If French comfort food is what you crave this winter, Marmo Bistro comes to the rescue.
Nestled within the expansive venue of Bluhouse at the Rosewood Hong Kong hotel—a restaurant within a restaurant, almost—Marmo channels the convivial spirit of rustic French gastronomy, putting forth bold flavours, fresh and seasonal ingredients, and a robust wine list. La Belle Epoque posters, from the likes of Théophile Steinlen, Leonetto Cappiello, and Jules Chéret, line the marble walls, creating a refined atmosphere blending sophistication and retro.
What you might not expect to hear is that the chef on the pass behind Marmo is, in fact, Italian. Giovanni Galeota, chef de cuisine, demonstrates refreshing versatility, pivoting between Bluhouse’s expansive range of dishes that epitomise the best of La Dolce Vita to the more compact menu of Marmo, where reimagined Parisian bistro classics reign supreme.
Making the switch from Italian to French is not a tremendous leap in terms of geography, but there was a learning curve that Galeota had to address when it came to culinary style, citing that “the biggest challenge was conveying the shift to my kitchen team. It was important to get everyone on board with the change in approach and mindset. I also had to completely change my culinary mindset and way of thinking to adapt quickly to French cuisine under the guidance of chef Fabian [Altabert, area director of culinary operations for Rosewood Hong Kong].”
As a result, Marmo follows a straightforward à la carte format, designed for sharing. Galeota’s accomplished take on French fare shines through in elevated interpretations like the appetite-whetting thon à la “Nicoise” with sustainable bluefin tuna, green beans, olives, eggs, and anchovies, and sardines fumées, highlighting smoked Spanish sardines and tomato butter atop crouton slivers, while keeping things archetypal with the gratinée à l’oignon, a moreish onion soup with Gruyére and Comté cheeses, and bouillabaisse fishermen’s seafood stew, packed with red mullet, seabass, clams, mussels, and squid. Galeota’s menu, while focused and pared down to just the most quintessential items, nevertheless deftly dances its way through the culinary idiosyncrasies of various French regions and traditions.
Mediterranean cultural fusion comes into play in the cuisse de grenouille, a dish long associated with French monks who wished to sidestep abstaining from meat and devised a loophole by counting frogs as fish, blending French history with Italian sensitivity through a parsley risotto topped with organic frog legs and sweet garlic cream; the cannelloni au pigeon, similarly, features stuffed homemade pasta and pigeon ragout in a Parmesan cheese fondue.
“We focus on staying true to the roots of French cuisine while incorporating my personal taste without compromising its authenticity. I respect the classic French techniques and flavours, but I allow my personal approach to influence how I use ingredients, the key is to enhance the dish with my perspective, without altering the essence of the French tradition,” Galeota affirms. “I integrated my Italian cooking skills into Marmo Bistro by focusing on fresh, high-quality ingredients, and light sauces that highlight natural flavours. Dishes like our [fleur de courgette], [cuisse de grenouille], and [cannelloni au pigeon] reflect this blend of my Italian roots and French techniques, creating a menu that is both sophisticated and comforting.”
Marmo’s fricassée de poulet, a spring yellow-chicken stew with morel mushrooms and Swiss chard, and côte de boeuf à la bordelaise, a roasted bone-in rib-eye with bone marrow in a red wine sauce, steer the menu back to strong French roots. (It pairs beautifully with the smooth pomme purée mashed potatoes, popularised by Joël Robuchon.) A full tarte tropézienne cake, kissed by orange blossom notes, is served table-side, but it’s the crème brûlée, flawlessly executed with a subtly sweet vanilla custard, that ends the meal on a high note. Marmo also offers an à-la-minute soufflé aux framboise, with a wild berry coulis.
Marmo’s beverage programme puts France’s most prominent wine regions on show to enhance the bistro dishes. Philipponnat Champagne, Domaine de Terrebrune rosé, Domaine Bruno Clair Burgundy, and Domaine Jean Foillard Beaujolais are just a few of the highlights, alongside picks from the rest of Europe. Classic cocktails, like the brandy-based Sidecar, are also in the offing.
“When I first came up with the concept for Marmo, my vision was to create a true bistro that celebrated the traditional flavours of French cuisine while also focusing on the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant. I wanted it to feel authentic, warm, and inviting, capturing the essence of a classic French bistro but with our personal touch that made it feel unique and modern,” says Fabian Altabert, area director of culinary operations for Rosewood Hong Kong. His idea—“to create a space where the food and the ambience complemented each other perfectly, offering an experience that was both timeless and contemporary”—ticks all our boxes.
G/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 3891 8732
All images courtesy of Marmo Bistro.
