Gioachino Antonio Rossini (1792-1868) was an Italian composer noted for his operas ,
particularly his comic operas of which, The Barber of Seville (1816), Cinderella (1817) and Semiramide (1823) are among the best known…
Rossini was by nature an epicurean….
-Wikipedia
Origins
Per owner Thomas Moersheim , he sees a bit of parallelism between him and Rossini, the eponym of this fine dining restaurant. First they both married twice in their life – Rossini to a French lady and Mr Thomas to a Pinay lady. Second they are both avid music and food enthusiasts. Finally they are both epicureans — in love with the finer things in life.
Rossini opened its doors to the public in June 2016.
It was actually an interesting story as owner Thomas relates it. Apparently it all began with their hole in the wall restaurant in Daang Hari in Alabang. 
Buona Vita their first food venture , pretty soon evolved from hole in the wall into a full fledged casual Italian restaurant in Molito Alabang. SM noticed and offered them a spot in one of their malls in 2015. But Thomas and his wife declined. The reason ? They can not see themselves opening Buona Vita in a typical mall. Until another offer came from SM for them to look at – a space in S’Maison Conrad … When Thomas saw the sea view , he knew it was the place. It appealed to him that S’Maison Conrad was not your typical mall. SM however required a fine dining place since Conrad was a high end mall.
Thomas and his Chef Bruno Tirel (then ) brainstormed about converting Buona Vita from a home style resto to a fine dining place.
Rossini was born…
Rossini Menu
Rossini the composer combining Italy with France was something owner Thomas can relate to in many ways.
Rossini Ristorante used the ingredients Rossini the composer was partial to like foie gras and truffle and married them with pasta and risotto. They wanted to capture the essence of Rossini the composer in the restaurant’s food.
But then Thomas’ Chef Bruno had to leave unexpectedly and was replaced by Chef Davide Lombardi. Owner Thomas shares that Chef Davide was born in Milan and worked as Executive Chef in three Michelin-starred Italian restaurants in Paris for 15 years. So he knows authentic Italian cuisine very well
‘Lombardi changed Rossini from Italian, French with German background to
real authentic Italian cuisine….’
-Thomas Moersheim (Owner)
Last October 25, we tasted the following :
ANTIPASTI FREDDI
Salmone Marinato con Spuma di Formaggio Tartufata P950
Home cured Norwegian Salmon with home-made Italian truffle mousse
What a decadent treat that was a perfect harbinger of good things to come.
If this was the starter, I can not wait to go to the mains.
An assault on the senses to say the least. The aroma of truffle wafted and teased the olfactory sense. The presentation was delicate and fresh, so much like a piece of art that pleased the eye. You are torn between just admiring the plate and diving into it. Then the taste . That Italian truffle mouse was silky and sinful yet complemented the home-cured Norwegian salmon just so.
The only thing missing was a glass of white wine to pair it with.
Burrata P730
I love burrata to begin with so this was a winner for me. The subtle cheese blended well with the ripe, sweet, succulent mango, the nutty romaine lettuce and the citrusy cherry tomatoes… divine!
SALUMI E FORMAGGI
Misto di Salumi e Formaggi P1,220
Two kinds of salami (one spicy and the other regular) three kinds of artisanal cheese (ubriaco , bastardo and bretinello.
Mr. Thomas recommended we eat following the lightest to the darkest rule. I loved everything on this plate especially the cheese!
Would go well with bottles of wine haha.
LE INSALATE
Insalata Rossini P490
I loved the crisp lettuce, the nutty arugula, the artichoke hearts , the crunchy asparagus all brought together by the black truffle and white truffle oil. The dish was so simple. The ingredients were the stars of the show.
PIZZA ALLA ROMANA
Prosciutto e Rucola P650
Freshly made dough made from the premises. It was chewy which I loved. The prosciutto and cheese with the nutty arugula were a delight
P A S T A
Pasta Corta al Ragu di Filetto di Mnzo e Porcini P560 Knife cut beef tenderloin ragout with dried Italian porcini, fresh rosemary and tomato sauce
The pasta was al dente. The tomato sauce was sweet perhaps from long period of simmering I loved the earthy taste of the porcini
I RISSOTI DELLO “CHEF”
Cooked fresh upon order
Risotto Ai Funghi Porcini A Tartufo Nero
I think this is my top pick for all the dishes served that night. Ironic because Im not really a risotto person. But the mushrooms won me over. This risotto was creamy and earthy and sinful all at once! Honestly I can finish a bowl of this all by myself.
MAIN COURSE
Grigliata Mista di Pesce “Reale” P3650
Calamari , salmon, King prawns, US scallops, tuna, baked potatoes & mixed garden vegetables with lemon -butter sauce. Amazing how everything was cooked perfectly retaining the integrity of the seafood. The salmon, prawns, scallops , calamari and even the tuna were succulent and fresh. I enjoyed this plate immensely
Grigliata Mista di Carne P3000
Certified Angus beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, Italian Sausage, chicken breast, roasted potatoes and mixed buttered garden vegetables with home made gravy sauce.
Our carnivorous and discerning piggery will love this . The steak was cooked perfect medium rare, the pork tenderloin were tender, the Italian sausage were delicious, the chicken breast were succulent as well. This can feed 3-4 people.
HOME MADE DESSERT
Tiramisu alla Rossini P350
Nothing like an authentic Italian dessert to cap off a fantastic authentic Italian meal. Visualize Italian Lady fingers soaked in espresso and amaretto layered with home-made mascarpone cream…yum yum
Cannoli Siciliani P170
Crispy Cocoa cone filled with sweetened Ricotta cheese
Another authentic Italian dessert to die for. That Crispy Cocoa cone married well with the creamy and sweetened ricotta cheese… so good
Overall….
Ambiance is formal made romantic by the view of the sea and sunset just a door away. This is the perfect place to bring the significant other in for some “us” time. The food we tasted were outstanding.
Per Mr. Thomas (owner) their price are not as expensive as say Finestra or China Blue but the quality of the food is at par with them. I have not had the pleasure of dining in above-mentioned places yet, but will update as soon as I do.
Definitely nagging the handsome hubby for a date night here soon.
Thank you Mr. Thomas Moersheim for hosting us. It was a joy experiencing Rossini through your eyes. Thank you Zomato for the invite
Rossini Ristorante Italiano is located at Level 2 S Maison, Conrad Manila Seaside Boulevard corner Coral Way Mall of Asia Complex Pasay City