Celebrity Life

In a city that can’t and won’t slow down, new restaurants are constantly springing up in Hong Kong. With its success in four locations already, the French bistro Dalloyau crosses countries and cultures to open its fifth and latest location smack in the middle of our city’s CBD in Entertainment Building.

The modern French bistro has been an ambassador for creating delicacies from age-old recipes -- dating back to 1682 -- which were served in the royal court of the Palace of Versaille. Fast forward to 2019 and the same classics have been recreated for this Century, along with an inventive vibrant menu with items that are low in calories, salt and free of dairy too.

Compared to other outlets, the Central location has a more sizeable menu with exclusives only available at this branch. The appetiser section is spruced up with an elegant Crab meat salad of jellied tomato consommé, pickled green tomatoes, avocado ice cream and crispy beignets, artfully plated together to resemble a vermilion crab. Another newcomer is the Truffle Soup Élysée, a reinvented lighter version of the classic; using ham stock, a chicken stuffed dumpling, foie gras and black truffle.

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Untitled-design-479.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Untitled-design-478.jpg" right-caption="Salmon Coulibiac" left-caption="Hen in a Pouch"]

The mains also get a makeover with bigger dishes designed to be shared amongst the table. The all-time favourite Beef Wellington is consistently delightful with its meaty and moist steak centre wrapped in expertly made golden and flaky puff pastry. If you’re cutting back on red meat, the Salmon Coulbiac is a nice seafood alternative and an exclusive to the Central branch. It's also wrapped in puff pastry and enclosed with seven distinct layers of flavour – salmon, mushrooms, risotto, spinach, gherkins, egg whites and yolks – striking a balance of textures and tastes. But the hero of the meal is unarguably the Hen in a Pouch. This emblematic poultry dish pays tribute to the late culinary legend Paul Bocuse, who is probably most known for his chicken cooked in a pig bladder. Duck foie gras and black truffles are stuffed under the skin of the hen before being placed within the bladder to contain and preserve its flavour and juices while it cooks. It's served tableside with a luscious Madeira truffle sauce.

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Untitled-design-482.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Untitled-design-481.jpg" right-caption="Apple turnover" left-caption="Rum Baba"]

Then comes the dessert. Maybe the most anticipated part of the meal as the name Dalloyau is synonymous with pastry excellence. Like all other branches, Entertainment Building offers the most signature staples like homemade macarons, molten chocolate cake and strawberry mille feuille. The Rum baba topped with mascarpone cream cheese and Apple turnover with green apples and raisins are new additions to try. Baked fresh daily, the apple turnovers come piping hot out of the oven at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm and quantities are limited, so if you intend on picking one up, it's best to go at tea time to guarantee a piece. For those more health conscious, you'll still be able to satisfy that sweet tooth with dairy-free options of originals like the signature Crêpe Suzette without compromising flavour, making desserts as guilt-free as can be.

Dalloyau, G/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 3185 8392

The post More Than Just Cake: French Bistro Dalloyau Opens in Central appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Since opening on Wyndham Street last September, Kytaly Hong Kong has been consistently serving some of what we consider to be the finest pizzas in the city, and clearly we're not the only ones who think so. Last night, the relative newcomer was awarded the no. 1 ranking in Asia in the third edition of Top 50 Pizza, the world’s most extensive online guide to pizzerias around the globe. Other Asia nomination highlights include Singapore’s Cicheti and Hong Kong’s CIAK – In The Kitchen, which came in first place in Asia in 2018.

[caption id="attachment_154997" align="alignnone" width="1367"] Franco Pepe with his team at Pepe in Grani[/caption]

Brought over from Geneva by founder Alessandro Bortesi, Kytaly Hong Kong boasts recipes from one of the biggest names in the world of pizza: Franco Pepe, who has also been referred to as the (living) patron saint of Neapolitan pizza. He's also the man behind Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, Italy, which has been now been named the world's best pizzeria in the world three years in a row; this year, Pepe in Grani shares first place with I Masanielli in Caserta, Italy, helmed by Francesco Martucci.

