Bringing you top-tier dining experiences in unexpected ways, Tatler Dining Kitchen is a new culinary hub in Central that is playing host to one of Hong Kong’s most talented and in-demand chefs. Antimo Maria Merone, the award-winning Italian chef who served as 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Macau’s executive chef from 2014 to 2020, is back in the city and ready to unveil a new chapter—or several, actually—of his culinary career. At Tatler Dining Kitchen, Merone will be presenting three distinct menus, one each month from March to May, that are rooted in southern Italian cuisine but informed and inspired by contrasting ingredients and techniques from Cantonese, Japanese and plant-based traditions.

For Chapter 1 at Tatler Dining Kitchen, Merone’s menu is a homage to Hong Kong, which became his second home when he arrived in 2012 to work alongside chef Philippe Leveille of L’Altro. After years spent driving the dining scene in Macau, Merone returned amid the pandemic in 2020 and is now ready to present this delicious love letter to the city—the Chapter 1 menu consists of three bites and seven courses, each demonstrating Chinese elements and points of inspiration. Priced at HK$1,180 per person, the tasting menu is a culinary journey, presenting local ingredients and techniques underscored by an Italian sense of taste and aesthetic. Of course, Merone’s signature handmade pasta is also spotlighted on the menu, here served with the thrumming zing of Sichuan peppercorn. Other dishes, such as his delightful trio of mochi (glutinous rice balls) floating in a delicate hazelnut soup that calls to mind the rich sweet tong sui of our favourite local dessert shops.