RESTAURANT REVIEW 99
AN ODE TO ITALY
With a strong focus on hearty Italian fare, Gradini is a simple, elegant choice in the
heart of Hong Kong. By Gayatri Bhaumik
C
ompetition is rife in Hong
Kong’s restaurant-dense
dining scene, so it is
no surprise that many
eateries succumb to
gimmicks and hype to lure customers, often
to the detriment of the food. But there are
a few eateries that resist the temptation to
pander to the city’s ever-changing whims
by keeping things simple with the eternally
crowd-pleasing combination of refined
décor, good service, and great food. This
is exactly what you’ll find at Gradini, the
understated yet sophisticated new Italian
restaurant at boutique hotel The Pottinger.
Entering through the hotel lobby, guests
pass the restaurant’s small bar before
stepping into the intimate dining room
where white walls and shutters are offset
by swathes of drapes and wall decal in
shades of green, and white-clothed tables
positioned with enough space to ensure
your conversation isn’t overheard. Seated
at a corner table overlooking Pottinger
Street and Queen’s Road Central, the meal
kicks off with a signature Bellini Gradini,
a delicious concoction of fresh peaches,
champagne, and grappa, as we look over
the list of dishes inspired by time-honoured
Italian recipes and the freshest available
ingredients.
After much back and forth between the a
la carte menu and the current white truffle
menu, we make our selections, and as soon
as the starters arrive, we know we’re in for
a treat. The king scallops in the first dish
are seared to perfection, while the plate of
cured Italian meats is beautifully offset by a
spoonful of truffled honey. The highlight of the
meal however, is the homemade tagliolini;
fleshed out with Maine lobster and doused in
fresh tomato and basil, this signature dish is
a fresh, flavour-packed punch to the palate,
and one you’ll come back for. The mains,
veal cutlets from the white truffle menu, and
a herb-encrusted rack of lamb with Chianti
mustard from the a la carte menu, are
perfectly delicious, but in all honesty, we are
still basking in the aftermath of the pasta.
Pasta and tiramisu are usually the ultimate
barometers for gauging the quality of an
Italian restaurant, and like its pasta, Gradini’s
Classico Tiramisu del Pasticcere – savoiardi
biscuits laced with espresso and amaretto,
topped with mascarpone and cacao, and
served in a teacup - is a winner. Sinfully
decadent, it even wins over my usually
tiramisu-averse dining companion.
A hidden gem a little way below the
overflowing (and sometimes overhyped)
eateries of SoHo, Gradini will no doubt
marshal a loyal following with its simple,
sumptuous Italian fare and chic, laidback
ambiance.
Gr adini ; L o bby L eve l , 74 Q u e e n s
R o a d , C e n t ra l ; + 8 5 2
w w w. t h e p o t t i n g e r. c o m
2308
3088;
www.jetsetter.hk