Savor a memorable stay and dine experience with these special highlights and create new experiences while frolicking and eating in good old Hong Kong.

Written by Tedrick Yau
Images courtesy of Marco Polo Hotels
February 3, 2023

The surge of revenge travels has not died down. From long European escapades to spending the holidays in Japan, Filipinos reinvigorated that longing to explore foreign countries after that long period of house arrest. Finally, Hong Kong, one of the most accessible and favorite destinations of Filipinos, has reopened to tourists. Only two hours away from Manila, it was once the easiest to get to shopping, dining, and recreation mecca in Asia. Now, promotions are abound to once more attract the loyal following of the country.

One of the hotels that Filipinos have always preferred are the Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong. Conveniently situated in Harbour City, Hong Kong’s largest shopping complex with the world’s leading luxury brands, the location is considered a destination on its own. With its warm hospitality and spacious rooms, it is truly a home away from home. 

Drawing tourists back, the property presents its “Welcome Back” package with an array of benefits. Until the end of March 2023, guests may book a stay of two or more nights and enjoy a discounted package price that includes a daily breakfast buffet for two and HK$100 dining credits per night. Guests have the option to book either at the well established Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel overlooking the Victoria Harbour or at the contemporary posh Gateway Hotel at the stylish Canton Road.

While in Hong Kong, sample Cucina’s Chef Andrea Delzanno’s gastronomic exploration of the flavours of Southern Italy with a four-course signature menu. The south of Italy boasts a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild winters. Thanks to this weather, Southern Italian cuisine benefits from a wide array of produce, such as tomatoes, fine olive oil as well as herbs and spices. Being close to the sea, the region also features plenty of delicacies made with fresh seafood.

Until April 5, 2023, guests can sample regional delicacies as part of this set menu as they enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong’s iconic skyline.

Chef Andrea infuses the culinary specialties of four Southern Italian regions into this set menu. Guests will kick off the decadent meal with Red Prawn Carpaccio, Mozzarella Cheese Sauce, Herring Caviar, Lemon Oil Dressing – a refreshing starter made with red prawns caught from Bari, a seaside city of the Apulia region. The soft texture and delicate sweetness of the red prawns are enhanced by the creamy cheese sauce and the buttery richness of the herring caviar on top. 

Be transported to Sardinia, a beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea. The dish of Fregola Pasta in Sardinian Style, Mixed Shellfish, Molluscs, Scallops, Lobster Sauce features the treasures from the ocean alongside fregola, which is the quintessential pasta of Sardinia. This unique and deliciously nutty pasta is made from hard durum wheat flour and water and is hand rolled into little dough pearls that are then toasted into beautiful shades of gold, yellow and brown. Here, the al dente fregola absorbs the rich lobster sauce and is cooked with a tantalising array of seafood to create the perfect pasta dish bursting with flavour.
  

Gourmands can continue the gastronomic journey to Campania, a southwestern region of Italy that is famed for its tomatoes and cheeses. Chef Andrea’s main course of Traditional Neapolitan Stew Pork Ragout, Ricotta Cheese Foam, Green Pea Purée is a home-style delicacy from this region. The pork is slowly cooked for three hours in a rich and hearty tomato sauce to bring out its tenderness and succulence. Chef Andrea also showcases his  creativity by using Italian ricotta cheese foam to enhance the dish’s layers of taste and texture. 

As the finale to the elaborate meal, Chef Andrea transports diners’ palates to Sicily, one of the most popular destinations in Italy and also the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is known for its fruits, such as lemons, blood oranges, tangerines and olives. Diners can savour the traditional dessert of Sicilian Cassata with Ricotta, Pistachios, Raisins, Candied Fruits, Rum, Orange Sauce, which features a variety of fruits and a luscious creaminess that is bound to please guests’ eyes and palates. 

To elevate this gastronomic tour of Southern Italy, guests can pair the menu with four exquisite wines that have been selected by Raymond Lo, Cucina’s Beverage Manager, to match the respective regions of each dish. 

Savor a memorable stay and dine experience with these special highlights and create new experiences while frolicking and eating in good old Hong Kong.

Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong is located at Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. For more information, visit www.marcopolohotels.com.