Say arrivederci to spaghetti and meatballs. On May 23, Italian-American osteria Posto Pubblico is rolling out a brand-new plant-based menu that should satisfy even the carnivores among us.
From antipasti to desserts, the dishes ditch the meat in favour of fresh and predominantly local produce sourced from Zen Farms in the New Territories. Beef carpaccio? Try beet carpaccio, spiced up with Calabrian chilli, mint, pine nut aioli and red onions. Hungry for a hearty Bolognese? Now you’ll be able to get it with eggplant instead of braised beef or pork.
Being an Italian-American joint, pasta obviously plays a major role in the menu. In this case, that means eggless pasta completely free of animal products. The pizza puttanesca, for one, does away with not just eggs but anchovies as well, replacing them with sea beans — an ingredient that's hard to find on any menu.
While Posto Pubblico isn’t removing meat dishes from its offerings, it is making a big — and undeniably important — step towards catering to vegetarians as well as those seeking to lower their impact on the environment. In a study published last year by the academic journal Science, researchers declared that while meat and dairy provide just a small amount of our total calories and protein (18 and 37 percent, respectively), the two use up an astonishing 83 percent of farmland and produce 60 percent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. In other words, going meatless more often might be the most effective means we have as individuals to combat climate change.
Posto Pubblico’s plant-based menu will be available for lunch and dinner. Do yourself and the environment a favour by checking it out. While you're at it, throw your support behind other sustainable, veg-friendly, zero waste and socially conscious ventures in Hong Kong.