I honestly could not remember when’s the last time I was at Sabatini – don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my meals whenever I was there and I am a sucker for the old-school Italian trattoria vibe the restaurant is known for, along with its classic cooking style and many of its timeless signature dishes. I blame that on the location really, just slightly out of the way of where I usually hang out.
But I was excited to be at the restaurant just a week or so ago for their white truffle menu, just as the truffles prime season was well underway. I have had white truffle dishes a few times somewhere else this year already, but nothing like a spectacular menu where almost all of the dishes were dedicated to the prized ingredient, directly imported from Alba, Italy by one of the most reputable merchants in the area.
The restaurant décor didn’t change a thing just as I remembered, and I loved the cozy private room where we were seated in with a few friends, new and old. Replacing bouquet of flowers as table centrepiece was the star of the night, the white truffles under the glass dome, which released the unmistakable aroma just as the doom was lifted. I took that over any flowers or potpourri any time.
We began our 5-course menu with the appetizer of scampi served with mushrooms and black truffle sauce, followed by our first white truffle dish of scramble eggs served with bread, and plenty of truffles shaved on top in front of us. I have been told this year’s white truffle harvest was exceptional and I had to concur – the one we had that evening was not the ones that were pungent in your face but subtle and complex, even with a hint of floral scent.
Equally good was our next pasta course where most of us opted for the tagliolini rather than the risotto. Tagliolini is the pasta of choice in Piedmont, where the best (and most famous) white truffles were foraged, so naturally it’s a perfect combination, with the egg pasta just drizzled with a light butter sauce and with the white truffles. It was perfect, just as I expected.
I thought I would follow the theme of Northern Italian cuisine with picking Veal Milanese as my main course – that plus I have been craving something deep-fried for some time. And again, it’s presented just like what you have expected and the taste was spot-on. The veal chop was well marinated before dipping in the batter and deep-fried, and immediately made its way to our table. Flavorful with the crispy crust, and served with just a simple salad and a light balsamic dressing.
For dessert, we began with a scoop of ice-cream served with white truffles. What looked like a simple milk gelato worked like the perfect “backdrop” with its clean flavor and creamy texture for the enticing white truffles shavings on top being the highlight. Then our host H was kind enough to ask for the dessert cart to be wheeled in, where there were more desserts to choose from as our second sweet course. Hard to resist and pick from the many choices but at the end I went for the St Honore Gateau which was one of the signature desserts here. Great puff pastry crust combined with the rich pastry cream and chocolate mousse and paired with berry coulis on the side… I could see why there were customers complaining when they tried to take this off the menu some years ago. I didn’t usually comment on coffee but I swore the moment I sipped on my little cup of espresso macchiato, I was like, “wow this is what a real proper coffee should taste like”.
I realized I have been missing out for not coming here more often than I should.
(Dinner was by invitation and courtesy of The Royal Garden PR team)
When? November 2 2018
Where? Sabatini Ristorante Italiano Hong Kong, 3/F The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Road, Tsimshatsui East, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? The Classic Egg Tagliolini in Butter Sauce with White Truffles
Drinks?
2016 Caldora Terre Siciliane Pinot Grigio
2015 Elvio Cogno Barbaresco "Bordini"
Web:
www.rghk.com.hk/en/dining/sabatini.php
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