The newly-opened DaVinci restaurant is one of the most traditional Italian restaurants on the island of Phuket, Thailand and is located in the southernmost part of the island in Nai Harn village, an idyllic, quiet location far from the crowds of Kata, Karon and Patong. The restaurant has two dining areas, one which is in an Alfresco setting with chandeliers and a beautiful decor while the other offers a more relaxed atmosphere with a children’s play area so parents can enjoy the food. There is also a Cocktail & Wine Bar called the ‘V’ Lounge, where many residents of the island go to relax and chill out to the music before or after dinner. DaVinci also offers a private dining room capable of seating up to 36 people which can be used for parties, weddings or business meetings.
The restaurant strives to offer cuisine that is simple yet sophisticated in its preparation and presentation, made from locally sourced, fresh ingredients. But it doesn’t stop there; co-owners Mark Norris and David Roberts are committed to ensuring that the meal is simply one part of the overall DaVinci experience of taste, service and atmosphere.
“I believe that it is the multi-faceted side of the restaurant that attracts a lot of customers, it’s almost four restaurants in one. Having these four elements really works to create an environment that people want to visit and hang out, rather than a place where you simply walk in, eat your food and leave.”
Roberts continues: “We really are maximising what we’ve got in terms of location and climate as well – what better than to be able to sit out at night and look up at the stars in such a fabulous tropical environment?”
Of course it helps to have such a strong brand image behind you, says Norris: “The name has received so much exposure over recent years with The DaVinci Code and so on. At the same time, we considered that the Vitruvian Man was a symbol that was instantly recognisable worldwide.”
“Leonardo DaVinci, all of those wonderful ideas, as well as his work as an artist, all of this expressed for us the ambition behind the brand; we had bigger ideas than simply opening a restaurant,” explains Roberts.
The restaurant is indeed attractive to all age groups, and very deliberately so; there is a Bridge Club twice a week for older customers, for instance, whilst the lounge is very popular with the 18-22 age group, and the restaurant is extremely child-friendly, as seen with the play area."
For the full article, please see the September 2010 issue.
|
