

[Dante99]

"I have been on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce for 30 years"[/size]

It's bolognese sauce not the Holy Grail [/size] [/size]

new meds

[Ulysses G.]

not unusual at all. other than a couple of ridiculously expensive places i've dined at in Bangkok, the Thai food in many restaurants in Los Angeles, California is much better than in Thailand.

I used to eat at a Thai restaurant in San Francisco that I thought was quite good. They had waitresses from Thailand that were in the US on student visas. Once I got to know them, they all told me the same thing, that the Thai food they served every day was terrible and that they would never eat there themselves, even for free.

[anonymouse]

There's a difference between Authentic and tasting good...On a personal note I have visited Italy three times and each time the food that I ate was poor to mediocre, the best Pizza I every ate was in Krakov, Poland.

The brown swill with foul smelling vegetables that my Mother in Law eats is authentic Chiang Mai food...Khao Soi is a Burmese Import.

Who is to say that the Bolognese that Eric ate last night wasn't the best he had ever tasted...mmm Eric???

I visited Ragu for the first time last month and was very impressed, with the food, service and reasonable price..the Italian spicy sausage IN MY OPINION were some of the best that I have tasted.

[northernjohn]

not unusual at all. other than a couple of ridiculously expensive places i've dined at in Bangkok, the Thai food in many restaurants in Los Angeles, California is much better than in Thailand.

I used to eat at a Thai restaurant in San Francisco that I thought was quite good. They had waitresses from Thailand that were in the US on student visas. Once I got to know them, they all told me the same thing, that the Thai food they served every day was terrible and that they would never eat there themselves, even for free.

Yes it is incredible that the foreigners come to Thailand and eat Thai food in a Thai restaurant and say it is not as good Thai food than in a restaurant back home.

Now I could understand it if they said they preferred it back home but to claim it is better seems to me to be a little of a mindless thing to say. Same goes for any countries food. It is always best in the country it comes from. Other countries may change it around a little but it is still not Pure. Just some thing that they prefer to the real thing.

I have to take the wife there for her birthday and I think I will try the Bolognese. So far every thing we and the wife's family have eaten there has been very good. Might not be authentic Italian or it may be I don't know or care. All I know is we all love it.

[AngelsLariat]

I've found that the food at TV sponsoring restaurants is consistently among the best in the world.

[junglechef]

Nothing like eating the real deal in I ts place of origin. Sure the tv shows might make one want to try it or remind one of past meals there and yes you can find fine examples at a great place.

As for the restaurant in question even I don't have the intestinal fortitude to withstand the backlash of an honest and constructive post.

As for the subject of personal taste, well I guess it takes all types

Edited October 11, 2014 by junglechef

[amexpat]

Chinese food in China?

[Mousehound]

Just because food is prepared in the country of origin does not mean it is going to be good. I have had better fish n chips in Thailand than UK and better pizza in NY than Italy. It depends on how good the cook is and the quality of the ingredients. It may be more appropriate to consider that the very best cooks in the country of origin will most likely serve the best local typical dish, as they have access to the freshest and authentic ingredients and have the experience in preparation.

My most memorable meals include some fairly ordinary places and some meals were enhanced by the setting and service:

Breakfast - Fruit Platter: St Francis Sq San Francisco, and Eggs Benedict at The Peninsular Hotel Kowloon.

Lunch: anywhere along Napoleon St, Milan. Beggars Chicken and Crispy fried Duck - Several restaurants in Kowloon

Afternoon tea: Cheesecake at the Pen, Kowloon.

Dinner: Pub grub around Shaftesbury Lane, London: The Nest Chiang Dao: Burgers at a well known spot in Chiang Mai.

Supper: Burger and Chips - Midnights, Margaret River West Australia (now sadly closed down): Donner Kebab on the waterfront of Limassol, Cyprus.

I have never had great Thai food or Cantonese food outside of Thailand or HK (China). On the other hand I have had some pretty ordinary stuff served up in both countries.

[Ulysses G.]

Burgers at a well known spot in Chiang Mai.

You can't just leave it at that. Where?

[junglechef]

If your quoting me your misquoting, or misinterpreting, me. Of course every Place that serves Thai food here isn't good but the best is the best in the world!

