Angelini, the Italian restaurant at Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel last month welcomed world renowned chef Valentino Marcattilii from Ristorante San Domenico, Imola Italy as guest chef.

Chef Valentino, co-owner and executive chef of the Michelin two-star Ristorante San Domenico, is best known for a more simplistic and conservative approach on the interpretation of traditional Italian dishes. He has great respect for tradition, simplicity and fresh ingredients which turned out to be his prelude to success. His apprenticeship at some of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in France including Auberge de l'ιll and Troisgros early in his career, also left a long lasting impression in his cooking.

We arrived right on time at 7pm. Situated on the mezzanine floor of the hotel, Angelini has a decent but unspectacular view of the Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline. The dining room was predominantly beige and red in color tones, providing a warm and modern atmosphere. It reminded me a bit of the Steakhouse from the Intercontinental Hotel.This marked just our second visit to the restaurant, the first since we had a quick bite here back in 2005 when the restaurant made its debut. That dining experience as I recalled was a disappointing one with very average food and inept service particularly for a hotel restaurant. We were definitely hoping for a much better experience this time around.

We started off with a very simple amuse bouche of seared tuna with onion and beans. There was a white bean puree on the side.

This was an amuse bouche that was indicative of Chef Valentino's style - simple preparation of food. I personally like simple but the taste of the tuna slice could have been much much better (2/5).

Not the start we were looking for from a 2-star chef. Perhaps the starters would turn things around. I had the ginger marinated red shrimps with citrus flavoured extra virgin olive oil which was fairly good. The ginger flavor was minimal and that allowed the naturally rich flavor of the red shrimps to be the dominant force here (3/5). Another starter was a poached lobster tail with green pea foam and caramelised treviso chicory.

I believe it was the lightest-flavored lobster dish I have had for a long long time. The lobster tail had the perfect texture but it desperately needed some sort of seasoning to elevate its sweetness. And unfortunately the green pea foam failed to deliver (3/5). The seared goose liver escalope with crispy leek and white celery fondue was easily the best starter so far. The goose liver was seared to a perfect golden brown color and it was crispy outside with moist inside. Although seasoning was again minimal, the goose liver probably didn't need that extra push (3.5/5). For my pasta dish, I took the toasted onion risotto and gravy caramelised with Marsala Wine and sugar cane. The risotto was very rich and honestly a bit heavy but nevertheless delicately delicious (3.5/5). But the star of the night was Chef Valentino's signative dish - ravioli filled with Egg in “San Domenico” Style with sweetened Parmigiano truffle and nut butter.

The taste of the ravioli was a little complex after having egg yolk, white truffles, mozzarella cheese, spinach and mushroom all stuffed under a single piece of ravioli. It was a little heavy but it was way too good for us not to finish it all (4.5/5). Main course was a tough choice between fish and beef. First up was my dover sole fillet with artichoke in mint flavoured white wine sauce. In all honesty, I have never liked dover sole fish to begin with so it would really take a lot here to impress me.

The dover sole fillet was curled during the preparation and it resulted in an extra strong and spongy texture. But other than the texture, there's nothing special to write home about (2.5/5).Moving forward to our last main course - veal medallion with black pepper sauce, raisin and asparagus. We really had high expectation for this dish but were left stunned.

I personally blamed it on the veal itself. It simply didn't have the delicate and flavorful taste that it was known to possess. The sauce also failed miserably to make up for the lack of flavors (2/5). We didn't order any dessert after a rather heavy four-course dinner. So after a petite four, we called it the night.With Chef Valentino's credentials, we set the bars fairly high but came up a bit empty. It did not meet our lofty expectations at all. I thought the staff provided by Angelini and not trained by Chef Valentino's crew, could also use a little more training to brush up their skills.

好開心可以係3月尾同2位靚靚blogger去食飯呀,而今次呢間餐廳對小弟來講都幾高級,拍得住之前返既COVA,不過咁先襯得起2位貴婦
今次去邊間餐廳!?就係位於九龍香格里拉酒店---Angelini啦!!!

