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HONG KONG RESTAURANTS
                                                            ITALIAN



            MISTRAL
                                         Osteria Marzia’s
                                  10     interiors are
                    7
              8
                         7
                                         nautical themed
            Level Basement Two,
            InterContinental Grand Stanford
            Hong Kong, 70 Mody Road,
            Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong  Kong
            TEL: +852 2731 2870
            www.hongkong.
            intercontinental.com
            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                           NICHOLINI’S                 OCTAVIUM
            spaghetti with lobster and crispy
            artichokes, and the pizza topped                            9       8       9       10    8       9       9       8
            with an entire Boston lobster,
            although the authenticity of the                        8/F, Conrad Hong Kong, Pacific   8/F, One Chinachem Central, 22
                                         Osteria Marzia
            last dish could be questioned. The                      Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty,   Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong
            use of thinly sliced watermelon   is part of a new      Hong  Kong                  Kong
            and mango sauce offered a                               TEL: +852 2822 8801         www.facebook.com/
            fresh and fruity take to the usual   trend, where       www.conraddining.com        umbertobombana
            seafood carpaccio.  Service is
                                           classic dishes
            highly attentive and personalised,                      For imaginative and impressive   Octavium opened quietly over
            and the resident sommelier is   from heritage           northern Italian food, plus   the summer of 2017, and remains
            keen to help guests go through                          bellissimo views over the city,   discreet. Pitched as the ‘private
                                            cuisines are
            the extensive wine list. Desserts                       look no further than Nicholini’s.   kitchen’ project of celebrated chef
            are the star of the show though,   transplanted into    Located on the eighth floor of   Umberto Bombana, the modestly
            with the creamy yet light-as-air                        the Conrad Hong Kong hotel, this   sized restaurant is an arena for
            tiramisu being, very likely, the best   sleek, hipper-than-  elegant restaurant offers a top   experimenting with dishes that
            in town. The Sunday brunch with                         class yet unpretentious fine-dining   are slightly more relaxed and
                                          thou settings
            semi-lunch buffet is especially                         experience. Knowledgeable and   approachable than that served at
            popular with families who have                          charismatic staff are quick to gauge   Otto e Mezzo. The soigné dining
            small children, but ultimately this                     our tastes and suggest dishes and   room, hidden behind a discreet
            remains a favourite for romantic,                       wine pairings accordingly—all of   sliding door, looks out over Des
            candlelit dinners.                                      which exceed our expectations.   Voeux Central and is a plush
                                                                    The approach to Italian cuisine   environment that will cosset you
                                                                    here is not as traditional as the   throughout a well-paced meal of
            OSTERIA MARZIA                                          environment may suggest. A daring   Italian creations. Bombana has
                                                                    yet winning combination is the   chosen to keep the menu tight,
                                 9                                  scampi, garlic, chilli, cacao nibs and   with only two to three options
              9
                        8
                   8
                                                                    passion fruit tossed with perfectly   per course. The daily changing
            G/F, The Fleming, 41 Fleming Road, Wan Chai, Hong  Kong  al dente spaghettoni. Seared   menu will often include incredible
            TEL: +852 3607 2253                                     scallops are superbly springy in the   pastas, from Sardinian gnocchi
            www.osteriamarzia.com.hk                                middle and pair excellently with the   (delightfully toothsome to the
                                                                    earthy lentil soup with chestnuts   bite) to truffle-scented risotto.
            Osteria Marzia is part of a new trend in dining, where classic dishes from   and the sweet tangy Montepulciano   Quality produce informs the
            heritage cuisines like Italian and French are transplanted into sleek,   reduction. Thoughtful gestures   creations too, such as Mayura
            hipper-than-thou contemporary settings. There’s a clear nautical theme   such as a complimentary glass of   beef, Te Mana lamb and Japanese
            running throughout the restaurant, from the staff’s striped uniforms to   house champagne served with the   snapper. As you would expect
            the decorative accents that reminds us of the sunny coasts of Italy. The   delicious caramelised duck liver   from the group, the list of wines is
            boot country is indeed where the menu takes its inspiration from, with   and the opportunity to sample   staunchly Italian and surprisingly
            focus on the fish and seafood traditions of Sicily, Sardinia and the Amalfi   a glass of the chef’s homemade   well priced, with options on both
            Coast (a lombata—beef sirloin—is the only non-seafood dish on offer).   limoncello with our rich yet zesty   ends of the spectrum—trust in the
            A yellowtail carpaccio served with cherry tomatoes, basil and olives is a   orange, rum and chocolate mousse   sommelier to guide you towards
            gorgeous example of the kitchen’s finesse. A full branzino (seabass) acqua   dessert—make the evening all the   the perfect wine pairing. For
            pazza is perhaps main act of the meal, presented to the table whole, and   more memorable. End your meal   dessert, you’ll choose
            accompanied by clams, olives and cherry tomatoes. Its meat is tender and   with a trip to the Cheese Library and   between two options
            delicate, beautifully off balanced by the tanginess of the tomatoes. Wines,   make your selection from around   and the Grand Cru
            like the food, spans the southern provinces of Italy and are served with plenty   30 varieties of mainly Italian and   chocolate soufflé
            of introductions by a very attentive, extremely enthusiastic staff.  French dairy delights.   has no  contest.

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