Paper Moon (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

If I haven't made the trip down to Harbour City a few weeks ago, I probably won't believe the kind of transformation that the iconic shopping mall has quietly been undergoing all this time. A new extension to the Ocean Terminal next to LCX has recently been unveiled with no less than 10 new restaurants getting set for their debuts in Q4 2017. After checking out Ana Ten (天穴) last time, it was Paper Moon's turn to get our call.

Paper Moon is Milan's iconic fashion district restaurant that rose to fame when it first opened doors back in 1977. Since then, the franchise has expanded out of Europe into Istanbul, Beirut, Manila, Doha and most recently Hong Kong. 



But this is the brand's first restaurant with a sea view boasting a terrace area that overlooks Victoria Harbour. 



It looks like the perfect spot to watch fireworks over the harbour.



The dining room is sleek and well-lit with an abundance of natural light.



There's a small private dining room but unfortunately no harbour view (or window) there.



Spicy melon ($68) - After ordering a few items from the food menu, I took some time to explore the drink menu which has a pretty wide selection of beverages including wine, cocktails and mocktails. That's where I found this interesting mocktail called Spicy melon. It was primarily cantaloupe, pineapple pulp and ginger. Not bad but not really thirst quenching enough on this hot and humid day.



Homemade pappardelle with smoked pancetta in pink sauce ($168) - I thought I better got this signature dish out of the way first. Before I had the chance to pop the question on what exactly was a pink sauce, our server already started her introduction of their signature pasta creation which was also referred to as "Pappardelle Papermoon". In a nutshell, the pink sauce is a mix of sour cream and tomato sauce cooked at medium heat. I thought the sauce was really nice and tangy but the homemade pappardelle could have a little firmer bite to it.  



Pizza Valtellina ($198) - I have seen a few pictures of their pizza showcased on different magazines so I have made this part of our agenda this afternoon. Out of the various pizza (which span over 2 A4 pages), I decided to go with their Valtellina. 



This was seriously good. I thought the beef bresaola was the key here while the mozzarella, rocket leaves and parmigiano reggiano played their supporting roles nicely.



Breaded Milanese veal chop ($298) - Who could resist this iconic dish from the Milanese cuisine especially when it's the size of someone's face!?

I thought this was really tasty. The crispy batter was perfectly done holding the thin layer of veal chop firmly in the middle. At first, I thought the price tag was a little heavy but once I saw the gigantic portion, I knew I was getting good bang for my buck.



It was a very relaxing lunch and the vibe was perfect. Of course, I had to bring my little nugget outdoor to admire the picturesque view from the patio.



Food Rating: 5.5/10
Price: $$$
Address: Shop OTE301, Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 2156-2256
Website: www.papermoonhongkong.com