Housed on the 102nd floor of the iconic International Commerce Centre building, in the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, Tosca di Angelo hits all the high notes.
The dining room is a glitzy garden of metal and glass, moored by a graphic marble floor, pillars, and two fountains. At the center of it all is a large open kitchen where chef Angelo Agliano orchestrates the lead, supported by a large cast of bobbing toques. He looks to the southern end of Italy for inspiration, offering a menu abundant with seafood and bright, briny Mediterranean flavors, classic in conception, perhaps, but ultramodern in presentation.
The most coveted seats are closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Natural light floods the room at midday, but at night the lights on the massive metal chandelier are left dim to let the city skyline shine.
The dining room is a glitzy garden of metal and glass, moored by a graphic marble floor, pillars, and two fountains. At the center of it all is a large open kitchen where chef Angelo Agliano orchestrates the lead, supported by a large cast of bobbing toques. He looks to the southern end of Italy for inspiration, offering a menu abundant with seafood and bright, briny Mediterranean flavors, classic in conception, perhaps, but ultramodern in presentation.
The most coveted seats are closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Natural light floods the room at midday, but at night the lights on the massive metal chandelier are left dim to let the city skyline shine.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- A water theme runs through the Italian restaurant’s design, though the various shades of purple in the room — in the grape stained glass place settings, chianti colored upholstery, and burgundy lampshades — bring to mind a different liquid (of which there is plenty, displayed behind glass).
- Since this Four-Star restaurant is on the 102nd floor, the view is a big draw here. During the day (weather permitting), it’s possible to see all the way across Hong Kong Island to the South China Sea.
- At lunchtime, the power lunch crowd is peppered with tourists and shoppers, while the group goes more glam for dinner, when it’s a popular choice for a romantic date.
- The restaurant’s knowledgeable staff looks chic in their slender black suits while delivering dishes on silver platters.
- Though the Hong Kong restaurant offers the comforts and high service standard of fine dining, the atmosphere is relaxed and lively, especially nearer the open kitchen, where you can see (and hear) the cooks working, watch a pastry chef spin cotton candy for the petits fours and observe Agliano in action.
Things to Know
- Tosca, which is located inside of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, is open every day of the week. Dinner is served nightly from 6 to 10:30 p.m.; lunch is served Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 2:30 p.m.; and brunch is served Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- To see A Symphony of Lights — the nightly light show put on by some of Hong Kong’s most famous buildings — you’ll want to be seated by 8 p.m.
- The dress code at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong’s Tosca is officially smart casual. At lunch you’ll see a broad range of dress, from jeans to business attire, while the feeling in the evening is more formal, with low lighting and, of course, the glittering skyline providing a dramatic backdrop for dinner.
- There is no system for online reservations. Bookings for the Four-Star restaurant should be made a few days in advance, or more for prime weekend times, though last-minute reservations may sometimes be possible, especially at lunch.
The Food
- You’ll find a prix-fixe menu at both lunch and dinner with a seasonal a la carte option available as well. All menus feature Agliano’s classic Mediterranean fare.
- Lunch is a two-, three- or four-course affair featuring selections like langoustine with young leaf salad and crab mayonnaise; spaghetti with tuna, sea asparagus and sun dried tomatoes; and roasted guinea fowl breast with lemon and Swiss chard.
- The prix-fixe dinner menu offers not one, but two wine pairing options with each dish. Expect fare like roasted octopus, green spaghetti with swordfish and squid and loin of lamb with herbs, almonds and tomato.
- Seasonal desserts may be Italian in inspiration, but definitley feature a Hong Kong flare. You might find dishes like pineapple soup with coconut and rum, walnut cake with spicy chocolate fondant or lemon semifreddo with basil and pistachio.
Getting There
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