/ Reviews / Italian
Italian Elegance
by Ruth Waldron
on Friday, December 17, 2010 12:00 AM
The new IFC Mall on Century Avenue is barely finished, with some of the hoarding still in evidence on street level; but despite having some of its wrapping in view, the shiny, sparkly façade is beginning to show through and the whole place has that lovely "straight-out-of-the-packet newness" about it.
Perched on the gallery, overlooking the glossy shops and walkways, Isola is the epitome of Italian grace and elegance, with its crisp, white, airy interior and the full-length view of the iconic Pearl Tower from the dining room. It is the latest venture from the Gaia Group, which also has a sister restaurant in Hong Kong, and a number of other food and beverage enterprises throughout Asia.
Staff are friendly and attentive without being intrusive, and their professionalism is embodied in the way they set the tables; "ironing" the tablecloths onto the surface with a spritz of water and a smoothing board, they demonstrate impressive attention to detail.
This level of professionalism also extends to the kitchen, which is open for all to see. Chef Roberto de Franco hails from Florence and has the passion for food typical of his countrymen. He has made a great effort to source the best quality ingredients for the restaurant, importing the beef, lamb and venison from Australia, and the seafood from both Italy and Japan; he also makes his own pasta and bread in-house. Menus for both lunch and dinner are made up of a variety of antipasti, pasta, stone-baked pizzas and grilled meats, with the selection dependant on the seasonal availability of the ingredients.
It's already clear from the buzzing midday crowd that the menu is being appreciated. The lunch set is great value at RMB168, offering the choice between a buffet of antipasti with a main course and a dessert, or simply a full buffet.
Worth singling out is the pan-roasted filet of beef; a dish well complemented by the earthy, buttery flavors of wild mushrooms.
And, if you can't choose between the five different desserts, why not have them all! For the record, the crème caramel is exceptional, but don't let that stop you from enjoying the rich chocolate cake with chocolate sauce too. There are not many places one can go wrong with such a complete, delicious assortment of Italy.
The Bottom Line: It's feasting, Italian-style.
