Da Filippo, which touts its “authentic and traditional Italian family flavour,” has opened its doors in Harbour City. This new concept of an Italian restaurant is different from the usual Italian diners in Hong Kong. Executive chef, Andrea Alimenti from Florence, has earned the Michelin-starred chef title for 20 years in a row in Italy. Chef Andrea specialises in a variety of pizzas and pasta. Holding to the principles of offering “traditional Italian family taste” and “affordable price”, he is committed to bringing Hong Kong diners authentic tastes from different Italian regions.
Chef Andrea said, “I create my dishes with the most authentic cooking skills and the best Italian ingredients chosen with rigorous standards. By offering a series of family dishes that preserve the traditional Italian connotation, I will give Hong Kong diners an experience of the real tastes that Italians pursue every day.”
House-made Sourdough for Hand Making Fresh Quality Pizzas Every Day
Born in Florence and influenced by his epicure father since childhood, Chef Andrea is authoritative in making authentic Italian pizzas. Chef Andrea has spent many years studying and making high-quality pizzas and is meticulous about every detail.
Chef Andrea insists on growing his sourdough starter at Da Filippo to make the restaurant’s pizza base. He makes the sourdough starter with Petra 3 stone-ground flour imported from Italy, water, apple peel, honey and sugar. Over patient and artisan cultivation, the sourdough starter is mature and plays the vital role of natural yeast, which becomes Da Filippo’s unique house-made ingredient for making pizza. The sourdough starter is mixed with Petra 3 stone-ground flour, kneaded into sourdough and fermented in-house for 24 to 48 hours. Then after properly-skilled baking, Da Filippo’s unique handmade pizza is ready to serve. Compared with the average pizza in the market, Da Filippo’s pizza is more chewy in texture and tangy in the aroma. Pizzas enjoyed at Da Filippo have reached the highest level of authentic Italian taste. Their must-try pizzas include Meat Lovers Pizza, Napoli Tomato Mozzarella with Anchovies Cappers Pizza and 4 Cheeses Pizza.
High-quality Italian flour for Making Daily Fresh Pasta
The daily fresh house-made pasta, which is also Chef Andrea’s craftsmanship, has to be mentioned. He is very particular about ingredients and has picked Petra 7220 flour. It is from Molino Quaglia, a family-run flour mill in north-central Italy of more than 160 years old. This type of flour is produced explicitly for making pasta. The Petra 7220 type “00” flour is highly absorbent and full of wheat fragrance. Chef Andrea uses it with fresh eggs and treats it with his many years of pasta-making techniques to create signature al dente pasta rich in texture. Classic Carbonara , Classic Tagliatelle Bolognese and Classic Lobster Tagliatelle are Da Filippo’s masterpieces. Each dish demonstrates the family flavour of Italians and Chef Andrea’s solid Italian cooking craftsmanship and exquisite skills of 40 years.
Brand-new Dishes that Preserve the Connotation of Traditional Italian Cuisine
In addition to the classic dishes handed down by families, Da Filippo introduces a range of creative dishes, among which Seafood Carpaccio Risotto With Cuttlefish is particularly outstanding. Acquerello rice from Vercelli in northern Italy, which is dried and aged for a year, is used. It is chewy and water-absorbent, perfect for making aromatic and flavourful risotto. Besides, the Handmade Steamed Bun with Cuttlefish Lampredotto is a re-creation of the Panino al Lampredotto commonly-seen in the Florence market by replacing the dish’s ingredient with cuttlefish. Da Filippo is the only place to serve this dish.
Cheese N Gold Pizza , one of Da Filippo’s wow factor pizza, is a favourite choice for showing off on social media. With a “plump” burrata cheese covered in a gold foil at the centre, the pizza is strikingly eye-catching. While it has a superb presentation, its pickled salmon permeates a mouthwatering savoury flavour, perfecting the pizza with a delectable taste.
Finally, how can we miss the Italian desserts? Apart from Tiramisu, one of the most popular desserts in Italy, Semifreddo Cappuccino, one relatively rare in Hong Kong but an authentic Italian dessert, also makes a delightful debut at Da Filippo. It is a great pleasure to enjoy a Michelin-starred gourmet of authentic family dishes at such a friendly price.
Grab & Go Counter Presents Master’s Classic Croissants
There is a Grab & Go counter at Da Filippo’s entrance and a bakery and pastry kitchen in-house, offering a range of high-quality house-made baked treats for takeaway. The highlight must be Chef Andrea’s Homemade Croissant with a crispy outer layer and distinct inner layers, of which each bite is a mouthful of rich butter flavour. Other Grab & Go items include Philadelphia Egg, Pickles Focaccia Sandwich and Hot Salami Small Pizza made with in-house sourdough. Authentic Italian desserts, classic coffee and special drinks are also available for takeaway.
