Elevated Italian affair at d’ Alti Gusti

Forging new friendships, celebrating October birthdays and an excuse to enjoy Chef Simon Philips wonderful food!

The Chef’s Table featured at d ‘Alti Gusti (which means elevated taste in Italian) showcased a menu par excellence, a culinary journey exploring the Italian palate. Dishes weren’t just pretty platters but a party of flavours and textures in the mouth. 

• Aperitivo: Carpaccio of charred polpo dressed with Tuscan olive oil, limoncello, roasted garlic emulsion, smoked paprika and herbs – amazing textures, sublime, with layers of flavours lingering on the tongue – I’m spoilt for life as I’ll never enjoy octopus the same way again as nothing else comes close.  

• Antipasto Freddo: AG Agustus Caesar – salad but not salad, with Panna Cotta of Parmigiano reggiano, anchovy emulsion, crostino, crisped pecorino and salami, romaine lettuce. The one time you’ll be begging Please sir, may I have some more salad?

• Antipasto Caldo: Sorrento herbed crabcake of blue swimmer crab, lightly fried in butter, and served with caviar and limoncello aioli. Such a luxurious crabcake – I’ve never had one that had so much crab meat in each bite – boasting a myriad of flavours with every mouthful.

• Primo: Grilled fillet of Newfoundland turbot between handcut sheets of lasagne on a spinach vellutata, with a pour of gorgonzola-taleggio besciamella and a dusting of grated nutmeg – Silky thin pasta you wouldn’t imagine possible paired with the freshest turbot, exuding natural sweetness. This has to be one of my favourite.

• Secondo: Caccio – cacao seared tenderloin of Berkshire pork, foie gras pomegranate crema. This was marriage in heaven, foie gras and pork, beautifully executed. 

• Dolci: Chef Simon’s tiramisu – Zabaglione of marsala wine and Tia Maria folded into mascarpone cheese, layered with espresso- dipped savioiardi, but of course, any true blue Italian meal must have this – sweet, luscious, rich and alcoholic! 

• Il Diavolo: Sweet ending of Chambord Raspberry sorbet on chill chocolate soil, shards of dark chocolate and a pour of hot milk chocolate. A lovely fitting sweet note to a truly impeccable dinner. 

We also enjoyed a Kulfi cake from @fatboybakes created specially for the occasion (now on his order menu).

This is about the closest you’ll get to fine dining without busting your budget to enjoy a cosy, intimate affair, boojie Italian cuisine and nobody asks you to leave by 10pm! 

The Dante Degustation menu is available at RM390/pax for Nov. Make early reservations (011-10200380) for a Christmas to remember. Thank you chef Simon for an incomparable evening!