[inline_related_article article_id="105353"]

Top 50 Pizza judges list pizzerias from around the world in various categories including the best in Italy, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world. The awards ceremony was held yesterday in Naples at the Teatro Mercadante, in collaboration with S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. Votes were casted over a huge poll of 1.5 million people on social media and a panel of food experts. Online reviews, previous media coverage and notable blogs were also reflected in the overall rating.

[caption id="attachment_155008" align="alignnone" width="1464"] Scarpetta is made with Cream of Grana Padano DOP 12 months aged cheese, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, 3 tomatoes compote, shavings of Grana Padano 24 months aged cheese, freeze dried pesto and extra virgin olive oil[/caption]

[inline-quote author="Alessandro Bortesi, Founder of Kytaly"]"It is an honour to receive this prestigious award so early on in our story in Hong Kong, which has really just begun. We are grateful for our supportive customers, and both Franco and I look forward to continue serving pizza of the utmost quality to pizza lovers at our home on Wyndham Street."[/inline-quote]

For the full list of the best pizzerias in Asia and around the world, visit 50toppizza.it.

Kytaly Hong Kong, 77 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2808 1961

The post Kytaly Hong Kong Has Been Named the Best Pizzeria in Asia appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

From Parisien bistros to sushi in Ginza, Tokyo — industry insiders share their favourite dining spots.

The post Chefs and restaurateurs share their favourite places to eat overseas appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

From Parisien bistros to sushi in Ginza, Tokyo — industry insiders share their favourite dining spots.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Helmed by Tomoo Kimura’s female sous chef Akane Eno, this “private dining” set up allows Eno to showcase her very own style of omakase.

The post Ichigo Ichie: A secret omakase menu served once a week at Sushi Kimura appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Helmed by Tomoo Kimura’s female sous chef Akane Eno, this “private dining” set up allows Eno to showcase her very own style of omakase.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

It's not every day that you get to enjoy desserts created by Asia's Best Pastry Chef. So when esteemed pastry chef Fabrizio Fiorani flew in for a special masterclass that would see him serving up his signature pastries, we jumped at the opportunity to have a taste of his sweet creations.

Held at Hong Kong's own Italian trattoria CIAK – In the Kitchen, the masterclass was sponsored by Acqua Panna and Valrhona. During the class, Fiorani demonstrated not only his unique creativity in patisserie, but also the Italians' signature warm nature. Visually striking and spectacular to taste, his desserts came first before we sat down to find out what he's been up to since winning the prestigious title and leaving Il Ristorante Luca Fantin at Bulgari Hotel in Japan.

What have you been up to since leaving Japan?

I’m back in Rome. I’m sleeping [and I’m based] there for a few days a week as I’m always travelling and consulting, doing masterclasses and special collaborations. Even in the last 20 days or so, I’ve been in Japan for one week, Singapore for one week and now one week here in Hong Kong. So I’m travelling here and there, but I go back to sleep in Rome.

How would you personally describe your pastry style?

It’s Italian. The flavour is pure Italian. But the style is my own -- Fabrizio Fiorani style.

[caption id="attachment_154272" align="alignnone" width="1613"] Tiramisu Glasses: the coffee-flavoured glasses (or biscuits) perch on a red plastic nose and come with mascarpone cream covered with a delicate layer of chocolate.[/caption]

You’ve worked at some of the world’s most renowned Michelin-starred restaurants. But was there a restaurant that left a long-lasting impression on you?

All of them gave and left me with something. Technique, human power, everything. I won the title [Asia’s Best Pastry Chef 2019] at Il Ristorante Luca Fantin. I became the best when I was there, so that will stay with me. But my team was, and still is, my best memory of the five years I spent in Japan.

Who has been your biggest influence?

