Slow food for fast movers

HONG KONG – “Our aim is to create a place where people can rediscover the simple pleasures of authentic cooking with an understanding of ingredients and their original source,” says Walter Kern, fou

HONG KONG – “Our aim is to create a place where people can rediscover the simple pleasures of authentic cooking with an understanding of ingredients and their original source,” says Walter Kern, founder of Da Via. “A place where busy foodies will find the very best of authentic Italian cuisine made and served with passion, throughout the day.” Da Via is an Italian food destination that embraces the slow food philosophy of providing good quality Italian gastronomy with integrity.

Emporio del Gusto Ltd. is on a mission to change the way Hong Kong foodies connect with their food. Drawing inspiration from rural Italy and from the heart of traditional family dining, the group’s new Italian food destination, Da Via, opened its doors on June 5 in the heart of dynamic Wan Chai and neighbor to Pacific Place 3.

Da Via is a gastronomic retreat, bringing the laid back ambience of Italy to busy and bustling Hong Kong. Here, time slows down so foodies can fully appreciate the joyful simplicity of perfectly cooked seasonal ingredients, just like mamma and nonna used to make.

The Da Via experience takes place in an open, modern space, where rustic wooden blends with bright splashes of color, reminiscent of the villas lining the Amalfi Coast and scattered across the rolling hills of Tuscany. A communal dining area, reminiscent of lively home-style dinners with the whole family crowding around. A column wrapped with living herbs reflect Da Via’s focus on the ingredient’s journey from earth to plate, bringing the pungent aroma of fresh basil out of the kitchen and into the dining space.

The all-day dining hours – from 8:00 am until 11:00 pm – attest to the fact that in Italy, any time is a good time for a meal. An Italian food destination that provides gastronomic excitement throughout the day through fresh, home-made and or sourced directly from Italian farms and food producers.

For those forced to commit to working through their lunch hour, the team is on hand to put together an Italian-style picnic, delivered straight to the office. Each of Da Via’s staff members, or ‘gastronomic hosts’, is a dedicated food lover passionate about Italian cuisine. The gastronomic hosts will be onsite to expertly guide each foodie towards their ideal dish.

From la Colazione (breakfast) menu all the way through to the Cena (dinner) menu, Da Via offers a plethora of rustic delights. From crisp freshly-baked breads to slow-cooked Italian-style pasta congee, to panini’s filled with the freshest of ingredients, the freshest of salads, authentic farm-house styled cheeses, and make-your-own piattino antipasti selections for meat, vegetable, and seafood lovers alike. Hearty pastas, risotto, and soups are accompanied by the freshest seasonal Italian produce, followed by sweet treats served straight from the hot oven.

The founder of Emporio del Gusto Ltd, Walter Kern, has amassed over 40 years of experience in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. For this exciting gastronomic venture he has teamed up with Culinary Host Alejandro Vaglietti, a seasoned professional with a passion for ‘slow food’.

“Our philosophy is simple. We want to serve authentic, quality and fresh Italian food, showing a clear link between the food on our plates and where it was grown,” says Walter Kern. “Food is as integral to modern life here as it is in Italy, but it can be easy to take it for granted. We want to share the joy that food can bring, and offer a quiet and serene respite from the bustling streets of Hong Kong in the process!”

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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