If one of your most memorable meals was a burger in CM then you must either haven't had the chance to dine out much anywhere or have Alzheimer's

[northernjohn]

Just because food is prepared in the country of origin does not mean it is going to be good. I have had better fish n chips in Thailand than UK and better pizza in NY than Italy. It depends on how good the cook is and the quality of the ingredients. It may be more appropriate to consider that the very best cooks in the country of origin will most likely serve the best local typical dish, as they have access to the freshest and authentic ingredients and have the experience in preparation.

My most memorable meals include some fairly ordinary places and some meals were enhanced by the setting and service:

Breakfast - Fruit Platter: St Francis Sq San Francisco, and Eggs Benedict at The Peninsular Hotel Kowloon.

Lunch: anywhere along Napoleon St, Milan. Beggars Chicken and Crispy fried Duck - Several restaurants in Kowloon

Afternoon tea: Cheesecake at the Pen, Kowloon.

Dinner: Pub grub around Shaftesbury Lane, London: The Nest Chiang Dao: Burgers at a well known spot in Chiang Mai.

Supper: Burger and Chips - Midnights, Margaret River West Australia (now sadly closed down): Donner Kebab on the waterfront of Limassol, Cyprus.

I have never had great Thai food or Cantonese food outside of Thailand or HK (China). On the other hand I have had some pretty ordinary stuff served up in both countries.

Well you say

On the other hand I have had some pretty ordinary stuff served up in both countries.

Not sure about you but isn't that real national food for that country. A lot of people confuse a national food for some special quality food. Generally it is food eaten by the well to do or foreigners. Not the every day Thai.

[northernjohn]

If your quoting me your misquoting, or misinterpreting, me. Of course every Place that serves Thai food here isn't good but the best is the best in the world!

If one of your most memorable meals was a burger in CM then you must either haven't had the chance to dine out much anywhere or have Alzheimer's

Or been to Boston

[junglechef]

Food prepared exceptionally is great, doesn't have to be fancy as the simplest is most often the best! National food, though I never heard this term before, would be made with local products which very well not be the same somewhere else. A dish created to take the best advantage of these could not really be created as well elsewhere.

Take Boston Baked Beans for example, those bean stalks growing downtown in Boston Gardens, where the famous Swan Boats are, can't be equalled!

[northernjohn]

Food prepared exceptionally is great, doesn't have to be fancy as the simplest is most often the best! National food, though I never heard this term before, would be made with local products which very well not be the same somewhere else. A dish created to take the best advantage of these could not really be created as well elsewhere.

Take Boston Baked Beans for example, those bean stalks growing downtown in Boston Gardens, where the famous Swan Boats are, can't be equalled!

I couldn't think of another term for it. Now I guess I could have said a countries cuisine. I know I could limit the whole thing with Thai cuisine. But I wanted to include all countries.

If the bean stalks growing downtown in Boston Gardens can't be equaled can they be surpassed?

Edited October 11, 2014 by northernjohn

[iainiain101]

I've found that the food at TV sponsoring restaurants is consistently among the best in the world.

Tried the New Sports Bar on Hang Dong road?

[jobin]

I can\t believe how tedious and boring some local lives must be when folks start arguing about bowls of spaghetti.

[kurnell]

I can settle this. I make the best spag bol in the world.

[chiang mai]

not unusual at all. other than a couple of ridiculously expensive places i've dined at in Bangkok, the Thai food in many restaurants in Los Angeles, California is much better than in Thailand.

I used to eat at a Thai restaurant in San Francisco that I thought was quite good. They had waitresses from Thailand that were in the US on student visas. Once I got to know them, they all told me the same thing, that the Thai food they served every day was terrible and that they would never eat there themselves, even for free.

And I used to eat Chinese food in various restaurants in the UK, it wasn't until went to a Chinese restaurant in China Town in 'Frisco that I had real Chinese food for the first time, it was dire by comparison. Later in life I would live in China and came to realize that the UK product had been westernized to such an extent that it bore no resemblance to the original, the original simply wouldn't sell.

The moral of the story being, I think Oscar prefers westernized Thai food to the real thing.

[AngelsLariat]

I've found that the food at TV sponsoring restaurants is consistently among the best in the world.

Tried the New Sports Bar on Hang Dong road?

The only place that you can get better sports food than there would be in the bleachers at Fenway.