VivaVino’s Italian Restaurant is “something special”
Story and Photographs by Robert Lorimor
VivaVino’s Italian Restaurant and Bar is located in the newly built streetside atrium outside the Park Avenue@22 Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 22. Looking through the glass walls from outside, you can see the white clothed tables with their folded napkins and know this is a fine dining restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted by a friendly staff. Other staff members tend a wood-fired pizza oven along one wall of the restaurant. And in the corner, an acoustic trio, lead by Freddy on a guitar, play Italian and Spanish music to the guests.
To listen to Freddy play you begin to realize there is “something special” about how he plays his guitar and it is more than being a skilled guitarist. You will notice he can pick the guitar so quickly and yet so effortlessly. The notes are clear and defined, forming pleasant melodies.
Freddy, whose real name is Federico Marquez, plays along with brothers Godofredo and Richardo Vista. Godofredo plays the double bass and Richardo plays guitar. Freddy has been performing in Bangkok for over 35 years. All three band members are originally from the Philippines.
Before coming to Bangkok, Freddy worked during the Vietnam War for USO (United Services Organization) and toured to US bases throughout Vietnam and performed alongside American music sensations like Sonny James and Marty Robbins.
The restaurant guests who sit close enough to hear the trio’s music clap their appreciation between the songs. Some of the guests request some Thai songs which brings more claps and cheers.
“My guitar and I sing together,” Freddy explains during his break. To demonstrate, he plays and sings a few bars of the Beatles’ Yesterday. He picks the strings instead of strumming the cords. “I do it my way. Otherwise, where is the improvement,” he says.
The Italian Restaurant
Though VivaVino provides good music for entertainment, the guests come for the food prepared by executive chef Claudio Viale. He comes from Genova, Italy, which is famous for its basil pesto sauce and he has perfected his own basil pesto sauce recipe, and recommends his Al Pesto pasta dish to sample it.
“You must also try my pizza,” says Claudio in a heavy authentic Italian accent. “It’s little bit different. ‘Something special.’” Apparently, he even changes his pizza recipe for the dough every day based on the amount of humidity in the air.
The pizza we tried was perfect and delicious—Perfetto e squisito. Obviously, Claudio is a man who knows his pizza.
VivaVino serves traditional and classic Italian food. It is open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. They open again in the evening at 6 pm and remain open until 11 pm. VivaVino is at the Park Avenue@22 Hotel located at 30 Sukhumvit Soi 22 in Bangkok, Thailand.
For reservation, telephone: (66) 02 261 0000, fax: (66) 02-258 2328, or email: reservation@hotelparkavenue.com
Freddy and his band play from 6 pm in the evening until closing at 11 pm.
