Isola Bar & Grill - Come Only for Its Magnificent View

Price: $$$$
Cravingness: ★★☆☆☆

It was a delightful surprise dining at Isola Bar & Grill as I always thought it was just a "shopping mall restaurant". It is the Italian restaurant that can offer you different vibes all in one place. The ambiance is lively at the bar, chill at the outdoor dining area and romantic over the main dining area.

I booked a table for two without making any special request, but we were given a corner table at the furthest end in the main dining room. Not to mention the table has a perfect view of the Victoria Harbour from the floor to ceiling window! The dining hall is sophisticated with white tables and candle lights. I reckon our table is the best table for couples who want a romantic evening.

The a la carte menu carries a vast range of Italian dishes. It is a bit pricey though, with dishes priced at HKD180+. Well I guess we have to pay for the magnificent view of the Victoria Harbour, nothing comes free in HK. The wine list was extensive too, we drove tonight so we didn't get any drinks.

Bread Basket

The bread basket was fully loaded with difference kinds of bread but they were served stone cold. The olive paste was very nice to go with the bread though! If you need olive oil and Vinaigrette, you have to request for them.

Beef carpaccio with shaved goose liver terrine - HKD198

Our antipasti is a beautifully plated beef carpaccio topped Parmesan, goose liver terrine, arugula, black truffle and truffle vinaigrette. The truffle vinaigrette was heftily used and overpowered everything else on the dish. The arugula was a tad too wet for the same reason. The goose liver terrine was a pleasant surprise, added an icy, smooth texture to the dish.

Trifola - HKD228

The trifola pizza was a stone baked pizza with black truffle, crescenza, mozzarella and mache leaves. The pizza base was floury but was very dense and weighted heavy on the palate. The rim was crunchy but many parts were burnt and tasted bitter. The overall flavour was in good balance with a mild truffle flavour and light cheese flavour. I was a bit let down as I reckon the truffle taste can be stronger and real shaved truffle should be used given the price.

Iberico pork tenderloin wrapped in Parma ham - HKD348

The Iberico pork was nicely grilled with an aromatic charred edge. It was very meaty and flavourful but a bit rough in texture. Sadly I could not taste the Parma ham, so the whole point of wrapping is gone. The mashed potato was delightful, it was smooth and buttery. The bell peppers were the best thing on the dish, it was juicy and sweet!

Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice cream

We ended the meal with an apple tart for dessert. The tart was flakey and flavourful!

Although I commented Isola is pricey earlier, their dishes are actually generously portioned, which now I think can justify the price. The food overall did not impress me, and I got a bit annoyed at the end of the meal as the server were not too attentive. Perhaps it was because we sat at the corner of the dining room, we had a hard time getting attention from the server. I guess it will be the view rather than the food that will bring me back to Isola Bar & Grill next time.

Rating
Food - ★★★☆☆
Service - ★★☆☆☆
Ambience - ★★★★★
Overall - ★★☆☆☆


Isola Bar & Grill

Address (E) Shop 3071-3075, 3/F & Shop 4011, 4/F, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
Address (C) 香港中環港景街1號國際金融中心商場3樓3071-3075號舖及4樓4011號舖
☏ 2383 8611
Opening Hours: Mon - Sun: 12pm - 11pm
Reservation Available? Yes
Walk In Possible? Yes


Date of Dining: 19 May 2014
Bill in Total (Dinner inc Beverages) - HKD1039
Bill Per Person (Dinner inc. Beverages) - HKD520

Follow this blog on:
FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER