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July 30, 2015

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Top-quality Italian cuisine arrives in Hangzhou

By Xu Wenwen | July 30, 2015, Thursday | Print Edition

THE Hangzhou brand extension of Italian restaurant Mercato Piccolo caused quite a stir in the city’s dining scene when it opened last month, with much of the buzz centered on the celebrity status of its menu designer, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

With a bevy of international awards and accolades to his credit, Vongerichten is one of the most famous chefs in the world. The French chef rose to prominence in 1997 with the opening of New York City eatery Jean-George. Within three months, the restaurant had earned a four-star review from The New York Times. Today, it also boasts a trio of Michelin stars.

Vongerichten later designed menu and dish concept for Mercato Piccolo in Shanghai, located at Three on the Bund. So far, the restaurant’s expansion into Hangzhou seems to be a success.

“We consider Hangzhou a growing potential market,” says Tony Ni, communication manager for the Mercato brand. Ni added that reservations at the new Hangzhou branch have been filled through August.

Located in the Hangzhou Tower shopping mall, this dedicated restaurant still maintains the “farm-to-table” concept of its original Shanghai location. And, just like its forbearer, Mercato in Hangzhou prides itself on serving up authentic Italian cuisine made with fresh organic ingredients from local markets and foreign suppliers.

The restaurant’s signature dish is Warm Seafood Salad, Avocado, Lemon and Parsley. This simple dish includes cooked fresh scallops, shrimp and squid served with a parsley and avocado salad topped with a lemon dressing.

Meanwhile, Mercato also offers traditional pizzas cooked to perfection in an authentic wood-burning Italian oven. First-time diners are strongly encouraged to try either the popular mushroom or black truffle pizza.

But Mercato isn’t the only restaurant making waves in Hangzhou with classic Italian food. At Aman Fayun Resort’s Western Restaurant, for example, the new menu focuses on southern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, as created by chef Carmelo Carnevale.

Carnevale’s culinary career started in his hometown of Siracusa, a city on the Italian island of Sicily. Despite a career which has taken him all over the world, Carnevale insisted on developing Sicilian dishes. He recently brought the tastes of his hometown to Aman Fayun with dishes that rely heavily on such characteristic local ingredients as beef carpaccio, salami and Parmesan cheese. The menu is rounded out by deep-fried squid, seafood stew, grilled prawn and an array of Mediterranean dishes.

“Italian food is focused on the connection between ingredients and the season, which echoes Aman’s eco-friendly concept,” explains Carnevale.

The chef explained that in-season ingredients are always preferred. For example, during the summer months, he often makes Parma ham with peach and mango, as well as tuna tartar with avocado. And he lately invented watermelon salad with feta cheese and edamame beans. Another popular fancy Italian choice is Ristorante Mulinaccio. With over 200 years of history, this Italian restaurant brand recently opened its first restaurant in China next to Hangzhou’s famed West Lake.

The kitchen of this new establishment is helmed by Francesco Losacco, a pizza chef with more than 30 years of experience. Losacco insists on making authentic southern Italian pizza, such as pizza bianca, smoked salmon pizza and pineapple pizza.

“People are more demanding about food, and cooks are creating more varieties, but I believe the original is best,” he explains.

The restaurant’s calzones have also proved popular. Indeed, branch owner Wu Jing recalls with pride how four visiting Italians polished off eight calzones in a single sitting.

• Mercato Piccolo

Address: D123, D Mansion of Hangzhou Tower, No. 1, Wulin Square

Tel: (0571) 8190-5656

• Aman Fayun’s Western Restaurant

Address: 22 Fayun Lane

Tel: (0571) 8732-9999

• Ristorante Mulinaccio

Address: 3/F, 123 Pinghai Rd (at the crossing of Hubin Boutique Street)

Tel: (0571) 8782-5681

Hangzhou


 

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