Cinque.

Cinque vs. FIVE: a question of atmosphere.

So, who remembers the Viceroy? I visited the hotel before the current management ultimately took over. I apparently had an excellent time, and four years later, I remember my lunch at Quattro Passi (now Cinque) as stunning (probably because I thought I was going for an easy three courses and ended up with seven, all paired with wine).

Thus, I was in an optimistic mood when we recently made our way back. On arrival, the FIVE is still very much the FIVE (that is, a lot of partially dressed people). Inside Cinque, the mood changes completely — beautifully decorated, modern, and private, the venue has an immediate disconnect with the space beyond the walls. For example, does a shirtless man wander through the restaurant not once but twice? He does. Does the relentless pop soundtrack and bass from the nearby pool filter inside throughout the meal? It does. Do these interruptions take me away from the beautiful meal from Chef Giuseppe and the team? They (really) do.

But let’s get to the food,…