8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | January 2010 |
| Founder | Umberto Bombana |
| Headquarters | Central, Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Key people | Umberto Bombana (head chef) |
| Products | Italian cuisine |
8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana is an Italian dining establishment situated at Shop 202, Alexandra House, Central, Hong Kong. It holds the unique distinction of being the sole Italian restaurant outside Italy to have received 3 Michelin stars, an accolade first awarded in the 2012 edition of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau. The culinary operations are led by head chef Umberto Bombana.
History
Umberto Bombana honed his skills under the mentorship of Ezio Santin and began his tenure at Toscana within the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, starting in 1993. He was instrumental in popularizing the white truffle in Hong Kong's gastronomic landscape and was responsible for bringing the World White Truffle of Alba Auction to the city. In recognition of his contributions, Bombana was designated as the International White Truffle Ambassador by Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour in 2006.
Following the demolition of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in 2008 to facilitate construction for China Construction Bank, Bombana launched Otto e Mezzo Bombana in January 2010. The restaurant’s name pays tribute to the 1963 film directed by Federico Fellini.
On 13 November 2011, the venue served as a host for Hong Kong participants bidding in the annual World White Truffle of Alba Auction, connecting via satellite to Italy.
Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd revealed on 9 January 2014 that Otto e Mezzo Bombana would be incorporated into Galaxy Macau’s forthcoming Ritz-Carlton hotel, which was planned for a mid-2015 opening.
Awards
The restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars in November 2010 for the 2011 Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau edition.
In November 2011, it achieved the rank of 13th best restaurant across Asia according to the Miele Guide.
The establishment earned its third Michelin star in 2012.
On 29 April 2013, 8½ Otto e Mezzo secured the 39th position among the top 100 global restaurants in The World's Best Restaurants Awards.
By April 2017, it was recognized as the fourth-best restaurant in Asia on San Pellegrino’s list of 'Asia's 50 Best Restaurants'.