From the red carpet leading to the hostess stand to the discreet glass sliding doors to the mirrored hallway leading to the main dining room and candle-lit gold-surfaced tables, everything about Armani/Aqua is tailored to impress. The restaurant spans 14,000 square feet on the second floor of Chater House in Central and boasts mirror panel walls, suede cream banquettes and plenty of seating options, from private rooms to a casual rotating sushi bar. The decor is over-the-top sleek and sexy, but seems intentionally so – if you want to feel like a celebrity, this is the place to go.

Armani/Aqua offers Italian and Japanese menus and both include unique and creative dishes. The burrata mozzarella cheese is luscious with a creamy centre, but the accompanying pesto sauce masks the milky essence of the burrata, which defeats the purpose of the dish – a simple topping of sea salt and olive oil would be preferable. Raw lobster sushi with wasabi and spicy fish roe is fresh and sweet – the gold leaf garnish is a classy touch. Pastas are cooked al dente and the signature casoncelli alla Bergamasca – homemade thick pasta envelopes filled with Italian sausage – is especially memorable. A local pasta from the executive chef’s hometown of Bergamo, the casoncelli is topped with paper-thin crispy bacon and sage. While the flavours are complementary, the pasta itself is not as silky as it could have been. The spaghetti aglio olio topped with sea urchin brims with the delicious flavours of garlic and olive oil. The dollop of sea urchin is perched on top, and we would have preferred if it were more integrated into the dish. The slow-cooked Australian wagyu beef cheek with winter melon and black truffle miso is melt-in-your-mouth tender and should not be missed. The charcoal grilled black cod marinated with saikyo miso is also a classic and a winner.

The wine list is grouped between Italian wines and wines from the rest of the world, fitting for an Armani restaurant. A sake and shochu menu is also available and includes helpful tasting notes.

Service is unfailingly gracious and attentive at Armani/Aqua, with the staff going out of their way to make diners feel like VIPs, and at times can feel a bit excessive. Still, service that is too attentive is always preferable to the other end of the spectrum.

A meal for two will average around HK$1,600, excluding wine. Most dishes can be shared among two or three people, which allows patrons to try more dishes on the extensive menu.