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Friday, June 15, 2018, 11:48
Bring on the Italian summer!
By Maggie Beale
Friday, June 15, 2018, 11:48 By Maggie Beale

Picada in Lan Kwai Fong serves the delectable Peruvian ceviche, containing exotic ingredients like tiger’s milk. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

As the sun shines — with the occasional thunderstorm adding a noise or two — our thoughts turn to summer fare. This is the season to tuck into seafood, and luckily for us there’s a wealth of restaurants featuring seafood specialities from all corners of the globe in Hong Kong. 

Italian food aficionados abound in this city as indeed in other major metropolises of the world. There seems to be as many modern interpretations of the traditional Italian dishes as there are restaurants in Hong Kong. 

A firm favorite in the city of Milan for 40 years, Trattoria del Pescatore serves food prepared according to traditional Sardinian recipes. Christopher Liu, owner and operator of Trattoria del Pescatore Hong Kong, is responsible for bringing this world-renowned brand to the city. The eatery is attracting lovers of good food to its premises on Po Yan Street in Sheung Wan — a district that is fast becoming a go-to destination for exotic food-hunters.

Freshly-shucked oysters at the all-you-can-eat buffet served at Café Deco in The One, Tsim Sha Tsui. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Among the highlights from the menu is lobster Catalan, a traditional dish originating in Alghero, a Sardinian coastal town. The original recipe for this dish involved mixing extra virgin olive oil and lemon with de-shelled boiled lobster. It was re-created at Trattoria del Pescatore by adding sliced red onions and Sardinian tomatoes, making it a signature dish of the house. The new recipe became so popular in Italy that restaurants in Alghero have since followed suit.

It’s no surprise to see bottarga features in some of the dishes. Cured grey mullet roe bottarga is an indispensable ingredient used in Sardinia. It is produced in the Pond of Cabras in the Sinis Peninsula and has been part of Sardinia’s gastronomic tradition for thousands of years.

Over at Cafe Deco on the 20th floor of The ONE in Tsim Sha Tsui, they serve freshly-shucked French oysters directly sourced from Arcachon and Brittany. Both types are irresistibly creamy and crisp with a hint of salt. And there’s a spread of oyster-infused specials in distinctive styles, created by executive chef Zero Yu as part of the all-you-can-eat buffet. Oyster omelette served with sweet chili sauce lifts the taste buds. It has a perfect mix of bite-size oysters, tapioca flour, eggs, spring onion and coriander. There’s also pan-seared seabass that is well worth a mention and a shrimp and asparagus bucatini that melds together flavors of Vietnamese tiger prawns, green asparagus and black truffle sauce. Just delicious!

Try the lobster Catalan which comes with a generous sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil at Trattoria del Pescatore Hong Kong. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

At the independent Latin restaurant and bar — Picada on Wyndham Street, Lan Kwai Fong, head chef Abel Ortiz  has revamped the menu, offering dishes from all over Latin America as well as other countries of the world — Spain, Peru, Africa, China and even Japan. Diet-conscious eaters will be glad to know that 98 percent of all the dishes are gluten-free and there’s an extensive list of yummy vegetarian delicacies. 

The chef’s favorite dish — the Peruvian ceviche — is made with seabass from France, mixed with red onions, chilli, coriander, tiger’s milk (a citrus-based marinade to cure the fish), orange sweet potato, and Peruvian white corn choclo with Peruvian crispy corn cancha. Another favorite is the Peruvian tiger milk, inspired by the island of Callao, Peru. The dish features fried seabass, marinated with celery, coriander, garlic, chilli, lime sauce, fish stock, ginger and white onions for 30 minutes before blending. All ceviche are made using fresh rather than frozen ingredients.

Well, like grandma would say, a meal is never complete without a dessert. And for many of us the number one choice from Italy is invariably tiramisu — a rich treat blending the bold flavors of cocoa and espresso with savory mascarpone cheese, layered between ladyfinger biscuits. Wow, what a lovely way to end an Italian meal!


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