My parents. They taught me how to eat good food. And if you want to cook good food, you need to eat good food. This is very important -- they taught me this. For pastry, my biggest influence… Pierre Hermé. When you enter the boutique, I’m always speechless. Everything is just wow.

Do you have a favourite dessert?

Of course, it’s the tiramisu [glasses]. As for anyone else’s… Pierre Hermé makes this dessert [the Tarte Infiniment Vanille] with different kinds of vanilla [from Madagascar, Mexico, and Tahiti]. It’s unbelievable and one of the best things that I’ve eaten in my life. Another is a very beautiful cake make by Japanese pastry chef [Norihiko] Terai [of Aigre Douce in Tokyo]. Terai-san’s vanilla cake is crazy too, it’s so pure!

I heard you started working in a gelato shop at 14 years old. Is that where your love for pastry started?

Gelato is the entry level of pastry. You start to touch [and use] ingredients like egg yolk, cream and chocolate. Then after the gelato, you’ll want some cookies and biscuits. So this was my way in. That’s where it all started, with gelato.

[caption id="attachment_154271" align="alignnone" width="4928"] Raspberry Splash: Fiorani uses a magnetic stencil to paint a raspberry image on a white chocolate disc, which conceals a triple layer of raspberry confections.[/caption]

What are your favourite ingredients to use?

You know, I don’t do anything for fashion or for Instagram. I don’t like kiwi, so I never make anything with kiwi. I rarely drink alcohol, so I only use a small quantity of alcohol. A little gin with chocolate maybe. But I make desserts as if I was the customer. I only create what I love myself. If I don’t like it, I wouldn’t give it to my customers.
I love using chocolate. It’s dangerous to leave chocolate with me [he points to the chocolate wrappers he’s left on the table]. I love milk chocolate. For example, for the tiramisu glasses, I use this chocolate, [Valhorna’s] Bahibe Lactée, from Santo Domingo, with high cocoa content at 46%. Milk chocolate with a touch of bitterness is just unbelievable -- it balances everything.

Some of your creations have been described as ‘humorous’. Do you agree and if so, why do you do that?

With a smile, you release the tension of the mind. Take the tiramisu glasses [for example], you take a selfie and all your attention is on the dessert. It’s not on your phone or your drink, or your previous main course, it’s all on the dessert. I want people to smile and have fun with my desserts. We need to give happiness, not sadness, to the people. That’s my job. I cannot save the world with dessert, but I can give 20 minutes of happiness to the people.

Is that why you decided to be a pastry chef?

Yes. Ask me to make pasta with tomato. I cannot, I’m not able to do it. Dessert is my thing.

[caption id="attachment_154273" align="alignnone" width="1433"] Fiorani’s vision and technique earned him the title of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef 2019.[/caption]

Do you think you really are Asia’s best pastry chef?

My first fan is me. But every night before I go to bed, I always ask [myself], “Can you can do it? Maybe yes, maybe no?” But that’s OK, it’s important to feel uncomfortable. If you feel comfortable, like on this chair I’m sitting on, you cannot make nice things. You need to be uncomfortable to create. Think about a lobster, it can grow for infinity. Why? Because every time it grows, it will change its shell and grow again. It’s not comfortable to stay in the same shell. So in order to grow, you need to be uncomfortable.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Pastry is important in my life, but it’s not everything. There are movies, shows, books and people. There are a lot of things I take inspiration from. Food is a small part of it. But there are so many places to find it. For example, the glasses [for the tiramisu] were made for Massimo [Bottura, the celebrated Italian chef of the three-Michelin-sttared Osteria Francescana]. I was inspired by him and created that.

Have you tried any Chinese desserts while you’ve been in Hong Kong?

I had dinner at China Tang and the duck was unbelievable. But for dessert we had the mango and pomelo sago, which was lovely. Maybe one day I will do something that incorporates these flavours; I can do this with mango and tapioca, why not!

The post Fabrizio Fiorani, Asia’s Best Pastry Chef 2019, Tells Us About Chocolate, Cake and Lobsters, Too appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.