其實原本想選ICC頂層間OZONE,不過因為佢冇得book位,驚去到有排等但又冇位,就轉第2間,之後就選JW酒店,不過就full booking,最後就揀左呢間啦,好彩有位
仲有好彩book到個窗邊位,邊食邊望風景,夠晒浪漫+好feel

入面夠晒情調,出面就有幾靚既維港夜照望,真係有夠浪漫

而d枱d餐具擺設都放得井井有條

而每張枱上面都有呢個既浪漫又細火既燈

仲有個menu

上面有set同埋a la cart menu,不過set就選擇少d

係我地落完order之後,就會送上以下食物:

有唔同類型既飽餅(可以無限refill),仲有個餐前湯(蕃茄湯)+餅

食完就上starter
parma ham

soup:
雜菜湯(不過似中國d清湯多d)

main course:
最正都係個扒,夠juicy又唔鞋又冇咩筋

之後梗係唔少得dessert啦:

個古力好正

而為左襯番呢個環境,就叫左3杯紅酒啦

CHEERS!!!

今餐食得好開心,不過第一次見2位美貴婦,冇咩傾計,下次會請多d啦,希望第時仲有大把機會再食唔同正野!!!

六月上旬‧晴

這間老牌酒店的意大利餐廳是我很熟悉的地方，光顧至今逾十年。那裡剛剛換了大廚，立即來試試他的手勢。

吃過好幾味，菜式做得賣相好而味道也不錯。

一味烤牛柳火候剛好，鬆軟肉味又濃，是牛魔王不可錯過的一味。

今年生日, 就去了九龍香格里拉酒店的 Angelini, 入到去環境一流, 唯獨是有少少暗咗D, 故D相都暗。因為次次食FULL SET 都太飽, 今次選擇散叫。呢個頭盤是送的, 外面綠色是菠菜榕, 中間的是松子榕, 有好香的聖誕樹味。Good n Fresh!Appetizer 為水牛芝士配 Sun Dried 蕃茄, 呢一味本來唔係我杯茶, 但估唔到的是唔食蕃茄的我, 突然 Like 咗呢個蕃茄, 平日我地食的水茄, 食落有"腥"味, 呢個 Sun Dried 蓄茄, 酸酸甜甜, 一絕呀!! 今日生日, 特別豪氣, 因為無我平時最LIKE 的龍蝦湯, 我叫了個西洋菜忌廉湯,外加 $200 / 5g 的俄羅斯魚子。魚子混入湯內, 令本來忌廉 "留留" 地的感覺, 因為魚子的清甜變得好味, 仲有是當您在口中將魚子弄破, 魚的鮮味令成個口腔都好清新, 呢 二百蚊抵比！呢個是海膽墨魚意大利麵, 之前真是聯想唔到是點, 但原來是大大塊的海膽剌身放面, 而唔係熟食, 故可以保留海膽的原味。而墨魚意大利麵則十分彈牙!主菜是羊架, 羊架外皮脆內軟, 肉質夠滑, 食到唔停得口。最後, 一定食埋個甜品啦！朱古力 Foundan....一切入即流晒D朱古力, 唔會太甜, 剛剛好!

今個聖誕將有數個聖誕飯局. 當中,便由Angelini開始.今次來到Angelini和我一起享受christmas lunch的同伴,便是我司的同事,也是全公司的.

我公司的總人數,10個人也沒有,是一間小型公司,加上公司長期吊鹽水,今年可以來到Angelini一起準備迎接聖誕,真是一件很感恩的事了.

計埋老闆及老闆太太,一張長餐枱便剛剛好.

來到Angelini,嘩,望著這維景,真的很舒服呀,再加上餐廳內高貴的環境,環境分數,簡直是爆燈,滿分.各同事們一一到達,再加老闆娘也來了,我們可以到Salads Buffet選擇我們的頭盤.嘩,頭盤十分豐富呀! 不用多說大家可以看到這麼多款式給我們選擇,再加上有我最愛的冷盤-,Parma ham (超juice) ,超重芝士味的芝士,八爪魚等等,我們有幾位同事,忍不住再出去Salads Buffet second round.Salads Buffet 之後,便送上今天的Tomato Soup

嘩,湯真的又fresh又濃. 感覺到這個Tomato Soup不是重茄膏來製的,而是真的重新鮮的鮮蕃茄,而且又濃蕃茄味,仿佛置身在田園中.再添上長型條形的脆脆條及內脆外軟的麵包. 不過,雖然好味,但不能吃太多容易飽肚的麵包,因我要留肚準備品嚐我們今天的主菜.烤羊排拌茄子蓉及嫩甘笋

