208 Duecento Otto

One of the most compelling dinners I had in 2013 was at 208 Duecento Otto!   I'd immediately loved the restaurant when I saw its stunning outlook.  Its interior is equally remarkable - blue-and-white porcelain walls   and wooden rustic tables together created a very cozy dining environment for its customers.   I thought the restaurant's interior looks more Portuguese than Italian but I realized I was wrong thanks to google.  it is supposed to be New York hip Italian style.

(photo courtesy of http://www.habitat-property.com/)

My friend and I managed to survive our very own stressful days and started off with some house wine and bread.  The deployment of herbs on the bread was sensational, but what was more remarkable about the bread was the slight chars on the oily surface!  They helped bring the bread to a whole new level of crustiness.

Our dinner started with some deep-fried asparagus.  The asparagus was delicately coated with flour and cheese powder.   The beauty of the dish is that the freshness of asparagus was not overburdened by the flavorings, while the cheese helped bring a sophisticated touch to the taste of asparagus.   

208 Boston Lobster Fettuccine was very good.  My friend thought the pasta grew soupy in the lobster bisque, but i absolutely liked the very generous help of rich bisque.  The lobster came with a creamy consistency with the bisque.  I believed the chef poached the lobster in the bisque before serving it with the pasta.  

How can one conclude a wonderful Italian dinner without a pizza?  This is the Diavola Pizza!   The spicy salami was sliced into thin pieces and probably was fried until they were cripsy.  Together with the melted mozzarella and creamy tomato sauce that tastes of deep satisfaction, this pizza is too good to miss.

A side note is, the room was astonishingly loud.  A group of ladies seemed to throw a birthday party at the restaurant.  I and my friend had to raise our voices to make our conversation audible.  Otherwise, everything else was perfect!

208 Duecento Otto
208 Hollywood Road,
SOHO,
Sheung Wan

Grappa's Ristorante

It's the end of August.  To compensate a whole month of sweat and tears, I decided to splurge on a nice lunch.   My friend suggested we should try the signature squid ink pasta of Grappa's.

I never order squid ink pasta, however delicious, on my dates because I don't want to end up with lips and teeth stained with black ink.  But my friend said it's the pasta that is made out of squid ink, not that it is bathed in squid ink.   I did not quite understand the difference and hesitated...  Oh but you know how easily persuaded I am.... (that is why i am fat!)

After scarfing down the complimentary bread, it was only a short wait for our entrees.

Fettuccine Nere was simply divine!  The creamy sauce was smooth without being overly rich or heavy.  It even came with a tinge of smokiness from some herbs or ingredients which I was unable to identify.  It coated the firm and chewy squid ink pasta evenly.  The prawns were equally good.  They were crisp and fresh, complimenting the pasta nicely.

I'm pretty sure a good amount of basil leaves had been added into our Marghreita Pizza.  We could smell it from a distance before it was served on our table.  The pizza was superb and the fresh sliced tomatoes pairing with Mozzarella were very juicy.   It would be even better if the crust is a bit more crunchy.

After the meal, I felt replenished, relaxed and recharged!  Definitely want to revisit Grappa's in the near future.

Grappa's Ristorante

132 Pacific Place,
88 Queensway, Admiralty,
Hong Kong