Word on the street is that pasta is back on the map as comfort food reigns supreme in the fierce competition of Hong Kong food trends. Hongkongers are not short on choice when it comes to good – even great – Italian restaurants in town, but a new generation of laid-back pasta bars and Italian eateries have now made their way onto the scene in quick succession to spread the good word of freshly made noodles. Read on for a non-exhaustive list of the most recently opened pasta spots in Hong Kong. Buon appetito!
Twist Pasta Bar
From the people behind Soho’s beloved Honky Tonks Tavern and Bourke’s (RIP Shady Acres, we’ll never forget you) comes Twist Pasta Bar on Bridges Street, where head chef Ben Sears puts a confident Hong Kong-inspired spin on classic Italian comfort food.
From a rich bone marrow macaroni ($180) made with Koon Yick Wah Kee curry powder – a dish derived from the flavour profiles of curry brisket noodles – to a crispy egg roll cannoli ($60) stuffed with ricotta and pistachio, Twist Pasta Bar is not afraid to shake things up. Newfangled fusion creations aside, there’s also a foolproof baked rigatoni ($180) on the menu, stuffed pumpkin pappardelle ($180), and even cacio e pepe croquettes ($60), with a curated selection of inventive cocktails to go with all the noods.
La Volta
Chef Roland Schuller knows a thing or two about Italian food – after all, this is the man who was the executive chef of The Drawing Room, the first Italian restaurant in Hong Kong to receive a Michelin star (and within just three months of opening, no less). More than a decade after his fine-dining success, the master chef returns with La Volta in Causeway Bay to present a laid-back take on everyone’s favourite carb dish.
La Volta doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does refine it. Diners are spoilt for choice between options like mafaldine with broccolini pesto, chitarra in prawn bisque, and signature spaghetti alla carbonara, which are available on the lunch set menu ($148 for two courses, $178 for three courses). For dinner, try the oversized egg raviolo ($228) with a borragine-ricotta filling and sautéed porcini mushrooms.
Zozzona
Italian food reimagined through a Japanese lens – that’s what the Japanese culinary concept of itameshi is all about. Itameshi has a long history in Japan that traces back to the Meiji period, and now, at long last, Zozzona brings this exciting fusion cuisine to Hong Kong through the skills of chef Takayuki Kumai, formerly of Carbone.
Zozzona’s tagliolini freddi ($168) is rarely seen in Hong Kong – this pasta dish is served cold, tossed in a shiso and walnut pesto and served with marinated squid. Don’t miss the signature maccheroni alla Zozzona ($168), combining Italian guanciale and Kurobuta pork sausage with San Marzano tomatoes and Jidori egg yolks.
Osteria Uno
Tai Kok Tsui is also benefitting from the renewed pasta popularity seen across Hong Kong – and Osteria Uno is driving it forward. Located at the West 9 Zone retail zone by the Olympic MTR Station, this casual Italian eatery specialises in familiar Italian favourites.
Osteria Uno’s pasta selection encompasses fuss-free but pleasing options such as spaghetti al pomodoro ($148), rigatoni all’amatriciana ($168), and fusilli cacio e pepe ($158), and also indulgent creations like the tagliatelle duck ragu ($168) served with homemade semolina pasta and the flavourful lobster linguine ($228).
Mi Manchi
Ngau Tau Kok jumps in on the pasta trend as well with Mi Manchi at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. More a family-friendly trattoria with artsy ambience than a humble pasta bar, Mi Manchi nonetheless puts fresh pasta front and centre, with a creative local twist.
Its spaghetti alla red shrimp ($178) showcases handmade noodles and red shrimp paired with notes of Huadiao wine, and the tagliatelle alla pistachio ($128) combines the flavours of pistachio, asparagus, and lemon into a refreshingly green and earthy creation.
Alma &
At this Spanish-Italian neighbourhood spot on the slopes of Peel Street, pasta dishes and tapas are treated with reverence and redefined through a meticulous, elevated approach. Chef Ives Abel and Yoyo Cheung – who had previously opened Sooner to great acclaim – launched Alma & as the next step of their culinary journey, and the result is a chic hangout for soulful food and social energy that doesn’t compromise on style or flavours.
Must-try pastas include the crab caramelle ($198), a tribute to the deeply unctuous flavours of the sea, featuring prawn bisque and Jerusalem artichoke purée, and the lamb ragu fazzoletti ($198), crowned with straciatella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
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