Piedmontese fine-dining restaurant Castellana has debuted a new tasting menu called "Immersion in Piedmont", curated by chef Romeo Morelli. The menu showcases the winter ingredients and rich flavours of the region, offering a choice of either four courses for HK$980 or six courses for HK$1,380, with optional wine pairings available. 

The degustation begins with a refreshing combination of river prawn with Amalfi lemon and porcini mushroom broth, followed by an option of vitello tonnato, featuring raw bluefin tuna and Fassona veal, or crispy artichoke with bagna cauda sauce. A minestrone soup precedes a choice between the signature Piedmontese ragù or fusilloni Gentile pasta dishes. For the main course, options include slow-cooked lake trout, guinea fowl in two ways, or Oberto's Fassona tenderloin. The meal concludes with a creamy Tiramisù or a Piedmontese cheese selection.

Guests dining on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays in January and February can enjoy a buy one get one offer on a bottle of Ettore Germano Barolo DOCG Del Comune Di Serralunga d'Alba, 2019.

The members' club scene in Hong Kong is due to undergo another big shakeup this year as Club Bâtard commences construction over three floors inside the historic Pedder Building in Central. Founded by Michael Wu, founder of The Fine Wine Experience, and restaurateur Randy See, the club will feature Hong Kong's largest walk-in wine cellar with over 5,000 references available to drink on-site at retail prices.

The club will house three restaurants: renowned French restaurant Bâtard; Hop Sze, the in-demand home-style Sai Wan Ho restaurant; and Le Clos, offering all-day dining options. Additionally, the club will have OBE, a whisky-focused bar curated by former Bonhams head of whisky, Diego Lanza, offering rare and fine selections. Within the grand, Joyce Wang-designed environs, a centrepiece three-storey glass-fronted wine cellar will serve as the heart of the institution.

Club Bâtard plans to limit membership to 1,200 individuals, providing exclusive access and a program of wine tastings and events. Membership is currently available at a special pre-opening rate of HK$100,000, and set to increase to HK$150,000 after its scheduled summer 2024 opening.

In other news from the world of exclusive wine-focused members' clubs, 67 Pall Mall, the UK-born institution that now spans three locations in London, Singapore and Verbier, Switzerland, is launching its En Primeur membership in Hong Kong, which connects successful applicants to a global community of oenophiles within the city through exclusive events, tastings and experiences, alongside full access to 67 Pall Mall’s physical locations. Headlining En Primeur's Hong Kong launch activations at The Upper House is Bordeaux wine expert Jane Anson, who will lead a Year of the Dragon vertical masterclass of Bordeaux from 2012, 2000 and 1988.

In the near future, 67 Pall Mall plans to open clubs in major wine regions such as Bordeaux, Beaune and Melbourne up until 2025, while members also have access to reciprocal clubs in major cities in North America, Middle East, Europe and Asia. Applications are now open—learn more.

Chefs Barry Quek of Tatler Dining 20 honouree Whey and Stephan Duhesme of Manila fine-dining restaurant Metiz are joining forces for a two-day culinary event on February 22 to 23. Ranked 48th on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023, Metiz has garnered a following for Duhesme's creative reinterpretation of the ingredients and cooking techniques native to the Philippines. This collaboration sees the two chefs co-create an eight-course dinner highlighting hot seafood and main courses crafted specifically for the occasion, along with each chef's signature bread and culinary creations. Duhesme will also bring herbs, seasonings, and raw ingredients from Manila for that added layer of authenticity. Priced at HK$1,988, spaces for the event can now be reserved online. 

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