{"id":1037921,"date":"2015-05-27T12:05:15","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T04:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culinarycapital.hk\/?p=93858"},"modified":"2015-05-27T12:05:15","modified_gmt":"2015-05-27T04:05:15","slug":"cucina_michelin-starred_chef_igor_macchia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jonathansin.com\/en\/cucina_michelin-starred_chef_igor_macchia\/","title":{"rendered":"[Hong Kong Cuisine] Michelin-starred chef Igor Macchia to showcase his skills in Hong Kong for a limited time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hong Kong is a shopper\u2019s paradise and also the \u2018Gastronomic Capital of Asia\u2019. Tucked away within the Marco Polo Hotel, right next to the famous Harbour City shopping centre, lies Cucina\u2014an understated yet distinctive Italian restaurant. As well as offering breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour, the star of the show at Cucina is, of course, the food. This week, Cucina has specially invited star chef Igor Macchia from the Michelin-starred Italian restaurant La Credenza to return to Hong Kong to prepare traditional Italian dishes for diners.
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\nIgor Macchia has worked at various Michelin-starred restaurants since the age of 20, including the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Bruneau in Brussels, Belgium, the two-star Restaurant le Gavroche in London, UK, and the one-star Restaurant du lion d\u2019or in Geneva, Switzerland. His own Michelin-starred restaurant, La Credenza, also holds one star, making Mr Igor a truly experienced chef.
\nWithout further ado, let\u2019s get straight to the point and introduce the menu. The menu prepared by Mr Igor consists of six courses: a starter, a soup, a portion of risotto, two main courses, and finally a dessert. I\u2019ve heard that Michelin-starred cuisine is all about quality over quantity, and the portions on this menu are more than generous, so there\u2019s no need to worry.
\n\u25bc Let\u2019s start with the startersRaw beef tartare with olive oil foam and black truffle, served with an Italian cheese sauce.<\/strong>This is a dish that Mr Igor himself highly recommends: a rich, glossy, sweet and tender beef tartare, surrounded by a ring of special Italian cheese sauce and topped with a delicate foam made from extra virgin olive oil. A few thin slices of black truffle are then shaved over the top at the last minute, creating a dish where the rich flavours complement one another perfectly.<\/p>\n

\"Battuta
Raw beef tartare, olive oil foam, Italian cheese sauce, artichokes, black truffle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u25bc The second course served was a creamy cauliflower soup garnished with cod and black truffle caviar. What exactly is black truffle caviar? It is actually a black truffle sauce prepared using molecular gastronomy techniques. As it is black in colour and comes in individual beads, it looks exquisite and bears a striking resemblance to caviar, hence the name. When you sip it, the \u2018caviar\u2019 bursts in your mouth, and the distinctive flavour of black truffle suddenly hits you, leaving your taste buds both surprised and delighted.<\/p>\n

\"Cauliflower
Cream of cauliflower soup, cod, black truffle caviar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u25bc The third course: pumpkin and red prawn tartare risotto. Served with a cheese and cardamom sauce\u2014perhaps it\u2019s just a matter of personal preference, but I felt this came a little too early, as even before I\u2019d tasted it, I was worried that feeling full might dampen my appetite for the rest of the meal. The risotto, made with pumpkin pur\u00e9e, cheese and cardamom, was quite good. The rice grains were plump and had a satisfying bite; unlike typical Italian risotto, the cheese flavour wasn\u2019t overpowering, but instead brought out the delicate, fresh aroma of the pumpkin. As for the red prawn tartare served on three crispy chips, its appeal is evident from the mouth-watering photograph alone; needless to say, it was delightfully crisp and sweet.<\/p>\n

\"Pumpkin
Pumpkin risotto, prawn tartare, cheese sauce, cardamom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u25bc Here comes the main course: squid stuffed with wild rice, served with seasonal vegetables and slices of ginger. \u2018Wild rice\u2019 has slender, elongated grains, a black husk and white starch; it is a type of wild rice commonly found in Italian cuisine. Millet is arguably the soul of this dish; it adds a rich complexity to the texture, whilst the fragrant ginger juice brings out the squid\u2019s umami flavour to the full. When eating, do try dipping it in a little squid ink \u2013 it will double the umami sensation on your palate.<\/p>\n

\"Squid
Squid, seasonal vegetables and slices of ginger, steamed with water chestnuts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u25bc Another main courseCoffee-marinated lamb fillet served with sweetcorn pur\u00e9e and a herb salad.<\/strong>Yes, this was the standout dish of the evening. Mr Igor explained that the lamb fillet had been marinated in coffee for a full 24 hours, allowing it to fully absorb the coffee\u2019s aroma before cooking. The coffee paired surprisingly well with the lamb\u2019s natural gaminess, whilst also reducing the strong lamby flavour\u2014it\u2019s a dish that everyone should be able to enjoy. The cooking technique was spot on: tender on the outside and succulent on the inside, with a lovely pinkish sheen. I absolutely loved it. Paired with the sweet, rich maize pur\u00e9e, it would have been even better if I could have had another portion\u2014it\u2019s just a shame my stomach isn\u2019t big enough.<\/p>\n

\"Coffee-marinated
Coffee-marinated lamb fillet, sweetcorn pur\u00e9e, herb salad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u25bc And of course, no celebration would be complete without the grapefruit jelly with white chocolate mousse, sponge cake and chilled raspberries, specially prepared for our guests from Hong Kong. A thin slice of grapefruit jelly is topped with three small pieces of soft sponge cake, crowned with a half-circle of white chocolate mousse, with an extra slice of red grapefruit placed beside it as a focal point, and finally a generous sprinkling of tangy frozen dried blackberries. It serves as a sweet-and-sour finale to the menu, as if Mr Igor Macchia were reminding diners not to forget his signature flavours \u2013 a truly unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n

\"Grapefruit
Grapefruit jelly, white chocolate mousse, sponge cake, frozen blackberries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef Igor Macchia\u2019s dinner menu is available from 26 to 31 May 2015
\nPrice: Dinner (six-course meal + coffee or tea): $888 per person; Lunch (three-course meal + coffee or tea): HK$318 per person; (plus a 10% service charge)
\nAddress: 6th Floor, Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, Harbour City, 3 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
\nTel: +852 2113 0808<\/p>\n

Business Hours:<\/div>\n
Monday to Saturday: 12:00\u201301:00
\nSunday: 11.30\u201301.00<\/div>\n
Website: www.cucinahk.com<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

I have also attached the \u00e0 la carte menu and the three-course lunch menu for your reference:
\nCucina_Michelin-starred Chef Igor Macchia_\u00e0 la carte menu<\/a>
\nCucina_Michelin-starred Chef Igor Macchia\u2019s 3-course Set Lunch Menu<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n