Estro
Chef Antimo Maria Merone began his first ever solo venture with Estro after helming Otto 8 ½ e Mezzo Bombana Macau from 2014-2021. Chef Antimo’s handmade pasta dish takes the form of a bottoni, a small, circular pasta similar to ravioli, but with a higher pasta to filling ratio. For a unique take on the classic Italian pasta, Chef Antimo draws inspiration from an iconic Neapolitan dish: eggplant parmigiana. Thin layers of handmade pasta encase a perfect ratio of eggplant, basil, eggplant liquid and parmigiano emulsion, before the neatly packed bottoni pouch is glazed with tomato jus and finished with tomato powder. The perfectly al-dente pasta is quite literally bursting with flavour, with a contrast of tastes from the sharpness of the parmigiano to the sweetness of the tomatoes, while the reduced tomato glaze has been strategically plated to ensure that each bite has an equal amount of filling and sauce.
2/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central; estro.hk
Pazzi Ishokonmei
Fusing the buzzing energy of a Japanese izakaya with Italian fine-dining formalities, Pazzi Ishokonmei highlights quality Japanese ingredients with traditional Italian cooking techniques. The miso crab tagliolini sees fresh, handmade tagliolini pasta paired with a flavourful sauce made with Japanese crabmeat, crab roe paste and miso. The miso adds depth and complexity to the fresh sweetness of the Japanese crab meat, while the addition of crab roe paste deepens the umami flavours, the rich sauce adhering to the springy texture of each tagliolini strand. Chef Ky To was first taught how to make tagliolini at 24 years old by an Italian chef, and uses a roller machine on handmade dough to achieve the desired thickness before folding and hand cutting the pasta.
2/F, H Queens, 80 Queens Road Central, Central; pazzi.com.hk
Ami
Helmed by Chef Nicolas Boutin, Ami / Wood Ear is a refined French restaurant boasting casual Parisian dishes in a relaxed yet intimate setting. Chef Nicolas was inspired to create this unique handmade pasta dish after trying the unlikely pairing of basil and truffles in the south of France. Once he has crafted the delicate strands of pasta from homemade dough, Chef Boutin then combines the potency of truffles with aromatic Thai basil and an umami-rich shellfish sauce for a savoury explosion of flavours. The Thai Basil adds a hint of sweetness to the dish, while brightening the thicker, rich sauce, which coats each strand of the al-dente pasta.
Shop 302, 3/F, Alexandra House, Landmark, 18 Chater Road, Central; ami-woodear.hk
Giacomo
Chef Keith Yam makes his debut as Executive Chef at Giacomo after spending the past 20 years cutting his teeth in some of the finest Italian restaurants Hong Kong has to offer, from Tosca di Angeló at The Ritz-Carlton to revered 3 Michelin star 8 ¹⁄₂ Otto e Mezzo Bombano. The Brittany Blue Lobster Sardinian Gnocchi perfectly encapsulates Chef Yam’s talent and masterful manipulation of ingredients: the gnocchi takes over 24 hours to be handcrafted in-house, while Yam has opted for a higher proportion of Italian wheat durum to potato for a lighter, fluffier mouthfeel. The delicate flavours of Brittany Blue Lobster are enhanced by a reduced lobster stock, where lobster heads, fish stock and vegetables have simmered together for 24 hours for a complete immersion of flavours. The stock is then combined with the lobster and Hokkaido sea urchin for added umami and textural play, while the gnocchi provides a silky-smooth yet al-dente vessel to enjoy each and every bite.
8 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay; 3980 3008
Photography & Styling: Samantha Sin & Ella Wong of Freeze Imaging
Editor
Carina Fischer
