Over the last few years, celebrity chef Ken Lau, from local food and beverage group Lubuds with over three decades of culinary experience, has consistently opened several restaurants. These include the French fusion venue Pano in West Kowloon, the Italian fine dining restaurant Palco Ristorante, and the Italian-Japanese fusion eatery Pleka. Joining this collection of sister restaurants is Penna, a homestyle Italian restaurant that offers a warm and comforting environment in Tai Koo's Cityplaza.
We had made a reservation for an early dinner at Penna on a Sunday evening. Fortunately, there weren’t many customers, so we were able to enjoy our meal comfortably. Penna’s menu is concise and offers a decent selection of appetizers, snacks, side dishes, soups, pastas, risottos, meat and seafood dishes, desserts, and plenty of authentic Italian delicacies. Before placing our order, a waiter brought us a plate of Italian crispy flatbreads, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. For starters, we decided to try the deep-fried beef tripe ($118), which is braised before coated in an ultra-thin batter and fried until it turns golden brown. The fried tripe has a subtle aromatic flavour that pairs wonderfully with Penna’s homemade tartare sauce. After that, we ordered a portion of Italian escargot ($98 for six pieces), generously coated in garlic, onions, herbs, butter, and brandy before being baked. The escargots were delightfully chewy and full of flavour; we couldn’t help but order a portion of bread to soak up all the remaining sauce inside the shells.
When it comes to entrees, Penna’s menu offers a selection of up to 20 chef Ken’s signature handmade pasta dishes and risottos. Some notable options include spaghetti carbonara, fettuccine Bolognese, ravioli stuffed with lobster and ricotta cheese, and green asparagus risotto with burrata. During our visit, we decided to try the pan-fried Pacific red prawns and scallop risotto ($298). This dish included two of each seafood item and a generous portion of al dente risotto. We also tried the grilled pork spare ribs ($188). Unfortunately, this dish didn’t quite meet our expectations. The ribs were still quite pink when we cut into them, despite our request for slightly longer cooking. The ribs lacked sufficient char and were drenched in an excessive amount of sauce, which masked the flavour of the ribs.
Luckily, the dessert option we chose did not disappoint. The tiramisu ($78) is presented in a small metal tin and topped with a delicate layer of chocolate. Once you break through the chocolate, you’ll delight in the combination of coffee-soaked ladyfingers contrasting with the creamy filling of mascarpone cheese infused with lemon juice and zest.
After dining chef Ken’s other restaurants and experiencing the quality of food served at his venues, we had high expectations for our meal at Penna. We thoroughly enjoyed our appetisers and desserts; however, the entrees we ordered fell short. Despite being butterflied, the red prawns in our risotto still had their veins intact, and the ribs hadn’t been marinated long enough. Thankfully, the staff at Penna were very attentive, and the restaurant’s overall atmosphere was luxurious. The menu selection allows customers to savour authentic fare at affordable prices, making Penna a suitable choice for family dining or gatherings. – translated by Cherry Chan
