Page 38 - Protagonist 108

PROTAGONIST / STELLAR FLAVOURS

for good food, because it is - especially - a place of communal knowledge to comprehend that evolution can also be a question

customs, and constant updating of tradition. And, in fact, it of lightening, of stylizing, as the identity of this place is stylized

houses a stratified multitude of stories, spirits of ancient gestures today: unparalleled custodian of a tradition that has found its

that reverberate every day in a succulent mosaic of flavours, road to modernity here. But there are those who manage to bring

aromas, rituals and dishes, in which you find the age-old spirit of the identity of a cuisine and a territory across the borders. Such

the post station preserved in flavours that nourish the body and as Philippe Léveillé. In Italy for over 30 years, Léveillé arrived at

soul to the extent that today the most worldly have bestowed the Miramonti in Caino in 1992, then moved to Miramonti l’Altro

epithet of comfort food on dishes like theirs. The restaurant is run in Concesio, in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, north

by Gian Piero, who has kept its roots alive by becoming a pioneer Italy. He exported his success to Hong Kong with L’Altro, the

of a more savvy and modern approach, albeit one of twin restaurant of the Italian Miramonti l’Altro,

undisputed perfectionism towards a material from } White from numbered among the all-time top 100 eateries
which all learning in terms of quality is demanded. Alba or black in China in the guide of the South China Morning
It is precisely the overarching respect for the raw from Périgord: Post. The accolades reward the skills of the Breton
material that makes this eatery an obligatory stop only the best cook, foremost among the great interpreters of
on the itinerary of truffle lovers, who start booking Italian cuisine, who brought his style to the Asian

tables in the summer; primarily white Alba truffle metropolis, supported by his full-time assistant chef

(in tajarin with 35 egg yolks and Alpine butter, or shaved over the in China, Antimo Mariua Meron from Naples, while the kitchen

traditional eggs en cocotte, the vice of simplicity). crew are all from Hong Kong. An undisputed maestro in the

But also black Périgord truffle, which graces the winter art of using truffles in cookery, Léveillé believes the real key to
menu in combination with ravioli filled with grey rabbit
from Carmagnola, creamed with shallot water, foie gras, or creating a stimulating truffle-based menu lies in the ingredient
itself. “First of all, quality. Truffles do not lie: either they are good
or they aren’t, there are no half measures. They must be fresh,

seared farm pigeon on a bed of puréed celeriac, and hazelnuts. with a strong, persistent aroma, and they must be used as soon

True, the menu also shows mastery of very traditional techniques, as they are gathered”, he explains. Despite declaring himself

but ones from the Orient, as is the case with Comacchio eel glazed Italian, the influence of Léveillé’s French culinary traditions,

in a teriyaki style and smoked using olive wood. It takes great which is perceived through his use of Italian ingredients, has

Above, left, the kitchen staff at work in the Antica Corona Reale. Right and adjoining page, chef Gian Piero Vivalda with
three impressive white truffles from Alba, one of the excellent products from Piedmont, land of fine wines such as
Barolo and Barbaresco and of North Italian delicacies; the sublime fungus enhances dishes like Jardin d’Hiver (top of page).

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