It has been six years since my last visit to this Michelin 3-star restaurant in Alexandra House. Throughout the years, Chef Umberto Bombana has continued to expand his empire with restaurants of the same name in Macau and Shanghai, and also newer ventures like Tuber in K11 MUSEA. Returning tonight, we want to go back to the pinnacle of his empire and hopefully see the chef himself in action.
We are seated at the window side looking out to Chater Road, and the restaurant has the familiar look and feel that remind us of the good times in the prior visit. The soft lighting, comfortable and spacious seating, and the appropriate distance between tables all create a wonderful dining ambience, a luxurious yet relaxing vibe which already win customers over before any food or drink is served.
Starting with an aperitif, I order a glass of Champagne, Claude Cazals Cuvee Vive Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru ($300). With delicate nose, toasty aromas of honey and apricot, the wine is great on purity and freshness. A classic crisp Blanc de Blancs.
Decided to go for the Degustation Menu ($2,380), I also opt for wine pairing ($1,080). Coming first is the amuse bouche Marinated Ama-Ebi, with the Japan spot prawns having nice, sweet taste, serving with some finely diced Beetroot and Orange Emulsion to give a bit of citrusy with refreshing palate. Together with some Bitter Leaf Vegetables, a wonderful starter to stimulate our appetite.
To pair with the first course, the wine served is Faccoli Extra Brut Franciacorta NV, a sparkling from the famous DOCG in Lombardy. Made using traditional method, the wine has 70% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Bianco, 15% Pinot Nero. Good acidity with a dry mouthfeel, it has nice citrus and mineral characters.
The first course is Tuna Tartare. The tuna belly has been cut into small dices and marinated with yuzu citrus dressing, to balance the fatty tuna with nice acidity. With an abundance of Oscietra Caviar on top to supplement savoury flavours to the tuna, the chef also prepares a Basil Emulsion on the side, rich with nice herbal note to give an extra ‘Italian’ dimension to the dish. Another good dish.
The wine paired with the second course is Florami Indole 2019. Made from 100% indigenous, ungrafted Falanghina, this wine from Campania has an intense nose of yellow flowers, grapefruit, and herbs, with also some saline characters. A nice and interesting wine that I would like to explore more.
The second course is Roasted Blue Lobster. The meaty Brittany lobster tail is cooked perfectly, with a crunchy texture and beautiful umami taste. The chef has paired with some tender Tasmania White Asparagus, serving with a highly flavourful Lobster Sauce, with the concentrated lobster essence so tasty I almost want to lick the plate. A must-try in my opinion.
The next wine is Abrigo Giovanni Barolo Ravera 2015. The wine has a wonderful aroma, with lots of pleasant red fruit, with good earthy characters and robust tannin that are a perfect match with mushrooms in the upcoming course. The sommelier also reminds me to save some for the white truffle risotto later.
The third course is Tagliatelle. The homemade pasta has a fantastic texture, served with Mushrooms Ragout and Fresh Matsutake Mushrooms. After mixing together, the aromas of matsutake permeate to the tagliatelle, with the ragout further enriching the flavours to an extra level. It is pure joy eating this dish and I would rate this pasta as one of the best in town. Another must-order.
Now being white truffle season, and with Chef Bombana hailed as ‘King of White Truffles’, we have ordered the Alba White Truffle Risotto ($1,190) to share. Seeing the chef himself coming over to shave is like watching a star performance. Even at a distance we can smell the wonderful aromas of the white truffle, and despite we share just one order, he has shaved a generous amount for each of us. Having checked with us beforehand, the risotto has been cooked to our preference, slightly softer than the traditional style. With Mushroom Jus and the white truffles mixed together, this is a dish that will be on the list of ‘last dish I want to eat before I die’.
The wine paired with my main course is Podere Sanlorenzo Brunello di Montalcino Bramante 2014. Coming from a small producer in the region, with only 2600 bottles produced annually, the wine has good red cherries, dried figs, cedar, and earthy notes, rounded and robust, with its liquorice characters going well with the lamb.
For the main course, there are two choices. My wife opts for Short Rib & Beef Tenderloin, with Whipped Potato, Red Wine and Plum Sauce, while I go for Baby Lamb from Aveyron. Very beautifully presented, the lamb is served in two cuts, with the rack and loin, cooked to perfect medium rare, nicely seasoned and paired with a delicious lamb jus. On the side are some Brussels Sprouts and Greens, Black Olives and Caponata, providing the great complement in texture and flavours to the lamb. A great dish.
After cleaning up, the staff pulls a cart in front of our table to prepare the pre-dessert. Mixing the lemon sorbet with a bit of limoncello, grappa and prosecco, he vigorously whisks them together to make a Sgroppino, before dusting some Campania lemon zest on top. With refreshing citrus acidity balancing well with sweetness, and a touch of alcohol, it is a great palate cleanser. However, the most amazing and memorable element is definitely the soft ice-cream texture.
The wine pairing for my dessert is I Capitelli Anselmi 2016. This sweet passito wine is made from Garganega, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with the grapes left to dry in well-ventilated rooms before fermentation. Having nice and complex aromas with plenty of apricot, honey, and pear notes, it is a perfect match with the citrusy dessert of Amalfi lemon.
There are also two choices for dessert, with my wife going for Hazelnut ‘Millefoglie’, Hazelnut Gelato and Vanilla Sauce, and for me it is Amalfi Lemon, with a base of Amalfi lemon cream, then some Citrus Salad on top, together with Mascarpone Sorbet. Very refreshing and citrusy, the balance between acidity and sweetness is perfect. As the hazelnut dessert is also very good, it is a difficult decision to pick among the two.
Included in the tasting menu is Coffee or Tea, and after a nice cup of Double Espresso we are served the Petits Fours. There are various choices from the cart, and I end up picking Panettone Bread, Chocolate Brownie with Figs, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffle. All are great in taste and going well with the coffee, indulging us on the finale of a fantastic and highly satisfactory meal.
Service is very good, with the staff all friendly and attentive. Not only did they explain the courses well, but the sommelier also goes into details showcasing the wines and its unique characters, how it matches with the food. He is also thoughtful, topping up the Barolo so I have sufficient wine to go with the additionally ordered white truffle risotto. The bill on the night is $8,168 and while it is not cheap, in my opinion it is worth the dollar. For the overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant as the best among the three-stars in town.
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