It seems like ages since Beijing has had a glitzy international celeb chef opening, but now Umberto Bombana, of triple Michelin star 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong, has planted his breadstick in China’s capital.
Like Daniel Boulud, Claudio Sadler, Nobu Matsuhisa and a forkful of lesser culinary brands, Umberto has franchised out his name and fame in Beijing (and Shanghai). Naturally, the great man won’t be found behind the stove on a regular basis, but your meal is in the capable hands of former Sureño (Opposite House) chef Marino D’Antonio.
Opera Bombana has set up shop in Beijing’s most awesome shopping mall, Parkview Green (more on that another time – just to say it has life-sized cow sculptures dangling from the ceiling). But thanks to the terrific design it doesn’t feel like you’re eating in a mall. Which is good.
Before we start, a word about bread. Opera Bombana is serious about baking; they have some lovely loaves and pastries, made on site daily and sold from a mini bakery beside the entrance. We got to gorge on three types of complimentary bread over lunch. This airy little slice is their foccacia.
The 2-course lunch menu is a bit of a bargain and stars rustic classics like antipasti, calamari, and this melon with parma ham (the melon is under there somewhere, honest).
But we couldn’t resist a few sojourns to the a la carte list – here, a carpaccio of langoustine light as silk, and sent into taste orbit with sweet citrus additions and something faintly floral going on. This will linger long in the memory banks.
Our wagyu beef ravioli had the table clashing forks to defend its honour. Something to do with the combination of unctuous red meat and pungent Italian cheese. Oh mama. Better yet, pasta and risotto dishes are remarkably good value given the setting.
Desserts… Last but lovely. This scrumptious fruit salad we managed to photograph intact, but sadly the divine passionfruit sorbet took the easy way out. Let this be its memorial. To the unknown dessert.
Free chocs and sweets! A classy touch from a classy place, and no less petit fours than you deserve, in our opinion.
And now for something completely sticky. Get a load of these buns! These Italian pastries are just itching to be dunked in frothy cappuccino. You can pick up a bag to go — the donuts (at the top of the picture) are called bombolini – which is simply a super name for something filled with lemony custard, deep-fried and sugared.
The final word: for those seeking Italian fine-dining with personality and authenticity, there’s no better place in Beijing than Opera Bombana. Equally suited to a romantic (yet un-stuffy) dinner OR a lavish lunch for all the family. Failing all that, just pop in for a bombolini to go. We certainly will.
Opera Bombana, Lower Ground 2-21, Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. +86 (0)10 5690 7177. Open daily 12pm-10.30pm.
About the author: Tom O’Malley is Propaganda Secretary at Bespoke Beijing. A lifestyle journalist, guidebook author, glutton and bon vivant, Tom is a tireless crusader for fine food, hospitality and tourist experiences in China’s capital.