Review

Chef Francesco Lenzi’s tribute to Tuscan cuisine continues to delight. The kitchen has been helmed for many years by chef David Hernandez, who ensures every dish is executed with exceptional consistency. The à la carte menu changes seasonally, but treasured signatures remain. Begin with a selection of cheese and hams from the Lenzi farm in Tuscany, including a stunning blood pudding ham and buttery rich sheep milk cheese, naturally aged in caves. Continue with marinated slivers of beef carpaccio, accompanied by Italian artichokes, and generously finished with slices of Parmigiano Reggiano. For pasta, a delicate homemade ravioli with black squid ink, stuffed with fresh turbot, enveloped in a piquant vongole-style emulsion, with lime and burrata. The main is where the kitchen excels. Whether sous vide Iberian pluma in red wine with creamy potatoes or Italian langoustine, Galician sea bass, squid, and tiger prawns slow-cooked in a light, aromatic tomato sauce, premium ingredients are prepared and presented. Or, from the wood-fired oven, Tasmanian grass-fed lamb, marinated in honey, or charcoal-grilled 270-day grain-fed Black Angus T-bone. Desserts range from classic Piedmont-style panna cotta to affogato al caffè, or a tart with fresh apricots and yogurt or wood-fired baked pear with chocolate ice cream and sabayon. The wine list is encyclopaedic, but expert guidance is on hand.