The Life Aquatic

What happens when an Italian fashion house meets a local restaurant conglomerate? christina ko finds the answer in Armani/Aqua

AS DESIGNER GIORGIO Armani could probably tell you, achieving success in fashion is far from an exact science. The same could be said of the F&B industry, but Armani/Aqua, the latest restaurant venture at the top of Chater House, has a great deal going for it.

Immediately in its favour is the fact that Aqua Restaurant Group founder David Yeo has proven his Midas touch time and again. Strength in interior design has long been the group’s forte, as demonstrated in flagship Aqua’s clever lighting, in Yun Fu’s modern fetishisation of ancient Chinese relics, and in Wasabisabi’s catwalk-meets-nightclub vibe. And such excellence continues at Armani/Aqua, the entrance of which features a corridor with automatic sliding doors at each end, and lined with mirrors, arches, pillars and aggressive red lighting that combine to say, this is no chillout venue; prepare to see and be seen.

The sliding doors eke open in slow motion to reveal the bar area and glowing amber bar, where many of the staff are surely too good-looking to have been hired on merit alone. Directly behind the bar is a sushi counter with a conveyor belt that disappears behind a mirrored wall, the reflection giving the impression of a continuous circuit. The main dining room, meanwhile, features Aqua’s signature circular booths. By day, glowing walls bathe the restaurant in a warm bronze light before transitioning into a crimson glow for evening, and iron-and-wood partitions are movable so that the layout can change and be sectioned into individual areas for events. On the far left is a private room, the only part of the restaurant with windows.

As at Aqua’s flagship in Tsim Sha Tsui, Armani/Aqua takes a dual-nationality approach to food, offering both Italian and Japanese, but not a fusion of the two. There are two chefs, two kitchens and two sides to the menu. East may meet West here, but they do not intermingle.

Ernesto Tonetto is the establishment’s executive chef for Italian cuisine and a ringer for George Clooney (a fact he accepts with feigned exasperation but also, perhaps, some satisfaction). Though he was recently stationed in Lebanon, Tonetto is a veteran of Hong Kong, having earned his stripes at Va Bene, while his gastronomic manifesto brings modern twists and presentation to classics from across Italy.

The dish Casoncelli alla Bergamasca, for example, hails from Bergamo, just outside Milan in the north. Traditional ingredients are retained – bacon, butter and homemade casoncelli pasta parcels – but the format and cooking method have been slightly altered, and a hoop of dried bacon hovers like a centrepiece above the pasta. Tonetto’s version has a supple texture and a clean taste that suggests exemplary restraint.

More unique is the pan-fried scampi tails paired with cantaloupe melon, doused in a vivid mango sauce and served with a thin line of balsamic reduction. The cantaloupe sliver is rolled so that it almost resembles a Chinese rice-flour roll and, cuddled in the nook of that scampi, achieves warmth that’s bizarre and thought-provoking. The mix of sweet and sour with the essence of the sea involves a delicate balancing act that is happily attained.

On the Eastern front, Japanese group executive chef Tatsuya Iwahashi, having joined in 2006, is a veteran of the restaurant group. Convention doesn’t factor much into his menu, which is described as “authentic but not traditional.” You’ll find typical sushi and sashimi options, but also inventions like sea bream and asparagus with black truffle and fresh mango.

According to Tonetto, the two kitchen heads consult each other only in order to prevent excessive overlap of ingredients, but this dish – with its constituents coming from families sweet, sour and bitter – makes a lovely companion to the scampi. Devour the package in one bite as intended and you’ll find so many flavours crossing swords that it’s difficult initially to decipher what exactly is there. Each facet presents a new experience: first, the give of a pulpy mango slice; then the bounce of fresh sea bream; followed by the bitter first crunch of asparagus; and finally the lingering and complex aroma of generously apportioned black truffle.

Layering of flavours isn’t quite so elaborate in the char-grilled black cod with tempura king prawn and smoked cod roe, although there is certainly no shortage of elements involved. Grilled cod has been done to death by chefs the world over, probably because it’s easy to do, and while this one doesn’t necessarily break boundaries in flavouring, it is executed well, with a perfectly crispy exterior and melt-in-your-mouth interior. The difference lies in its juxtaposition with the battered prawn, lathered heavily with a creamy sauce featuring the cod roe. This demands to be eaten quickly, not only because the sauce tampers with the crispiness of the tempura, but also because it’s tasty and good.

The team at Armani/Aqua is so adamant that the kitchens are separate that it begs the question, what’s a hungry diner to do when presented with the two-sided menu? “Maybe the customer can eat some sushi or sashimi for starters, something Italian for sharing with the table,” suggests Tonetto diplomatically. “Pasta, you need to order. For the main course, you can choose from Japanese and Italian. Dessert also. But whatever happens, you have to have one pasta in the middle. For Italians, you need pasta.”

Perhaps the answer provided by Tonetto’s Japanese colleague is even more diplomatic. “If the guest had Japanese food last time visiting, then I suggest Italian food this time,” Iwahashi says. He has little doubt that those who visit Armani/Aqua once are going to be back for more.