NICCOLO KITCHEN Chongqing - A Date with Tomahawk

Nothing beats a good steak and then you can up the ante at the Niccolo Kitchen Chongqing where they are presently promoting a seasonal Tomahawk set menu for 3-4 persons sharing, featuring nothing less than a 1.3kg Australian beef heavy weight tomahawk. Does that whet your appetite? mylifestylenews writes.

Perched atop 62^nd floor of the Niccolo Chongqing hotel, the chic and stylish Niccolo Kitchen re-imagines the modern Parisian bistro dining, with an entrance via the sassy and cozy lounge onto the soft carpet, you will then greeted by a gigantic flower arrangement in the foyer of Niccolo Kitchen in a bright array setting.

Make your grand entrance by walking onto the black and white chequered marble flooring passing through the open kitchen where the main culinary action takes place upon being ushered to your desired table, window seats preferred, of course, in order to enjoy the panoramic vista of this magical city skyline. Table arrangements are well aligned to create neat and organized settings contrasting the black marble square table tops and comfortable beige dining chairs. The modern contemporary interior design certainly added a sense of luxury touches to the cozy yet not too fussy and unpretentious dining ambience. Elegantly executed!

While the Niccolo Kitchen makes a positive impact on the environment and takes a proactive approach to social responsibility, the menu is designed to give you a wide variety of quality dishes that are sustainably sourced. Helmed by the Executive Chef Francesco Sanna, the menu explores the intersection of contemporary European techniques and progressive Asian flavours - where handmade pastas share the stage with precisely wok-seared creations with the elevation of the bistro classics meet innovation by bringing a global nouvelle gastronomy to your table.

The present seasonal Tomahawk set menu promotion has become quite a big-hit among the local diners as well as some in-house guests, according to the service team. The inviting Tomahawk set includes an Australian Beef Tomahawk Steak served with Marinated Vegetables, Stewed Lentil Soup with Potatoes, Bacon & Fresh Herbs, Sauteed Artichoke Heads with Garlic, Handmade Pumpkin Tortelli with Butter & Sauce and lastly Warm Apple Strudel. Sounds impressive and the temptation is out there to grab, we certainly were salivating at the very thought of such a fine repast. To give a sense of occasion, the tomahawk was brought to your table in its raw state so that you could see the full size of the tomahawk and understand how big it is along with marbling on the meat, before it is prepared and served half an hour later.

We started with a glass of full-bodied, citrusy, fruity 2024 locally produced Riesling  from Kanaan winery, Ningxia region that was a flinty style, dry yet refreshing that was quite enjoyable.

<Grilled Vegetable Salad>

A colourful light seasoning grilled vegetable salad dressed with a good selection of olive oil is simply a good way to open the appetite while enjoying the refreshing Riesling, served in a edible bread basket that made for a delicious fresh start to the evening.

 

<Lentil Soup>

This rustic trattoria style homemade lentil soup was a rather heart warming creation. Thick yet minus the filling-your-stomach effect and it had unctuous flavours cooked with chunky bits of tasty bacon together with diced potatoes and topped with delicious grated Parmesan cheese. It was wise not being served in a bigger portion to avoid not being over-enjoyed with what’s next to come.

 

<Sauteed Artichoke Head>

A very young artichoke head that was chosen for its less grainy texture and offering a hint of bitter-sweet taste from this palatable root vegetable that was beautifully sautéed. Less is more and it is best to be enjoyed by its own and served with an effortless manner.

<Australian Tomahawk Steak>

The tomahawk finally arrived and the presentation was superb. The giant bone was well placed in the centre on the wooden board and all the meat was beautifully and thickly sliced into generous mouthful bites and well laid out, among some grilled vegetables on the side. The beef was well-grilled and lightly charred on the outside for that smoky flavour and the meat had a good ratio of lean meat with a little fat that was a joy to eat along with the rest of the flavoursome meat. The meat was soft in texture and not too grainy, it was tender, juicy and easy to cut through with a good steak knife. Every bite was heavenly and we were hooked! It was well paired with the 2022 Kanaan Wild Pony Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot from Ningxia Helan Mountain, beautifully reflected of its terroir with a sensational red fruits note, subtle earthiness and aromatic spices.

<Pumpkin Tortelli>

After the richness of the steak, this pumpkin tortelli was another wonderful dish to enjoy. The flat stuffed tortelli had a subtle and delicious flavour due to the butter and sage used in cooking that complimented the pumpkin perfectly. We were won over with this pasta variation for its authentic Tuscany touch and flavour.

 

<Apple Strudel>

This was an incredibly delicious dessert and the grapes were juicy and very much enjoyable. The light and flaky pastry was wrapped into a dumpling-like shape that made the presentation stand out that was served on a shallow striking dessert stoneware. A delicious and reinvention of this wonderfully classic dessert that was done so well and made a fitting end to the set menu.

 

<Dessert Trolley - The Niccolo Sweet Temptation>

Just when you thought that you have enough to please your sweet tooth, a trolley of gateaux and cheese cake among other delicate and delightful sweet bites was being pushed out by the in-house dessert chef. We couldn’t help but to pick the rich and creamy New York Traditional Cheesecake and the Osmanthus Yuzu Mousse Cake to further indulge for the Tomahawk evening. The Niccolo Sweet Temptation is also well complimented by its specially made condiments, you may pick among the vanilla sauce or chocolate sauce, berry compote, fresh strawberry or mango and even raspberry coulis.

The night was one to remember, as the Tomahawk was not the only highlight but did take centre stage and there was not one step missed in terms of the quality of the produce and the perfection in executing each dish. Alina, the restaurant manager looked after us so attentively, that she made our evening a treat. The Tomahawk set menu is well put together and each dish complimented each other and the portions were well judged to ensure you had room for the steak. The witty Chef Francesco and his dedicated culinary team were worth the applause by creating such a memorable meal for this modern bistro dining experience through a lens of cultural dialogue and take pride in the dishes they created.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5

Design & Decor: 5/5

Food & Beverage: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Value For Money: 5/5

Experience: 5/5

Niccolo Kitchen Chongqing
Tower 1, Chongqing IFS,

No.1 Qingyun Road,

Liangjiang New Area,

Chongqing, China

Tel: +86 23 6508 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.