It’s time for Alba’s ‘culinary diamonds’ to grace restaurant menus again, and here are the eateries to find them
White truffles from Alba are arguably the food of the gods. We checked out the best places around Hong Kong to sample the decadent earthy flavours of this funghi.
1. Nicolini's
The esteemed Italian institution housed inside the Conrad Hotel is famous for its authentic champagne brunch. This year chef Riccardo Catarsi created a sumptuous new menu from jet-fresh white truffles from Alba, Italy.
Diners can look forward to items like pan-fried foie gras, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet shallots and white truffle (HK$620, US$79, large portion), and end the meal with a divine white truffle chocolate parfait (HK$280).
Level 8, Conrad Hotel, 88 Queensway, Central
7 of the best places in Hong Kong to savour white truffles this season
2. Giando
As far as truffle menus go, this is the best deal in town. For HK$898 Giando has added earthy goodness to its six-course 15th anniversary meal, which includes seared scallop wrapped with pork cheek on corn puree, Italian clams and black truffle sauce, home-made potato gnocchetti on cheese fondue and shaved white truffle.
Shop 1, G/F, Tower, Starcrest Block 1, 9 Star St, Wan Chai
3. Sabatini
This Italian institution is famous for its steadfast white truffle menu each year. While classics such as scrambled organic egg on toast with white truffle (HK$520) and egg tagliolini in butter sauce with white truffle (HK$688) still grace the menu, diehard fans can look forward to new items such as Roman-style beef consomme with beaten egg and white truffle.
3/F, The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East
Rich Hongkonger pays US$132,000 for huge 1kg white truffle
4. Zuma
You can never have a dull meal at Zuma, so you can expect the seasonal tubers to be given a special treatment at one of the trendiest eateries in town. Sink your teeth in one of the six seasonal dishes such as wild mushrooms kamameshi rice with truffle butter (HK$880), or the seared toro with caviar, wafu sauce and hana hojiso with truffle shavings (HK$680).
Don't forget to try the white truffle and cheese pancake souffle with caramelised pecan crunch and lemon sorbet (HK$390) that is sure to tantalise your taste buds.
Landmark Level 5 & 6, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central
5. Octavium
As the only chef to receive a three-Michelin star rating for an Italian restaurant outside Italy, Umberto Bombana is an iconic figure among chefs in Hong Kong. Octavium has been described as his private dining rooms, and at the helm of the kitchens is chef Silvio Armanni, who has some amazing dishes to accentuate the best of the truffle season.
Must-tries include tagliolini with Alba white truffle, Parmesan cheese and butter emulsion (HK$980), and Italian organic fried egg with savoy cabbage Alba white truffle (HK$980).
Where does Western toast, or Hong Kong French toast, come from?
8/F, 22 Des Voeux Road, Central
6. Aqua
Aqua has prepared two omakase white truffle menus for those who want to indulge. Delicious dishes include roast suckling pig and foie gras ravioli in a white truffle sauce, grilled Wagyu karubi yakiniku and lotus with garlic soy sauce, and white truffle panna cotta with poached pear.
Prices range from HK$988 for five courses to HK$1,188 for eight courses. If that's not enough, you can wash it down with a White Truffle Waltz cocktail for an extra HK$228.
29/F, Penthouse, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
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