IL MILIONE (Closed)

名氣大過真實。我們慕名以為米芝蓮餐廳，食品應該好有水準。怎知碟碟都好失望，尤其那主菜，把乳鴿的內藏醸入乳鴿內，乳鴿極少肉，未淡，而那內藏難食到要吐出。最後以為個甜品好D啦，但都係唔好食，連中意食甜品的小孩子都食吾晒，成餐食完個肚一D都唔滿足，仲要成$1600位一個lunch, 真激氣 continue reading

香港的意大利餐廳委實不少, 但要得到米芝蓮的推介, 就不是那麼容易了. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA, l'altro之外, 在14年就多了兩個生力軍, 分別是Tosca以及Il Milione. 是晚跟文迪慶祝生日, 就選定了Il Milione為目的地, 且看這家米芝蓮一星的店子水準如何.Il Milione的意思就是馬可孛羅遊記, 大廚來到香港, 是否就像馬可孛羅一樣, 把意大利文化引入香港呢? 星期一的晚上來到, 店子人客不算太多, 大約半滿. 其實店子的門面有點像外地的星店, 帶點低調的感覺, 但內裡的裝修就相當華麗. 兩口子來到這裡慶祝, 單計環境一項, 是相當不俗, 幾浪漫的. 看看餐牌, 有不少菜式不太適合大肚婆吃, 就在商議下挑選了三道心水菜式, 再加兩款甜品, 應該很滿足了.麵包: 先來的例牌是麵包, 份量相當不少, 很喜歡熱辣辣的墨汁包, 夠鬆軟, 而grissini亦幾香脆, 有水準.Amuse Bouche: 餐前小食是芝士條, 芝士味道香濃, 夠脆身. 面頭還配上一小塊魚肉, 帶點鹹香, 兩者的配合是幾特別的.Tortelli di verza $220: 8分, 澱粉質類的食物比較適合文迪, 就在當中揀了其中兩款pasta分吃. 首先吃到的是Tortelli, 這款意大利雲吞質感對辦, 不會太厚身, 入面的餡料只是簡簡單單的savoy cabbage, 味道清新, 也是比較健康的食材. 或許只有savoy cabbage會是太寡了, 大廚在面頭加上了Ragusa芝士碎片, 芝士香濃郁, 底下就是來自Trasimeno的豆, 是幾軟稔的, 跟Tortelli同吃, 這個配搭也不俗的.Ravioli di ricotta $360: 9分, 吃完Tortelli之後, 另外一道澱粉質菜式就是Ravioli, 單計擺盤及賣相, 實在是相當精緻, 更有法菜的風範. 其實從這些細節位中也可以得知為何店子能夠得到一星的榮譽. Ravioli的餡料包括有ricotta芝士以及來自Amalfi的檸檬, 香濃的芝士香跟檸檬的清新味道結合在一起, 是幾refreshing的. 伴碟的包括有西蘭花, 櫻桃番茄以及皇帝蟹肉等等, 鮮甜的皇帝蟹肉正好提升了Ravioli的味道, 令人滿意.Filetto di manzo $680: 9分, 主菜方面, 只是揀選了一客, 但其實份量也不少, 足夠我們兩個人分吃. 這客tenderloin又像是藝術品一般的精美, 當然要先切件牛試試, 肉味濃郁, 肉質相當嫩滑, 中間帶點淺粉紅, 火候控制得很好. 面頭加上了來自Norcia的黑松露, 松露香是幾突出的, 跟tenderloin同吃, 有很好的錦上添花功效. 底下還配上一塊鴨肝, 煎得很香口, 吸收了牛柳的肉味, 這塊鴨肝, 大美味! 當然, 伴碟的還有薯蓉以及洋蔥, 也是不容錯過的項目呢.Pre-dessert: 甜品還未到, 店方首先送上Pre-dessert, 是炸麵包粒, 很香脆, 點上的朱古力醬帶相當濃烈的朱古力味道, 小巧的份量, 恰如其分.Cioccolato al cocco $160: 9分, 到了甜品的部份, 先來的是Cioccolato al cocco, 店方推介的甜品. 先切開看看, 朱古力蛋糕沒有預期中的流心度, 不過朱古力就是幾濃烈的. 很喜歡椰子granita的質感, 椰子香亦很突出, 正好平衡了朱古力的味道. 另外還配上香蕉慕絲, cereal grains以及coffee reduction, 香蕉味道幾香甜, 再加上點點咖啡香, 讓這客甜品的層次感更為豐富.Bignè caramellati $120: 9分, 另外一款甜品就是Bignè, 其實質感有點像泡芙, 帶點脆身, 入面的餡料就是吉士忌廉, 味道香甜, 當中帶點點酒香, 因為大廚是加入了Vin Santo在內. 底下的醬汁是由香橙, 檸檬以及紅蘿蔔混合而成, 由於三款食材都是比較清新的, 點上Bignè同吃也會是不俗的配搭.Petit Fours: 其實一早在訂位的時候跟店方提及這次是為太太慶祝生日, 吩咐在甜品上加上祝賀語句, 但怎知道兩款甜品也沒有任何異樣, 內心正有點擔心之際, 原來店方是把這個環節留在Petit Fours的時候才送上. 造型實在相當之美麗, 如果打算來慶祝生日的朋友, 記得要預先安排呢. 說回Petit Fours本身, 很喜歡madeleine, 質感鬆軟, 味道微甜. 曲奇餅亦很香脆, 加上香濃的朱古力, 這客Petit Fours, 交足功課呢!Il Milione這家一星店子, 無論在食物質素, 配搭, 環境以及服務皆是相當高水準的, 特別要推介Filetto di manzo, Cioccolato al cocco以及Bignè caramellati. 埋單每位$847, 計及這裡的地段及整體質素, 還是很合理的. 喜歡吃意大利菜的朋友, 這家一星店會是個很好的選擇呢! continue reading

