For any serious truffle connoisseur, a trip to Alba in the autumn is de rigueur, however, if Italy seems a bit too far to go, a visit to Refettorio, can prove a worthy alternative.

Maintaining its authentic links with everything Italian, Refettorio, one of the City’s finest Italian restaurant’s and directed by Michelin-starred Giorgio Locatelli, promises to bring a little corner of Alba to the heart of the City, with a White Truffle promotion, from mid November to mid December 2011.

Christened “the Diamond of the Kitchen”, by the 18th-century French gastronome Brillat-Savarin, the elusive white truffle has a relatively short season, which only adds to its exclusivity. Best-eaten simple with uncomplicated ingredients, the truffle lends itself to foods, which brings out its unique pungent qualities.

Refettorio’s menu will aim to achieve this, with dishes like; scrambled eggs on toasted ciabatta bread and white truffle; white truffle risotto; homemade spaghettini with butter and white truffle; Pan fried veal chop, melted cheese, mashed potatoes and white truffle and warm zabayon and white truffle and savoiardi biscuits.

The four-course meal, including coffee and amaretti biscuits costs £125 per person. A special Chef’s Table set in Refettorio’s kitchen is available too for groups of up to six and is priced at £200.00 per person.

Head chef Alessandro Bay, was brought up not too far from the region of Piedmont, so is well acquainted with the famous fungus. Having recently joined Refettorio, Bay has stamped his own style on the restaurant’s cuisine, yet has maintained Locatelli’s method and top-class quality, to ensure Refettorio delivers guests with the authenticity and rustic qualities, which are enjoyed in the best restaurants and homes throughout Italy.