Menus that can't be missed

Otto e Mezzo

Shop 202, 2/F, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Rd, Central. Tel: 2537 8859

Umberto Bombana, the de facto white truffle godfather of Hong Kong, highlights egg and truffle pairings this season with four creamy Taiyouren organic egg dishes (HK$540 each), including egg in cocotte with artichoke puree (seen on cover) and his signature egg, ricotta and spinach ravioli in hazelnut butter, with truffle shaved at the table. Guests invited to the November 14 auction dinner will end the meal with a Verzin cheese ice cream with roast pear, a moscato sabayon and shaved truffle (above).

Cepage

23 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai. Tel: 2861 3130

The French kitchen, headed by Robuchon-trained Sebastien Lepinoy, pairs the earthy fungus with the contrasting taste of the ocean. The seven-course menu begins with a steamed egg custard, followed by caviar (above) and salmon, langoustine, and sea urchin pasta courses. After veal tortellini and a quail salad, the meal ends with a rum souffl? There is no mistaking the nationality of this menu.

The Mistral

B2, InterContinental Grand Stanford, 70 Mody Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2731 2870

Popular among Italian chefs in Hong Kong, The Mistral has taken a classic winter approach to white truffle season. The five-course menu (HK$698, plus HK$388 for wine pairing) includes veal carpaccio with bagna cauda and poached quail egg (above), tagliolini in butter and thyme, and a wild boar, chanterelle and porcini stew on soft polenta.

Va Bene

G/F, 17-22 Lan Kwai Fong, Central. Tel: 2845 5577

As part of the Italian Cuisine World Summit, guest chef Marco Sacco (his restaurant, Piccolo Lago, in Piedmont, has two Michelin stars) and truffle hunter Franco Canta will teach a class entitled 'Everything you ever wanted to know about truffles' at Va Bene. From 11am to 2pm today, participants will cook and eat a three-course truffle-topped lunch (HK$688) designed by Sacco: a duo of tartar of Fassone beef from Piedmont and tuna, Sacco's signature beetroot risotto, and a reinterpretation of the classic tiramisu (above).

H One

4008 Podium Level 4, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central. Tel: 2805 0638

Until November 31, H One is putting four starters (HK$298 and up), such as bruschetta with soft-scrambled eggs with three grams of white truffle (above); four mains (HK$588 and up), such as handmade Piedmont 'tajarin' pasta with Beppino Occelli butter; and a homemade ice cream on the ?la carte menu for truffle season. For the main course's tableside truffle-shaving, diners can choose the three-gram portion, or go for broke with five grams.