8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

Academy Chairman’s Choice

It’s probably the most exciting news in Hong Kong’s culinary scene in 2010—

Almost two years after the closure of the legendary Toscana at The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, its former Executive Chef—Hong Kong’s very own “Best Italian chef in Asia” Umberto Bombana is back with his most personal and distinctive project ever—8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA. Strategically located in the heart of Central in the elegant Alexandra House, the new project of the Italian maestro, also hailed as “King of White Truffles” has already become the hottest high-end fine dining spot in town.

The restaurant name, selected personally by Bombana as a tribute to his favorite Italian film director Federico Fellini’s 1963 autobiographical movie “8 ½”, is a celebration of both Italian lifestyle and art and an invitation to enjoy and discover life pleasures. As Fellini’s classic, the new spot promises to be chef Bombana’s masterpiece and another distinctive mark in his culinary career.

The new restaurant features a cozy lounge and bar area with wooden decorations and soft lightings. The warm and welcoming ambience makes it the right spot to enjoy the restaurant’s signature “Sweets and Tea” in the afternoon or a sumptuous “Milano Style Aperitivo” after a long day at work while admiring prestigious artworks by Popart creator Andy Warhol or Spanish master Pablo Picasso.

Focusing on genuine contemporary Italian cuisine, the new restaurant will offer a-la-carte menu for both lunch and dinner, while chef Bombana’s creations will be brilliantly revealed through the “Lunch 8 ½” and “Dinner 8 ½” menus regularly changing according to the best daily freshest produce to ensure the highest standard of quality. A look to the spacious walk-in wine cellar, collecting more than 2,000 bottles from all over the world, will make sure that guests will find the perfect pairing for their delicacies.

Signature Dishes:

Lobster and Mozzarella Salad in Caviar dressing, Belon Oyster in Bellini
Lasagnette with “nduja” Ragout, Red Canarian King Prawn
Roast Turbot with Herbs and “Mire Poix” of Vegetables, Clams and Red Wine Jus
Braised Veal Cheek and Veal Fillet on Porcini Mushroom and Barley Risotto

Behind the Stove:

A native of Bergamo in Northern Italy, he was trained at Centro di Formazione Alberghiera and apprenticed under the talented Ezio Santin at Antica Osteria del Ponte, now a Michelin starred restaurant outside Milan. His impeccable talent soon took him around the world. In 1983, he joined the famous Rex Il Ristorante in Los Angeles, where he was lauded for his simple yet refined regional cooking. The restaurant, owned by Mauro Vincenti, is a regular venue for post Oscar parties. Adding to his foundation were stints in the kitchen with other top chefs such as Gianfranco Vissani, Michel Rostang and Pinuccio Alia.
Bombana then arrived in Hong Kong in June 1993 to open Toscana and quickly established it as an iconic destination of the fine dining scene. His distinctive flair and passion for refined Tuscan cooking offered Hong Kong 15 years of incomparable dining. During his career at The Ritz-Carlton, the chef would also share his expertise at sister properties in Laguna Niguel, California, Boston, Osaka, Seoul and Singapore.

His signature talent reached an unprecedented level of prestige when Bombana was awarded the Best Italian Chef in Asia by the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (ICIF) in 2002 and then Worldwide Ambassador of the White Truffle in 2006 by the Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour (Italy).

With the closure of Toscana and The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong in January 2008, chef Bombana took some time to reflect on his culinary vision. In the summer of 2009, he and chef Roland Schuller launched an exceptional new restaurant The Drawing Room with Schuller handling the day to day executive chef duties. In less than a year, it already garnered a Michelin star.