March 11, 2010 | Hong Kong

Weather: No significant clouds, 18 °C

Issue #826: Farewell Wing Lee Street
Hiking Book

Classified Mozzarella Bar

The place: Classified Mozzarella Bar

  • 31 Wing Fung St., Wan Chai
  • Phone: 2528-3454
  • Daily 11am-midnight

With a sidewalk setting (minus the traffic), this tiny, open-fronted restaurant is intimate yet airy. There are only two wooden communal tables, meaning that you have to share, but with cheese this good, who’s complaining? We started with a Fedele Bufala Campara mozzarella from their daily selection, written up on a blackboard. Served with rocket and Italian tomatoes, the fresh cheese was soft with its natural mild taste. The swordfish carpaccio was also a palate pleaser­—sprinkled with chili and coriander, the thin slices of succulent, fatty raw fish danced on our tastebuds. The lamb brochette was fragrant but insubstantial, so if you want to fill your stomach, opt for their homemade garlic and chili flatbread instead. One disappointment was the penne with smoked salmon and asparagus, which was too strong in flavor and somewhat undercooked. The staff were kind enough to redo the dish, but frankly, we expected more from them. With all their specialty cheeses, we would have appreciated a little guidance before they took our order.