Pici Pasta Bar (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

With the ever-changing dining scene in Hong Kong, local restaurateurs are often on the lookout for fresh ideas to be injected into their business. That was exactly what the Pirata Group was thinking when they converted the old space that used to be a hole-in-the-wall French restaurant called Le Fleur into their new pasta bar, Pici.



Tucked away on the quaint Saint Francis Yard, Pici Pasta Bar is the newest venture by the Pirata Group who also owns Pirata, The Optimist and the recently opened Tokyolima. The decor of the two-storey space boasts a modern and intimate vibe which is perfect for its casual Italian theme.



The food menu is going to be a very simple one that features an affordable array of pastas all freshly handmade daily by the team.



Vitello tonnato - Help to kick things off for me was this classic Italian starter of cold, sliced veal covered with a creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce made with tuna. A very nice and well portioned dish that managed to put a smile on my face.



Tagliatelle, Italian sausage, spicy nduja, cherry tomato - I was all set to take on their papperdelle until I saw the words "lamb ragout" right next to it so I went with their homemade tagliatelle instead. I had very high expectations for this and thankfully they delivered.

I really enjoyed the perfect bite of the al dente tagliatelle which was nicely matched with some spicy Italian sausage, arugula and cherry tomato sauce. With this little portion, I thought I could very easily have two of these on my own.



Traditional tiramisu - Finding a good tiramisu in Hong Kong could be a little challenging at times. Trust me, I have been down that road before.



But I thought Pici has a really nice one here with a good balance of coffee, mascarpone cream and liqueur (masala?). The mix of sweetness, bitterness and creaminess was perfect. Maybe I should add this to my top ten list! 



Nothing flashy, just some good old hearty Italian fare using some of the freshest ingredients from the market to go with the freshly handmade pasta. Would I come back to this little pasta bar? You bet I will!

Food Rating: 6/10
Price: $$$
Address: 16 Saint Francis Yard, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Wanchai
Tel: +852 2755-5523
Website: www.pici.hk