IT'S time for the annual Lan Kwai Fong Food Festival which runs from Thursday until October 15. Va Bene is hosting Francesco Berardinelli, whom the Wine Spectator featured in its cover story in May. The chef, who has a 'modern twist on traditional Tuscan cuisine' and is 'destined for the top of the culinary world' will be making dishes such as tonno marinato su insalata tiepida di finocchi canditi ed arance (tepid fennel and orange salad with fillet of fresh marinated tuna), piccione al vin santo e spinaci in agrodolce (pigeon with vin santo flavour, served with sweet and sour spinach), and parfait al miele e mandorle (almond and honey parfait). And for those who want to learn chef Berardinelli's culinary secrets, he's holding cooking classes on October 10 and 12; information from Va Bene at 2845 5577.
Thai Lemongrass is celebrating the end of the Buddhist Lent, with a special vegetarian menu. Baci's theme is Wild About Truffles and executive chef Aldo Volpi has sourced the precious white truffles from Alba in Italy. His dishes include tagliatelle tartufate (homemade truffle tagliatelle served with extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and white truffle), costata di vitello sorpresa (baked veal chops stuffed with fontina cheese and white truffle, served with white wine sauce) and risotto punte d'asparagi e tartufo (arborio rice with fresh asparagus and white truffle). Reservations on 2801 5885.
Cafe des Artistes is bringing in Greg Malouf as guest chef during the festival. Malouf, who works at O'Connell's restaurant in Melbourne, will be cooking up his modern Middle Eastern dishes. including Greek fisherman's terrine with giant shrimp, taramasalata, and olive pita bread, seabass grilled in vine leaves and potatoes whipped with goat's cheese, roast quail with ras el hanout spice, and char-grilled prime beef fillet with kipfler potatoes and sauteed spinach.
Tel: 2526 3880.