中環區已經有不少高級餐廳，當又有一家高級意大利餐廳Il Milione 開張時，我實在很想看看這餐廳有什麼不同之處。Il Milione 主要是供應意大利Umbria 一帶的菜式，運用新鮮，合時的材料來煮出一些不花巧的美食。Il Milione的主廚是意大利人Marco Gubbiotti，而材料每星期兩次由Umbria空運來餐廳。餐廳晚餐價錢每位大概$1,000以上，但最近新推出一個Executive Lunch，$180-$210有一道主菜及一杯酒或其他飲品。主菜份量正常，不算大份，但味道一流，絕對是有水準的一頓午餐!One thing we certainly don't lack in Central is expensive, high-end restaurants that cater to the office crowd. So when the new kid on the block Il Milione opened, it had to distinguish itself from the many other fine dining restaurants in the area.Located on the ground floor of Hutchison House, Il Milione exudes class and elegance as soon as you push open its giant brass door. In tones of black and gold, this luxurious and subtly sombre venue seems destined to become a playground amongst the rich. The bar showcases an unapologetically vast selection of liqueurs - Il Milione currently stocks the largest collection of gins amongst restaurants in Asia, and bartender Giancarlo Mancino (previously of 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo) has designed an impressive cocktails list with a focus on vintage 1930s cocktails. His unique Mancino’s Negroni Ragazzino is worth a mention, as it is made with Giancarlo's own brand of vermouth, Mancino Vermouth.Named after named after Marco Polo’s travelogue, Il Milione's drinks menu is printed on a newspaper-style card, with Marco Polo's image printed on it.Besides the impressive drinks list, the restaurant also serves a fine selection of Umbrian dishes - head chef Marco Gubbiotti, who grew up with Umbrian cuisine, creates simple yet sophisticated offerings using fresh, seasonal ingredients flown in from Umbria twice a week.The service was gracious and polished without being overbearing. The price for dinner is around $1,000 or above per head, which is to be expected for a restaurant of such calibre. However, there is now a new Executive Lunch at Bar, which only costs around $180-$210 and includes one main course and one alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink from a selected list. This is a great bargain for trying out some of Il Milione's refined cuisine and exquisite cocktails!Every dish at Il Milione was prepared with care and attention. Our culinary journey began with some fine Italian breads that were prepared using premium flour and natural yeast. The Umbrian extra virgin olive oil smelled and tasted startlingly fragrant.To me, it is almost a sin to turn down artisanal breads. Seeing how much I enjoyed the bread basket, the manager very kindly brought me some bread that was usually served at dinner - housemade grissini, and bread rolls in four different flavours: pork fat, butter, squid ink and cherry tomato. Each roll was distinctive and delicious in its own way - I felt completely satiated, yet I could not wait to try the other dishes that awaited!