Neapolitan are very popular dishes among our regulars. That said, every dish on the menu is a signature dish as they are all specially created to balance the traditions of Southern Italian cuisine while retaining and respecting the original flavours of the ingredients. “Having been an established chef in Italy, foodies across the region were excited about the opening of Don Alfonso 1890 with equal parts thrill and anticipation. Chef Alfonso explained how he came to opening his first Asian outlet in Macau.I was invited in 2007 by Mr. Alan Ho, the executive director of the Lisboa Hotels, to open this place in Macau,“ said Chef Alfonso, understanding the PROXIMITY of the invitation.“I felt that Mr.Ho and I shared
the same strong philosophy about culinary excellence and quality, and Ho’s passion and commitment towards providing the best dining experience for customers and setting the benchmark in the Food and Beverage industry gave me great confidence to coming on board to open the Don Alfonso restaurant in Macau.” With much assurance, Alfonso and Ho went on with opening the restaurant, with no current plans for another one anywhere else in Asia.
It may sound easy to pull of well-known Italian dishes as the restaurant’s signatures, but the creative process takes more than pulling out a cookbook and cook. “There is no fixed time-frame for the creation of a dish as several factors have to come together, including a chef’s
expertise and the availability of special seasonal ingredients, especially because we only use the freshest and best quality ingredients,” continued Chef Alfonso. “My approach and inspiration comes from a combination of values from Southern Italian customs, gastronomic traditions, to the respect I pay for fresh ingredients and food products I use.”
When asked about his best creation, Chef Alfonso wasn’t about to pick one from his repertoire. “All my dishes are important creations. However, if I really must name one as the best one, it’d be the Pastiere Souffle with Orange Blossom Sorbet, which is a very classic Napoleon dessert we usually have during spring of every year. Traditionally the dessert which is made
with wheat and egg is heavy in texture, but I tweaked the recipe a bit and turn it into a pastry form for a lighter, fluffier texture without losing the original flavor of the dessert. I believe it offers a more balanced palette for my customers. “In Sorrento, Italy, Chef Alfonso owns a vegetable garden where he keeps his supply of raw materials dedicated to his cooking. With strong emphasis on freshness, Chef Alfonso explains on re-creating Italian food in Macau. “The quality of ingredients is very important.A qualified chef should have the ability to define fresh ingredients.More than 75% of our ingredients are imported from Italy as well as my farm in Sorrento while others are sourced from Macau.It is also
important to note that quality is no necessarily dependent on where it comes from – it is the color, taste, smell, and texture that matters.” Given the difference in availability of ingredients between places, so are the different takes on food between people in Italy and Macau. “From what I’ve observed, Chinese people prefer less salt in their food, and they also prefer their pasta to be more ‘well-cooked’. “ Other than working in his Don Alfonso 1890 kitchen, Chef Alfonso has been actively engaged in developing an impressive product line including an array of pasta, tomato sauce and olive oil, but that’s not all, as he sheds light on his next venture in his own food products.“We’re always interested in
exploring new product offerings. We’re currently looking into the possibility of breeding our own chicken, but we’re at the initial stage of a very long process ahead of us. “
Having shared his signatures and culinary experiences at the restaurant, Chef Alfonso let us in on his absolute favorite. “I personal favorite dish from the menu is the Carnaroli rice with almonds, Sicilian red prawns, white peppercorn and crispy mustard leaves. Almond risotto is an item of my childhood memory, as my mother used to cook it for the family and I grew up loving it.I added Sicilian red prawns to enrich the flavor in the dish’s presentation based on both my creativity and family tradition. This is without a doubt my favorite
dish in the menu,” recalled Chef Alfonso,who also surprised many with his fruit-filled fridge in his home. Despite a all-rounded chef himself, Chef Alfonso did draw the line at a certain point. “I would never cook horse meat at my restaurant, simply because I consider the horse as a really close animal ‘friend’ of mine.”
