MISTRAL

Housed in the basement of the INTERCONTINENTAL Grand Stanford, Mistral is a romantic, fine-dining Italian restaurant that's proud to call itself ‘passionately Italian'. As one of the few non-European restaurants to be included in the prestigious “Buon Ricordo” Italian Restaurant Association promoting authentic and regional Italian cuisine, the menu features typical Italian dishes such as handmade pastas, pizzas and desserts. Must-tries include the square spaghetti with lobster and crispy artichokes, and the pizza topped with an entire Boston lobster, although the authenticity of the last dish could be questioned. The use of thinly sliced watermelon and mango sauce offered a fresh and fruity take to the usual seafood carpaccio. Service is highly attentive and personalised, and the resident sommelier is keen to help guests go through the extensive wine list. Desserts are the star of the show though, with the creamy yet light-as-air tiramisu being, very likely, the best in town. The Sunday brunch with semi-lunch buffet is especially popular with families who have small children, but ultimately this remains a favourite for romantic, candlelit dinners.