Piedmont cuisine is so different to your usual Italian fare like pizza because of its location and climate. You won't find olives growing well there hence root vegetables are used and you will find risotto cooked with butter instead of olive oil.
I had the 7 course set which meant I could try more variety and all the courses on the menu were worth trying.
Started with their house made crusty bread:
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Roasted Pepper with Parmesan Cheese:
This was a nice appetizer to tease the palate.
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Smoked lake trout:
The first course started well with the smoked lake trout which I found it comforting because I always have that in UK and it is rarely served in Hong Kong unless some restaurant imports it. The trout was not overly smokey complemented well by the berry gels on top.
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Fassona beef broth and vegetables:
Next was the soup which was warm soup with beef tartare on the spoon. The tartare was the finest I have ever had, you begin with the beef tartare, then the soup and finish with the pickles. I loved it the way the tartare was not over seasoned so that you could taste the beef and the warm soup adjusts your palate with savouryness and then the pickles get you ready for the next course.
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Risotto with black garlic and river prawns:
As mentioned earlier, many dishes use butter instead like this one so the risotto was very rich but the black garlic was a good element in mellowing out the butter with its sweetness.
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Carbonara Au Koque:
Homemade taglioni and Vigezzo valley cured ham. This was no ordinary Carbonara, I loved the way the sauce was poured on when it was served. The best thing was the cured ham on top which was crispy and thin. Every mouthful was sinfully delicious with creamy strands of pasta and the saltiness from the cured ham crisps.
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Corregone Lake fish glazed with black cherry:
Again, this another dreamy moment, delicate fish in an aromatic sweet black cherry sauce. On the side was rainbow chards which I haven't had in ages, again another vegetable that I always take for granted in UK. On top there were fresh blackberries and raspberries.
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Fassona beef:
The last main dish before dessert was the beef which was soft and supple in a bed of silkilicious mash with crumbs. It was definitely a satisfying main before dessert.
Tiramisu:
Dessert was a playful twist of the past, present and future in the form of Tiramisu. My favourite was the middle one which was sweet and creamy, while the chocolate bonbon had a bitter twist.
There was more to come with hazelnuts and truffle chocolate which was a perfect ending.
I would definitely recommend this place as every course is a surprise and it is helmed by Marco Sacco.
CASTELLANA:
10/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay
