W52 (Central)

As if it was a planned deliberate act rather than pure coincidence, recently there's been a series of new openings around the upper LKF area with a core dining concept that revolves around 'Italian Themed' variations - whether it be a Steakhouse, a Trattoria or a simple Pasta joint. Considering the area reeks of a notorious tourist-trap reputation, I was initially apprehensive to put myself into a compromised position and become a first-wave volunteer and victim. It took a few minutes of persuasion before the softie in me finally obliged to commit to just one quick test for the night. You see, the names of certain restaurants which have crawled its way onto the pages in the inaugural Michelin Guide, in particularly GAIA and Va Bene were mentioned during a brief conversation with staff.

Apparently, the new W52 concept is the brainchild of a team of owners, staff and an Italian Chef who have worked at the aforementioned renowned establishments. Although such credentials do not necessarily translate into extra reassurance on its own the W52 Menu was surprisingly signature dishes rather than prolifically orientated - its an approach I've always been vocally supportive of and who can resist, after perusing a few pages that might just promise a thrilling culinary experience , at least on paper...

The Bar Area might share the same location as the Dining Area, however they are designed to be separated space planes each occupying their own respective floors. An hydraulic elevator ride takes you to the grander dining spaces upstairs, whereas this night seeing I only ever planned to have a hurried dinner before heading home, I found myself a cosy corner at the downstairs bar but ordered from the more upscale dinner menu, thereby onverting it into a gastro-pub hybrid all by myself!

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DRINKS - As an alcoholic who loves to bar-hop around, I was mesmerized by the all-roundedness nature of the carefully designed Bar Menu here, impressive considering its still at infantry-opening and trial-running as at this stage. Its from the experience of the Bar Manager and Staff, who're humbly knowledgeable but carry years of expertise accumulated from stints in 5 Star hotel restaurants and bars. Comprising of a great selection of Italian Aperitivos to Grappas, Beers, Sparkling or Still Signature Cocktails, etc, this 1st edition menu will be a great base for building on in future. I drank a Figs-Pirinha: made of Cachaça, Brown Sugar, Fig Puree and Lime, a variation of a famous Brazilian cocktail. Excellent!

BREAD BASKET - The bread are House-Made. They're still at exploratory stage with finalising the bread/grissini combos which hopefully can please each and every fussy customer, with a Pesto and Tomato Salsa Dip also available. I thought some of the bread could do with a less sponginess filling or certain slices can have a more exotic Italian herbal and yeasty influence... Let's give them time to sort it out but how about some freshly baked, Grissini done the traditional Torinese style? I'll come back just for those!

ENTREE: PRAWN AND SWEETBREAD 'CREPINETTE', SHELLFISH SAUCE - This costs $170 and is a bit on the high side versus the portioning and I actually believe this to be more of a French invention (in fact a combination of 2 French dishes) than Italian. Since I like lamb crépinettes, let's give this version a try as they're a rare item to find locally... The shellfish sauce was good but there was hardly any of it present: I think this dish would benefit a lot more if it receives more than a small drizzle. Although unexplained on the menu, this item has a Caul's Fat wrapping around the diced ingredients and these were too undercooked - from my understanding, '豬網油 nets' are 1stly used for sustaining a wrapped parcel's shape during cooking be it fried, deep fried, steamed or baked, 2ndly during this process it must then 'melt' onto the main morsel itself in synchronicity, creating an oily lubrication and also imparting its fat flavour! The 'fat netting' however is quite fibrous until its melted and in my dish tonight, this was became messy to cut up as it was tendon-like chewy and it lacks the fatty aroma it should have imparted into a Crepinette dish! The Prawns inside the parcel were affected by this and became undercooked behind the insulation of fat straps, arriving still stone cold and transparent, the sweetbreads meanwhile better yet needed more cooking as well as seasoning.

This dish might be great as a concept - but it wasn't executed well. A minimal effort of putting on a few green salad leaves on the side didn't make it more attractive nor enhance the taste either! It really needed a bit more Fiery Searing and more Shellfish sauce and a little bit more thoughtfulness.

RISOTTO OF MANTIS SHRIMPS AND MUSSELS (Half Portion) - I was hoping my 2nd course would justify my impromtu choice of dining at a new venue. When the staff recommended Signature dish arrived, it surely vindicated the decision as not only was the Risotto very flavoursome - it was also done in the elusive to find All 'onde Style (a description of its 'Wavy' behaviour when you try to flip with the risotto grain), its something I've never seen in Hong Kong before so far and its actually even rare in Italy. The starch of the rice has been released into the thick stock sauce, this together with the right portion of added cheese forming a unique, 'paradoxical' experience of having achieved a consistency of a soft porridge at the same time as retaining a very bitey 'Al Dente' texture from a smaller risotto grain!

Its quite possible some people will have a problem with the way this dish eats or is presented - as it sits unattractively flat rather than the mountainous-like Risotto's we're used to - however that's the proper way. Its also Wet! Its like how we instinctively judge a Fried Rice as being only Outstanding if it has Aroma, Rice Taste, Wok-Chi, non-mushy 乾身 and independently-grained 粒粒分明! Yet, 楊貫一's 阿一炒飯 using the 瓦鍋, approaches it differently and achieves a more 'creamily-coated' fried rice texture.

The mussels and sauce gave it a nice seafood taste, the mantis shrimp meanwhile was very fresh tasting but needed a few more in the dish to make a notable contribution!

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OVERALL - To finish up, on the Kitchen side of things, this meal wasn't perfect but it showed promise on the creativity side and so did other items on the menu! I noticed exciting pastas that might include a Buckwheat Pappardelle with Duck Ragout and a Cansoncelli (dumpling) with Pears, Butter Sauce and Bacon, or one served in a Brodo (broth). There's other interesting Main Courses and other Entrees as well. The experience here can be potentially exciting - I did find the prices of certain foods or drinks to be too expensive for this location however.

The Bar Side as a separate note is in really good hands, even down to the imported Italian coffees that have been selected carefully and having tried it - its recommendable and gets the job done.

*** KITCHEN FOOD - Roughly '3.0' to '4.5' ***
*** DRINKS - '4.5+' ***

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JellyBread

Level4

346

原本想坐樓上，但佢話 close 左，因為樓上係餐廳。呢度既環境好好多，d 音樂細聲 d，大家可以傾到計，舒服又好高級雅緻既 feel。間野係用 W 做 logo，原來真名係 W52。我覺得呢間係可以推介給人的一處係 LKF但靜 d 的 drinking place。佢既小食係比較咸左 d 的餅乾條 with salsa sauce。我要了 mango daiguiri - 好 mint 呀，不過出面多數叫 strawberry daiquiri，所以試下，佢都沖得幾好飲。Last order 2am，但可以繼續坐多一陣。

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原本想坐樓上，但佢話 close 左，因為樓上係餐廳。

呢度既環境好好多，d 音樂細聲 d，大家可以傾到計，舒服又好高級雅緻既 feel。

間野係用 W 做 logo，原來真名係 W52。

我覺得呢間係可以推介給人的一處係 LKF但靜 d 的 drinking place。

佢既小食係比較咸左 d 的餅乾條 with salsa sauce。

我要了 mango daiguiri - 好 mint 呀，不過出面多數叫 strawberry daiquiri，所以試下，佢都沖得幾好飲。

Last order 2am，但可以繼續坐多一陣。

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