本人對羊特別情有獨鍾,所以看了menu,很快地揀選了Lamb,當職員送上主菜時,我也忍不住先切一小件試試這一個Lamb.
不知是否本人的想像力豐富,吃一口Lamb,便覺得他是BB Lamb. 因這一種羊的騷味,和平時在餐廳吃的羊排是不同的,從來未吃過這麼鮮嫩Lamb,,而且口感竟然有點彈牙,但深信不是老Lamb.唯一缺點便是Lamb乾了一點,Lamb只得三小塊真的不夠.
茄子蓉-詁不到茄子也是同樣新鮮的. 也深信是原隻茄子搞成茄子蓉.坐著我對面的同事便order

海爐魚柳伴燴雜菜

這個我也沒有親口品嚐,但同事也讚好而且也把這碟吃光,深信也是不錯的.主菜品嚐過後,休息一會兒便送上甜品了.

杏仁酒香布丁.
每次不開心時,吃上美味的甜品之後,很多不開心及不如意的事便暫時忘記. 特別是面對著同事,今天這個杏仁酒香布丁甜品,也是同樣做到.
先講這個朱古力布丁,超香濃朱古力味,放在口裏慢慢把朱古力溶化,真的被這個布丁迷死我了.
至於這個杏仁雪糕,本人覺得杏仁味淡了點,因我是甜品杏仁粉絲麻,我比較喜歡重味的杏仁.我的大老闆和我們是不一樣的,揀甜品也不是在set menu裏. 哈哈,因他是大老闆麻.最後便order了cappuccino來完結今天的christmas lunch.
今天品嚐著香格里拉的cappuccino時,便和坐著我對面天天早午都要沖cappuccino 給老闆的Reception姐姐研究她的cappuccino好些還是香格里拉勝.

兩者也品嚐過,雖然是香格里拉取勝,但她也不是輸了大比數. 因我司的咖啡豆都是不錯的,而且輸的原因,當然她不懂拉花啦! 哈哈!還記得,這個Christmas Lunch是在14/12/2011,事隔數月之後,來到今天,我司已經結束了,這頓Christmas Lunch是我司最後一年的,也是最豪,最貴的.

今年冬至，腹大便便的我不願長途拔涉到嘈雜擠迫的中菜館吃飯，本來打算留家休息，後來決定到附近九龍香格里拉酒店的意大利餐廳 Angelini 吃頓燭光晚餐。那是我和 Eric 第一次約會的地點，對咱們很有紀念意義。

冬至時節，人人都湧到中式食肆，Angelini 等西菜館變得冷清清，只有數枱遊客靜靜用餐。然而，兩天後的平安夜，這些地方卻將會擠滿早幾個月前就爭先訂枱、繳付訂金的食客，用平日兩至三倍的價錢，吃着由忙亂廚房匆匆弄出來、千篇一律的 Christmas Eve set dinner，而且還嚴格分了時段；跟在冬至時到各中餐廳吃飯一般情況。

因此，我認為應該冬至吃西餐、平安夜吃中菜，這樣既容易訂位，價錢又合理，不需跟別人擠迫，而且較為清閒的廚房會用心煮食，侍應們的服務也周到。

說回晚餐，Angelini 轉換了廚師，餐牌上除了傳統的意大利食品外，還加入了不少新派 fusion 菜。我們點了近期推出的 Trout and White Truffle 套餐（鱒魚及白松露）；Eric 的還配了三款餐酒。

頭盤是煎鵝肝伴鱒魚慕絲 (Il fegato grasso e la trota salmonata)。上層的鱒魚慕絲灑了紅莓粉，單吃味道太清淡，要配合下層的鵝肝 mousse 才有點意思。有氣餐酒是 Trento Brut Perle 2002, Ferrari, Trentino，跟鱒魚相當合襯。接着是牛仔肉及白松露意大利雲吞 (Casoncelli farciti con condo di vitello e tartufo bianco d'alba)。雲吞味道不錯，可是鋪在上面的白松露，卻聞不到一絲一點的香氣。 主菜是香煎嫩鱒魚 (Filetto di trota alla mugnaia)，配白酒 Anthilia 2010, Donnafugata, Sicilia。魚塊上的 Edinburg 小黃花賣相出色，魚下面的薯仔也弄得很好吃，只是鱒魚煎得不甚特別，跟咱們常去的法式私房菜 Le Mieux Bistro、大廚 Ricky Cheung 出名的煎魚相比，實在有天淵之別。 甜品是白松露伴香脆蛋白和雲呢嗱雪糕 (Goccia di meringa con soffiato di tartufo bianco d'alba e vaniglia bourbon)，配甜酒 Moscato Bricco Quaglia 2010, La Spinetta, Piemonte。這次放在雪糕上的白松露，卻香氣洋溢，可是溫度的分別？ 這鱒魚及白松露套餐，每人$920，加餐酒則是$1120。價錢不貴，可是份量卻出奇的少，女仕吃剛剛好，正常男仕可能需要另加個主菜！味道沒有驚喜，只可說是不過不失，但是餐酒配合得很出色，相信 Sommelier 非常專業。

