OSTERIA MARZIA

HK$800 per person

G/F, 41 Fleming Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

TEL: +852 3607 2253

www.osteriamarzia.com.hk

Celebrating coastal Italian cuisine with a strong focus on seafood, Osteria Marzia is located on the ground floor of Wan Chai’s stylish Fleming Hotel. While light streams in the large windows in the daytime, in the evening it’s dark and intimate and equally popular among couples and larger groups on a night out. Staff are dressed in nautical striped tees and matching blue Converse sneakers (the essence of Italian maritime cool), and speak with mostly Italian accents. Service is friendly but on the slow side, but the dishes are well worth the wait. With a seafood-on-ice display at the bar, it’s worth asking staff about the catches of the day. A usual recommendation is the Branzino Acqua Pazza that is charcoal grilled and baked to perfection, resulting in soft, tender and succulent fish meat served with juicy clams and cherry tomatoes. Pasta is a highlight too, the Boston lobster chitarra is a delicious find in

Hong Kong with its unique square spaghetti-like shape that’s cooked al dente and firm to the bite. For dessert, order the creamy Greek yogurt pannacotta and finish with a complimentary shot of limoncello from the bar. Be sure to inform the staff of any birthdays as they go all out by dimming the lights, stopping the music and serenading celebrants in proper Italian song.