I am a fan of fuss-free menus, and Hong Kong is one of the cities whose restaurants do a great job entertaining the idea. Perfect for a weeknight, modern Italian joint Ask for Alonzo serves up a new summer menu ($298) with a mini collection of refreshing summer spritz (all $88).
The octopus terrine celery salad with ceviche dressing is thin, with julienned red peppers and celery decorating the plate. The veggies give a slightly sweet, citrusy and savoury touch to the octopus.
Now moving to one of my favourite dish of the evening – the squid ink linguine with mussels and sea urchin sabayon. Black, silky, thin handmade linguine is intertwined with dainty, petite mussels and a creamy, bright orange sauce from the uni. This is so comforting for a weekday – creamy and rich!
Now the mains – you get a choice of the halibut fillet or the eggplant Milanese. The fillet looks like the healthier choice but it is quite small in size. Sitting on a bed creamy cauliflower puree, a foamy savoury vermouth sauce covers the plate.
The thick eggplant is larger in size, and is stuffed with a smokey scamorza cheese before being deep-fried. A large spoonful of Ciligino tomato sauce sits at the bottom of the plate for dipping.
Dessert was simple with fresh vanilla gelato with strawberry confit. I couldn’t taste the lemon, but I loved the touch of fresh mint on top giving a refreshing touch to the dessert.
Verdict
The set dinner menu is an absolute must try during weeknights and is quite affordable for the Soho area. The mains are smaller in portion (i.e. the fish) than I had expected, but this easygoing menu (complete with a spritz) is a perfect way to begin your week. I adore their pasta dishes and how consistent they are at each location.
📍 18 Bridges Street Central, 8489 7847 (Central)
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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