懷孕既然已經到了後期，喝一點點該沒有問題吧，我不但每杯餐酒都嚐了一口，餐前還喝了一些玫瑰香檳呢！（奸笑）

第一次來angelini,感覺環境不錯！

我們坐在沙發位置，比較自成一角及舒適，往外望盡是維多利亞港景緻！

正考慮叫什麼紅酒之際，侍應生提議house wine由義大利製造，品質不錯，於是叫了一杯house wine。看色澤淺紅色，直覺會比較酸，但淺嘗之下卻發覺非常易入口，味道亦濃郁芳香！

麵包籃有多款不同味道的麵包，烘得暖暖的，配上蕃茄乾及香草source,好味道！但肚子空位有限，不敢encore !

叫了一個4course dinner set 再加一個 appertizer pama ham salad 同羊鞍。
4 course set 有beef cappacio味道不錯，用料新鮮， 可惜老公對生牛肉不太接受！

青豆凍湯一小杯，但味道清新可口！

Milano Risotto 賣相簡簡單單，但味道非常濃郁and creamy!

Main course Angus beef fillet 同Lamb rack 七成熟，chef 控制得剛好，肉質嫩滑！

甜品有tiramisu ，軟心朱古力with raspberry sorbet! 賣相漂亮之餘亦十分可口！

非常完美的一餐！

珍惜!

席上致友平常冇不朝九晚十二,所以好難得才聚首,永遠的珍惜每次的時間,食物,環境...
這裹雖不是全城熱點,由酒店大堂,從升降機到達樓層,穿過長長走廊,餐廳座落角落,反
而給一種隱世感.

服務員經驗豐富,不温不冷,恰到好處,我們未感被待慢,又從不覺煩厭,不拘緊.棹上油燈特別,情調十足送上菜前麵包,包還內暖外脆,不停添加,從不吝嗇,但grissini似手指餅,扣了分.前菜分別挑選以上有的:
Burrata Tomato - 滑嫰,但蕃茄不夠份量去平衡芝士的膩.
Parma Ham - 甘香,野味! 以上是Sea Bass Tartar, 都是前菜之一,賣相細緻,從特寫相片才可見魚的通透,及會發光的蠔汁.
其實蠔帶點腥,但味覺鮮味.Paccheri Oysters - 其實是傳統的意式大圓桶pasta,用上蠔汁,頗有南意國風情,鮮味適中意菜造的羊架菜式,通常都可登大雅,這裹都不例外,嫰口,外香.Breaded Veal Cutlet - 吉列牛仔肉,沒有油膩感,亦做得入味.這餐豐富,沒有"厨餘",再來杯Decafe Capuccino, 我好珍惜這頓晚餐,這份飲飲,食食,笑笑的感覺

友人生日, 因為有芋信用卡生日優惠, 有折扣之餘, 還送cake 和紅酒. 所以便到這裡慶生.
環境和服務都good good !

Cheese Risotto - 很香芝士味, 味道不俗
Chese with Tomatoes (水牛芝士沙律) - ok
Chestnut Ravioli - 很有咬口
Scialatielli Pasta - 海鮮好味.
Wagyu Rib Eye - 火喉適中, 很有肉味.

吃著晚餐, 把酒談歡, Happy birthday !

Love the service at this restaurant. Maybe a little bit too classy for me and my boyfriend. Choice of ham was wonderful...other antipasti items were so so. Tomato soup was lovely.

Main course:
Sea bass (for me) was quite nice but can't say it was exceptionally well.
Lamb dish (for my boyfriend) was very well presented, juicy, tender and tasted perfect. No complains from my picky boyfriend.

Dessert was mainly a disappointment. Two out of three items I tried were way too sweet. If we were able to enjoy the credit card discount promotion just ended the day before, we would have been more pleased for the overall dining experience here.