Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Carna by Dario Cecchini

This Italian steakhouse is located on 39/F of Mondrian Hong Kong in TST, developed by the famous butcher Dario Cecchini who originate from Chianti in Tuscany. He has a belief of sustainability and promotes the idea to use all cuts of meat in cooking. There is a separate lift lobby with direct access to the restaurant, one floor up from the popular bar Avoca in the hotel.

At the circular reception there is a nice tinted glass mural, with the staff pouring us a glass of Chianti (or mocktail) and inviting us to try some prosciutto while checking our reservation. They are very friendly and creating a great first impression about the hospitality of the restaurant.

Seated at a table facing the windows, we can enjoy a great view looking at the harbour at an angle. The design of the restaurant is chic, with pattern tiles, plenty of wood fixtures and arches, circular ceiling lights giving a warm and cozy ambience. The overall atmosphere is very comfortable and already wins me over.

To pair with the food on the evening, I have ordered a bottle of Agricola Querciabella Batar 2020 ($1,580). This iconic Italian white wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, reminiscent of a Burgundy white with some classic minerality, lemon peel and jasmine, as well as some spice and pear. The vanilla characters are quite strong too.

The breadbasket contains Focaccia and Charcoal Carasau, with the former having a crisp surface nicely seasoned with some sea salt, and an airy interior. Perfect to go with the Sicily olive oil I have chosen. The latter is black toasted flatbread, crunchy and with a bit of smoky flavours. Both delicious. There are also some pickled vegetables to go along too.

We start with Burrata E Pomodoro Cimelio ($248). Featuring a trio of tomatoes, with cherry tomatoes, some tomato tartare, and a tomato gazpacho on the side, a soft and creamy Apulian Burrata cheese is placed on top, drizzled with some olive oil and black peppers to season. There are also some aromatic bread crumbles and a refreshing basil sorbet, which gives complex and refreshing flavours after mixing together. A very good starter.

Next is Chianti Tartare ($298), with the staff pulling a cart to prepare the dish on tableside. Using a meat tenderizer, she processes a rump of beef, before adding some garlic, black pepper, and paprika, a bit of zesty lemon juice, chili, Chianti salt, and plenty of olive oil to season. The choice of the meat is great, offering more intense flavours than the traditional use of lean tenderloin, with the seasoning on a lesser level to highlight the original taste of the beef. With a bit of rosemary to add to the fragrance, and some egg yolk and yuzu puree on the side, some sourdough toasts are provided to enjoy with the tartare. Really nice.

Coming to the main course it is Bistecca Alla Fiorentina ($1,980). The Porterhouse steak comprises of a tenderloin and sirloin on the two sides of the bone, about 1.2kg in size. The black angus beef comes from the famous producer Rangers Valley in Australia, having dry-aged for 45 days. After showing us the steak, the staff helps to cut into cubes for us to enjoy. The charcoal grill has imparted the steak with nice smoky flavours, cooked to medium level, with the meat tender and juicy. The staff also arranges five sauces, including Bearnaise, Green peppercorn, Chimichurri, Truffle sauce, Red wine sauce, as well as some sea salt to go with the steak. It is very nice but because the portion is so big we cannot finish all. Best to order if you have three people or more.

For dessert, we have Tiramisu di Casa ($208). It is of sharing portion. Under the rich cholate powder with the name of the restaurant depicted are layers of Savoiardi biscuit, coffee, and mascarpone cream. The soaked ladyfingers have an aromatic coffee note, with the slight bitterness balances with the sweetness of the cream cheese. Very delicious and despite already very full, we manage to finish the whole serving.

There is an end dessert provided, kind of like petits fours and signature in Italy. The Lemon Zest Sponge Cake has a fluffy texture, not excessively sweet, with the lemon zest giving a refreshing note and I also like the drizzle of olive oil on top.

On the night it is the Doraemon drone show and the restaurant is a good spot to look at that. The service is certainly one of the highlights. At the beginning the staff asks us on the temperature and volume of the music, helping to tune it down based on our feedback. Apart from introducing the menu, they also come to check in throughout the meal on the food. The bill on the night is $4,832. Overall, it is a great venue to enjoy some nice meat, in a comfortable environment surrounded by impeccable services. Highly recommend for beef-lover.