Fat Angelo’s at Elgin Street has always been my favorite. I blogged about the lack of quality in its Italian fare last year, but recommended the place nonetheless as a great place for gathering of friends. After a hiatus of some months, I returned with my better half as an introduction to some of my favorite haunts in Hong Kong.
To my surprise, everything and I do mean everything, has went up in price. Something that cost like HK$180 before is now HK$250. It took me by surprise; I had always associated Fat Angelo’s with reasonably priced Italian food. I hesitated in spending that much for a Friday dinner, but as it was the first time for my better half, I went ahead anyway.
Was I expecting better Italian fare this time round? I did.
Complimentary Bread & House Salad
The bread was fresh and warm, as usual. I liked the bread stick to go with my salted butter and olive oil. I am easily satisfied like that.
The salad consists of your usual suspects; lettuce, olives, tomatoes… but somehow the dressing was done right this time. It wasn’t too sourish, and the whole combination tasted fresh and crispy. Rather unlike my past experience at Fat Angelo’s. As it was complimentary (bread and salad free with any order of main), I was pleasantly satisfied.
Seafood Appetizer Combo (HK$248)
Soft shell crab, calamari, and crab cakes. The most expensive dish of the night. It used to be a platter of appetiser for HK$180 at most, with buffalo wings and the like, and at least three different kind of dips. The calamari was fresh and adequately marinated for that tangy aftertaste, much to my delight as I have been craving for great calamaris for ages.
The soft shell crab was okay, nothing ground breaking. But it was the crab cakes which made me really doubt the value of this platter. Why does it taste like something went awfully wrong with the cakes? It didn’t taste rotten, but close. Each of us had one piece, and that was enough.
What used to be my favorite dish in Fat Angelo’s is now part of my blacklist. Sigh. Can I just have the calamari?
Spaghetti Carbonara (HK$148)
At that price, I would expect something as common as carbonara to be done finger-smacking good. Alas, again I was disappointed. While the quality is still good – the creamy pasta was succulent at all the right places, and the pasta remained fresh and unlumped (if you get what I mean) even after one hour of dining) – it just fall short of my expectations.
Tiramisu (HK$48)
The saviour of the night. The homemade tiramisu was as good as I remembered it. Even with a small slice it was hard for two person to finish the creamy goodness of it. I just wish the rum taste is a bit stronger, otherwise this slice was perfect.
With higher prices come greater expectations, and this is where Fat Angelo’s fail to impress. I suspect I will not return again in the near future.
Fat Angelo’s
G/F, 49A-C Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong
2973 6808