July 23, 2014

Chef Pino Sees Red at Tosca The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

Pomodoro, a.k.a. tomato, is considered both a fruit and a vegetable. A variation of the word, pomo d’oro, is the Italian term for “golden apple”.

Michelin-starred Chef Pino Lavarra looks to his homeland for tasteful inspirations for a menu that creatively uses ten specially imported varieties from Southern Italy. The “All About Tomato” menu is available at Tosca from August 6 to September 30, 2014. From the amuse-bouche through the dessert, Chef Pino will have you thinking about tomatoes in a colorful new light.

“Tomatoes were originally native to South America and had always been considered as a fruit until they were introduced to the chefs in Italy. Then we started using them as a vegetable”, said Chef Pino.

“Without a doubt, tomato has been a principal ingredient for Italian cuisine, somewhat similar to soy sauce for Chinese cuisine, in my opinion. Many are amazed by the fact that the tomato has every color of the rainbow except for blue, but I am also intrigued by the variety of tastes and shapes of the different parts of a tomato – skin, flesh, seeds, juice, and when accompanied by the right ingredients, they reveal many amazing forms and textures as well as flavor pairings”.

The menu starts with Chef Pino’s homemade 24-karat gold tomato as amuse-bouche, followed by a choice of starter, Tomato-Coated Buffalo Mozzarella with Truffle Caviar or a delightful and tasteful mix of fruit and vegetable, Cold Tomato and Strawberry Soup with Smoked Herrings. Pasta course features San Marzano Tomato Risotto with Veal Sweet Bread or Stuffed Gnocchi with Tomato Seed Jam. Main course spotlights Crispy Scorpion Fish on Clear Tomato Water and Sour Neapolitan Vegetable Salad, complemented by the sensational dessert Cheesecake with Tomato Jelly and Lemon Curd.

The “All About Tomato” is priced at HK$1,280+10% per guest (four courses) or HK$1,480+10% per guest (five courses) or HK$1,680+10% per guest (six courses). The menu is available from 6pm to 10:30pm (Monday to Sunday) from August 6 to September 30, 2014. For full menu, please refer to the appendix.