(1) Finding it a bit too early to drink, I turned down the enticing cocktails and went for a Detox Drink, made with blueberries, strawberries, goji, brown rice, coconut oil and raw chocolate powder. Not only was this drink packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants, it was also insanely delicious! Fruit bits and brown rice gave it a desirable texture, while the cocoa powder completely lifted its flavours.(2) For a light meal, the Organic Spelt Salad is a healthy option that packs a punch. The organic spelt gave the salad a great bite, while the roasted zucchini, eggplant and red prawns offered a terrific range of flavours. The sauce, made from a prawn reduction, was fully flavoured and tasted sea-fresh.(3) The Gragnano short pasta "Puttanesca" style took a bit longer to arrive, but its flavours were faultless. The pasta was perfectly al dente - the chef could not have done it any better - and was cooked with chopped anchovies, capers and olives in an intentionally salty tomato sauce. This impeccable dish satisfied me from the stomach to the soul.(4) A Spaghetti Mancini with clams from the Mediterranean sea also completely won me over. The spaghetti had the perfect texture, but the real gem was the Mediterranean clams, which were just cooked without being in the heat for a second longer than necessary and were utterly tender. This pasta left me speechless with awe, and at the same time I prayed that the portion was a tad bigger.(5) For those wanting a more substantive main course, the Beef Cutlet "Milanese" style with mashed potato and mixed salad would be your choice. The beef cutlet was attractively dry and crisp on the surface, while marvellously tender in the middle - a simple and brilliant dish that would keep you full and satisfied.(6) Desserts can be ordered separately, and we went for some Deep Fried Custard ($50). Presented in a glass jar, these fried ovals looked ordinary but tasted explosively good. Inside a thin, airy layer of crust was warm, light-as-air custard - this dessert was unmissable.(7) We also shared an Italian Tiramisu ($85). Each spoonful was sublimely creamy, and the crushed biscuits on top of the tiramisu did wonders to it, adding not only exotic flavours but also a magnificent element of crunch.(8) Straying from my preferred latte, I decided to try out the bar's Mauro Espresso Long Drink, which was made with double espresso shaken with home made vanilla syrup (we asked for a non-alcoholic version). This chilled drink was invigorating and tasty even without a trace of milk.Some friends who have visited Il Milione within its first few months of opening thought that the kitchen needed to iron out some kinks. Based on my recent lunch visit, it seems that the restaurant has managed to fine-tune its cuisine, as the execution of dishes was spot on, which showed off the chef's strong foundation in classic Umbrian cooking. With an elegant and luxurious decor, an army of attentive staff and an enviable food and drinks menu, Il Milione is going strong amidst the fierce competition in Hong Kong's fine dining scene. continue reading

