My second visit to Gradini was just as good, if not, better than my first visit. It will keep me…read morecoming back for more. The interior decor of Gradini is one of my favorites in HK. So calming with beautiful hints of turquoise, well-suited after a long day of work. Not too dark or dim, and no loud music to talk over.
My best friend and I came for dinner on a Thursday night, so the restaurant was not very full at all. The two of us were originally seated at a table for four and considered switching to a smaller table for two in the middle of the room, but thankfully did not, as the supplementary table proved useful when it came to sharing dishes.
We ordered the following:
1. Grigliata di polpo con spinaci in balsamico e olio di olive --- Grilled octopus with spinach and citrus slices, in balsamic vinegar & olive oil (HKD158)
2. Spigola alle erbe al forno --- Oven-baked salt-crusted sea bass (HKD458)
And of course...
3. Lombo di agnello in crosta al forno --- Roasted lamb chops (HKD418)
The polpo (octopus) was polpo-licious! Hands down, one of the best octopus dishes I've ever tried (one of my other favorites is the Octopus Provencal at The Smoking Goat in San Diego). It was grilled to perfection, still tender (not rubbery) and well-seasoned. The salad was light, refreshing, and provided a nice entrance to our main courses. The sea bass came out first on a cart, and a waitstaff began to take off the baked salt layer. She was also about to serve the fish - aka remove the meat for us - but we politely asked if we could do it ourselves. For the lamb, we divided it between the two of us, vegetables and all. The lamb was still as good as I remembered having it the first time. Upon request, they brought us additional sauce for the lamb. The sea bass was baked with thyme and rosemary stuffed inside - it smelled wonderful without overwhelming the taste. Excellent preparation by the kitchen!
I am easily overwhelmed by a lot of choices. So when I saw the dessert menu, it took me almost 15 minutes to make up my mind. Was I feeling tiramisu? I did see someone order it the last time I was at Gradini and 90% of it was cream... The apple pie with vanilla gelato, tempting... Earl Grey Panna Cotta (HKD80), how intriguing! While I haven't had my fair share of good panna cotta, I do love anything Earl Grey. I have found, however, that Earl Grey-flavored items can be a hit or a miss, nothing in between. Was I willing to take a risk? In the end, yes, and it was worth it. The presentation was nothing too impressive, BUT the taste was heart-melting. Absolutely addicting - my friend could not stop scraping the bottom of the bowl, "It's so good, Celine! Can't stop, won't stop!" she said, "Aren't you glad you picked the Earl Grey Panna Cotta?" Yes, very glad.
While you can definitely count on the quality of the food, I found the waitstaff not entirely up-to-par. When it came to asking about wines, they weren't too knowledgeable about the pairings, or what would best suit our selected dishes. The service was there, but the knowledge was a bit lacking (would consider knocking off a star...), though not a big hindrance to the overall dining experience.