8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (3*), June 2024, Hong Kong

Abalone Carpaccio: (FYI I got their 4-course lunch menu.) A great dish! The abalone had a wonderful texture and the sweet pepper, tomato, and caviar flavors blended wonderfully. I don’t know how this became one of 8 1/2's signature dishes, but this dish is truly small but mighty!

Fettucine and Uni: I’ve had this dish before at 8 1/2 and it seems they’ve improved the recipe! The sauce was slightly more seafood than tomato oriented, and this went very well with the uni! This pasta dish was incredibly rich, decadent, and luxurious! I got a very nice slight hint of spiciness and and a little saffron brought everything together nicely. This dish could have used a little acidity.

Braised Short Rib and Beef Tenderloin: I’m underwhelmed by the concept of this dish, but it still tasted great regardless. The short rib and tenderloin were cooked perfectly and the sauce was traditional and simple, but masterful. The mashed potatoes were great, second only to Joël Robuchon’s for me, and the vegetables were okay. Overall a very tasty dish, but not horribly inspiring or creative.

Apple Tart: (Due note I purposely got the smallest dessert they had that day.) This dessert is similar to a tarte tatin, and is from the Tyrol area in Italy. The pastry shell was buttery and nicely crisp, with a nice apple flavored cream on top. The cream was brûléed with the prepared apples placed on top. A nice simple dessert to end the meal (before a wonderful selection of Italian cookies), that I personally liked more than La Marine’s famous tarte tatin.

Overall, I absolutely agree that Hong Kong has arguably the strangest and most inflated Michelin guide in the world, but for me, 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana isn’t part of the problem! This is my second time at the restaurant (I had the full dinner menu last time), and I’ve had another great experience! The dish I disliked most from my previous visit, the uni pasta, has improved greatly! While I’d still recommend Caprice and possibly JAAN By Kirk Westaway as well over 8 1/2, this place definitely deserves its three stars! I’d highly recommend going during Winter and experiencing this place at its best, with Chef Bombana’s signature ingredient, the Alba white truffle! They have an incredible wine selection and had better service than almost any 3* in Italy I’ve been to!