I visited this restaurant with some friends from out of town. As someone else had picked the restaurant, I didn't know what to expect. The decor was very upscale and trendy, and the service was prompt. The night that we were here, we had 3 set menus to choose from differing by price range. Sharing with a friend, I ended up tasting the food from 2 set menus.The scallop was nicely seared surrounded by a pool of foam. It was cooked just right and tasted naturally sweet.The pasta with the lobster was a bit thick. The texture was a bit doughy but not chewy like other pastas. Didn't really like it.The sea bass arrived on top of a variety of vegetables. The skin was crispy while the fish itself was flakey. The lamb was cooked medium rare while the outside was encrusted with herbs and nuts. The taste was just average and not memorable. The pistachio cream inside the cannoli was too thick. It was hard to finish the whole thing as I prefer desserts to be lighter in texture. Overall it was a nice dining experience but it sure was pricey and I'm not sure it was worth it.  continue reading

本來想去尖沙咀的Angelini，但一想到鴨仔將整個尖沙咀癱瘓掉的威力，馬上打了幾下退堂鼓。D提議到和記大廈的新餐廳試試，而我從不知道在那個角落，竟開了一間意大利餐廳。餐廳的門口像有錢人架步，有一扇巨型的門，金碧輝煌。有個像典型意大利黑幫的健碩男人，站在門前兇神惡煞很COOL的模樣，但見到我們想推門進去，馬上露出亮白的牙齒與我們招呼。推開重型的門，先是酒吧的位置。當時才六點多，侍應說餐廳六點半才開，建議我們先喝一杯。充滿冒險精神的我，叫同行的人幫我了杯COCKTAIL。而那裡的雞尾酒，多以意大利酒做主調，附以其它果汁或什麼來調和的。喝了第一口後，即時的感覺是：葉問來了！因為那杯東西，只有一個味，就是藥酒。同行的人見我喝到皺眉，就咕噥我少見多怪，說意大利酒就是那種味道啦（這間食肆的某些意大利酒，是。自。家。釀。製。的。）！ummm.......好經辛苦才喝完全杯。未足七點，我們已坐進了餐廳。餐前的麵包我給他們十個讚！熱熱的，味道鮮明的，色澤豐富的兩盤包放在我們面前，我覺得墨魚汁那款與蕃茄包都是人間美味。接著經理前來招呼，介紹我們有什麼酒好喝；配什麼食物可達更佳效果之類。期間我們點了Sparkling Wine，也點了紅酒。食物方面，每人要了一個頭盤，雞肉意式雲吞就SHARE食，然後每人也要了一個主菜：帶子：那個泡沬加上下面的豆子，吃起來不錯，但說實在，$200一碟的話，我又覺得不太值。帶子煎得只是合格而已。牛肉他他：經理前來說，他們的牛都是很有嚼頭的，而且為了要顧客品嚐最正宗的味道，他們選擇什麼調味也不下，希望我們能專注地吃到牛肉的原味。嗯，吃慣重口味TARTAR的我，這刻反而有點不習慣。都OK，不過牛肉的確不是淋滑那種，相反，帶點粗獷。雞肉意式雲吞（共四顆，由於我們表明是SHARE來吃，所以上桌時已分好一人兩顆）：我不喜歡吃！那個汁，分明就是港式的照燒汁味道！！！而口味與我走兩極的D，則覺得這個雲吞好味道，又說雞有雞味（我吃不出，抱歉）。Suckling Pig：嗯，沒什麼特別。Beef Cheek + Sirloin：依然是那隻牛，很有嚼頭！牛仔面不好吃，太乾，一點膠質也吃不出，失敗！甜品要了berry sorbet + 開心果蓉混合不知什麼甜到黐線的東西。嗯，其實是好味和精緻的，但我現在不太受得了甜。一看裝修，再看地段，就知道是大財團支撐著的餐廳。新淨，有格調，每位侍應都西裝畢挺。有餐廳的侍酒師，西人與本地侍應是4:6的比例。唯一我的疑問是，既然每位侍應上餐或拿刀叉來時都戴了手套，顯得悉心呵護杯碟餐具，但刀叉為何都是花痕斑斑呢？其二，酒杯不是不乾淨，但明顯杯面上有好些細碎的塵埃（或者是抺巾遺留下來的痕跡）。我自問不算苛刻，但作為一間走高檔路線的食肆，這個是有必要修正一下的。忘了說，這間的酒水收費，平均是頗貴的。整體而言，感覺都OK，但未必是我想短期再光惠的食肆。 continue reading