Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Grissini

This Italian restaurant is in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, located in Wanchai. The setting is nice, with cozy ambiance, luxurious decor, and a fantastic view looking into the Victoria Harbour. Even though there are many constructions going on in the area that view was still quite pleasant.

On the night we ordered the tasting menu, 'Italian Itinerary' by Chef Alessandro Cozzolino, with the wine pairing. Apart from an amuse-bouche the restaurant has generously provided every customer a glass of Prosecco for free to begin.

The first course is La Capasanta 'Ammaritata'. The scallop is seared nicely, and even at a distance we can already smell the beautiful aromas. The taste is equally great with the texture soft and not rubbery. Underneath is the mousse prepared from greens, on top of some toasted pine nuts crushed into crumble, providing an interesting contrast of creamy and crunchy palate. A good appetizer to start, but the Sauvignon Blanc paired, in my opinion, left a bitter aftertaste and affected the overall experience.

The second course is La Zuppetta di Pomodori Dell'agro Sarnese Nocerino. Essentially a San Marzano tomato soup, there is a cherry tomato tartar in the middle, with some homemade vanilla cappelletti. The soup is thick and nearly a puree, with good acidity and freshness. But comparatively the tomato tartar was sort of being masked and apart from some bite did not give additional flavor to the soup. On the other hand, the cappelletti is good, with a perfect texture and interesting vanilla fillings. The wine paired is a Barbera which got sufficient acidity to match with the dish.

The third course is Gli Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe con Frutti del mar Mediterraneo. Personally I like this the most among the dishes, with the home made potato gnocchi soft yet offer a little bite, and every one resembling a small scallop. The Mediterranean seafood are fresh and flavorful, and the overall taste is enhanced by the savory Pecorino cheese and black pepper. The wine paired is a Verdercchio, a native white grape from the Marche region, with almond notes to complement and is a good match.

The fourth course is Il Tenero di Manzo, Rapa Rossa, Mosto Cotto. The seared beef tenderloin is tender, with a celeriac cream accompanying and a grape must baked beetroot on top. However I found the beef was not seasoned sufficiently, and the taste was thus a bit weak. The beetroot flavor in my opinion also did not particularly match with the beef. A bit disappointing honestly as it is the only main dish and should be the focus on the night. The wine paired is a Chianti which is nice.

The fifth and last course is Cioccolato Lamponi, a 80% dark chocolate mousse with raspberries and blackberries on the side. The chocolate is rich and sweet, balanced well with the high tartness of the berries. A decent dessert by itself, with the recioto red wine made from dried grapes providing a good complement.

Included in the menu is coffee or tea, and we had a nice cup of coffee to wrap up. Overall the dinner is not bad, but considering the fame of the restaurant and the hotel itself one would expect more. And in my memory I also thought I had better experience in the last few times I visited. Is it because they have adjusted the menu to fit a lower price point? I am not sure.

With the tasting menu for two, wine pairing for one, and a bottle of water the total bill was $2516, and that was after a 15% discount from credit card promotion. The price was quite reasonable for a 5-star hotel restaurant but like I said the quality may be a bit below expectation. Also, the restaurant was very busy on the night and that also affect the service. Like I mentioned many times in my review, the interactions between the staff with the customer is important. It is not just checking with the guests whether the food is ok, but more to introduce the food and leading them on the culinary journey is what a top restaurant should offer. Unfortunately I could not get it here.