It was a yet another sizzling summer night in Hong Kong. As I made my way up the never ending escalator in Central, it was hard to be excited about an Italian meal which was on the card for dinner. I mean, isn’t Italian all about dishes of which its name you can’t pronounce, of food too complicated to even describe, and of chefs too snobbish for their own good?
So imagine my surprise when I stepped into Nico’s Spuntino Bar + Restaurant. It was located right where the old Fat Angelo’s was. Although it was only 7 p.m., the restaurant was filling up fast.
To my eyes, Nico’s was anything but pretentious. The first spuntino (which means “snack”) bar in town, even the name itself was a breathe of fresh air. Why give yourself complicated Italian name no one would remember nor understand? True, the menu itself was still a puzzle to read, but the best of food is not in its name but, of course, the food itself.
And on that philosophical note, here’s my top six pick from Nico’s.
Caciocavallo Silano in Carroza (HK$98)
Crispy-fried, fresh cow’s milk cheese, on a bed of fried leeks. It was possibly my first time having fried cheese, and it was oh-so-good. I was led to believe that it’s possible the best way to eat cheese is by having it deep fried. There’s something almost hypnotic as the contrasting rich flavor of cheese and crispy texture of the batter seem to battle it out in your mouth.