Sabatini Ristorante Italiano at the Royal Garden Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East has long been one of the go-to Italian restaurants in Hong Kong. After more than three decades, the restaurant has finally ventured across Victoria Harbour with a new branch at ifc with a new chef de cuisine, Marco Antonio Li Voti.
A Review of Sabatini Ristorante Italiano at ifc
One would think that Hong Kong was too small to make it feasible to have restaurants on both sides of the harbour but in recent years, we have seen dining establishments such as Central-based Rex Wine & Grill and Octavium setting up offshoots in K11 Musea, albeit with different names.
But one of the things Hong Kongers rib each other about is how those who live in Hong Kong balk at going to Kowloon for anything – and vice versa – even though it barely takes 15 minutes on the MTR. So it seems a natural choice that the Royal Garden Hotel would take the opportunity to explore a sister restaurant on Hong Kong island, especially at a prime location with stunning views.
Li Voti might be familiar for those who have dined at the short-lived Rosita on Ship Street where he did mainly South American cuisine. Almost immediately on starting his menu here, it was clear that the Italian chef was more in his home element. About 80 per cent of the menu will be the familiar traditional comfort foods that are available at the Royal Garden restaurant.
We arrived just at the start of the black truffle season and were treated to the $1,800+ winter truffle tasting menu. An a la carte menu is also available for those who prefer. To start with, our scallops carpaccio with caviar, tomato, strawberry and lemon dressing was absolutely amazing. The diced strawberry topping was inspired, giving the scallops and usual lemon dressing a slight tartness and sweetness.
The indulgent lobster bisque was a rich and creamy with well-balanced flavours. The natural sweetness of the lobster broth came through in taste and fragrance. The star of the show was of course the succulent chunk of lobster meat.
Our winter truffle feast kicked into high gear with the slow-cooked egg with porcini mushrooms, cheese sauce and winter black truffle. The slow cooking left the egg yolk meltingly luscious which topped with the musky earthiness of the mushroom and truffle worked extremely well to temper the natural richness of the creamy egg.
The homemade tagliolini was comfort food at its best. The subtle butter sauce worked well with the elegance of the pasta, a finer sister to spaghetti, even without the truffle (+$188) but was infinitely better with, of course.
The Wagyu beef Rossini with winter black truffle and seasonal vegetables was the ultimate indulgence. With the added seared foie gras, it was a rich dish but not overpoweringly so as the perfectly seared beef was not too marbled, retaining the smoothness but not the fattiness.
Even our dessert of Piedmont hazelnut semifreddo came with truffle shavings! Piedmont is known for its hazelnuts and the nut is a staple of many Piedmontese desserts. One whiff of the dessert showed why: the nutty aromas were strong and the semifreddo was served like a layered cake, giving it a combination of textures.
It was an excellent meal. Even without the added luxury of the winter truffles, it would have done its big sister in Kowloon proud.
Cuisine
Italian
The Vibe
Sabatini Ristorante Italiano takes the premises of the relatively lesser known H One on the fourth floor podium level of ifc tower two – the lifts on the Lane Crawford side will take you straight up. One of the most stunning impacts of walking into the main dining room is the wide expanse of Victoria Harbour that opens up from the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The restaurant possess a younger vibe that its Kowloon counterpart which modelled itself more on the original 90-year-old Sabatini in Italy. The restaurant has another dining area which offers no views whatsoever and is relatively unappealing even as a private dining room. There’s also a live band that plays at dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays. Prices here are similar to Sabatini at Royal Garden, with most starters ranging between $350 to $650, and pastas going for about $450 to $600. The ifc branch does a lunch (Monday to Saturday) and brunch menu (Sunday only) where an antipasti corner is available. The prices will mean that this is best suited for celebrations or important occasions – or for watching fireworks.
Quick Notes
Price for two:
$2,500 for dinner, excluding drinks
Address:
Shop No. 4008, Level 4, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
Tel. 2610 0080
Opening Hours:
Lunch (Mon – Sat): 11.30am – 3pm
Brunch (Sun): 11.30am – 3pm
Dinner (Mon – Sun): 6pm – 11pm
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Written by
Winnie Chung is an experienced lifestyle journalist who has covered everything from showbiz and Hong Kong films, to food, and all things luxury. After being grounded by the pandemic, she found a renewed appreciation for Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse dining scene.
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