The Fabulous & Beautiful (Branch 281) beat the Summer Blues at the clandestine dining space downstairs at 208 Duecento Otto on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong. The Cellar is a relatively new concept and is a hybrid of the ‘lock-in’ and dinner party you want to host at home (but didn’t have the space because apartments in Hong Kong are typically small)! The group of ladies dined family style, sharing a feast that placed emphasis on beautiful produce prepared well, served i n an intimate and relaxed setting. It was a great evening of wonderful food and wonderful ladies!

Guests were greeted with a welcome drink of Ca di Rajo Prosecco, Veneto, NV as they caught up with each other after the summer holidays. Then came the food – and boy there was a lot of it!

The on the table offerings of House baked foccacia, olive oil, aged balsamic, Mount zero organic mixed olives, Spiced seeds and the Kitchen’s selection of salumi and salami was simply bountiful and wonderfully presented.

Then came the Two hundred and five day grain fed black angus… delicious! As if that was not enough, two waiters came in with the Five and half kilogram tomahawk, slow roasted! What a spectacle as they carved it in front of us (and let us know there was more if we wanted it)! All of this was served with endless amounts of Baby leeks; the most delicious Speck, lardo and guanciale mac n cheese; Sage and onion stuffing; (Perfectly!) Roasted potatoes, garlic, rosemary, prosecco vinegar; Rocket, pear and parmesan salad; and – the favourite of the night – Roast pumpkin, chilli, ricotta, almonds. This was all accompanied by Homemade pesto, Horseradish, Salsa Verde and Mustards.

When it seemed like there couldn’t possibly be any more food, we finished the night with the Italian classic, Tiramisu (somehow there is always room for dessert)!

The night flowed as wonderfully and easily as the Toresella Merlot, Veneto, 2015 and the Batasiolo Gavi, Piemonte, 2015 which were paired well with our delicious meal!