Giando

I always remembered going to the Fleet Arcade to visit the bookstore to buy Archie Comics and try to sneak in Cosmopolitans when my parents were paying. That was a long time ago and now there is a sophisticated italian dining spot there: Giando! The location of Giando is a little bit out of the way of the usual hub of restaurants but easy enough to get to and definitely worth it! The view is lovely and the setting is also very pretty and bright. The chef-owner of Giando is Isola's former executive chef Gianni Caprioli. Y and I went for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our meal there. I haven't returned since then but now that I am writing this review I will definitely make plans to go again, perhaps with my parents who really liked Domani by Pacific Place which recently closed. One special touch that took our meal to the next level was the free gelato. Y and I both picked a dessert and the chef told us that their gelato was really good and wanted us to try it. He offered to let us try it for free which was very sweet and thoughtful. The lunch starts with a buffet spread of antipasti then a choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert.

Antipasti Buffet Spread
The spread had a very sufficient selection of high quality cured meats, cheeses, and salads. Make sure not to get too full before the rest of your delicious meal comes!

Poached Egg with Crispy Pancetta and Fresh Peas Purée
The flavors of this dish was balanced very well and I loved the crispy pancetta against the fresh flavor of the pea purée. The egg's creaminess was also nice but may have made the overall dish a little bit too soft in terms of texture. But this paired with bread was a winner! Presentation was also pretty :) 

Mixed Fungi Risotto
This dish was executed perfectly. Each kernel of the rice had the ideal texture and the risotto was creamy and infused with the richness of the various mushrooms and fungi. So incredibly comforting and delicious!

Tiramisu
Once again another perfectly executed classic. Such a perfect cut of tiramisu also, so so pretty.

Pana Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote 
One of my favorite desserts! Such clean and refreshing flavors.

Gelato Selection
I don't remember what the flavors were but chef was completely right in saying their ice cream was worth trying. These were absolutely divine! So creamy and delectable. 

I am glad that I remember to make this post because now I definitely want to go back! It is a nice change from the usual lunch spots in Central and Causeway Bay and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others! This review is rather old so I can't guarantee that the food is still good but according to recent reviews online it seems to have been able to maintain its high standards!

Giando

1/F

Fleet Arcade

Fenwick Pier Street

Wanchai

Hong Kong 

Stone Nullah Tavern

It's always so exciting when you find a new favorite spot for food! Stone Nullah Tavern is located in the historical Stone Nullah Lane in Wanchai and is brought to you by the same team behind Posto Pubblico, Linguini Fini, and Pizzeria Pubblico. The restaurant is led by executive chef Vinny Lauria and he describes the food as "new american fare" in which world cuisines are fused based on seasonal ingredients. I've had great dining experiences in two of the locations mentioned above and therefore had high hopes for this visit. I am happy to say that I LOVED the food here and this may actually be the best out of all the other ventures (regardless of the difference in cuisine etc).

Service was impeccable and friendly, our server allowed me to try 3 different types of wine before I made my choice. He was also very knowledgeable with his recommendations and was very social and a pleasure to talk to. The restaurant is designed with a rustic and vintage theme and the restaurant had a great laid back yet sophisticated atmosphere.

Tater Tots - Lardo Aioli, Sriracha Ketchup
I LOVE TATER TOTS! These little indulgent nuggets were wonderfully crispy and fluffy on the inside. Aioli is also one of my favorite condiments and its garlicky creaminess went so well with these yummy tater tots. Regular ol' ketchup was also pimped up with a dash of spicy sriracha sauce. If you order these with a group you better grab them quick before they get all gobbled up!

"Chicken Fried" Tenderloin - Sausage Gravy
The reason the "chicken fried" is in quotation marks is because it's not really chicken but beef! Chicken fried tenderloin, or more commonly chicken fried steak, is a piece of steak that is breaded and deep fried. The name is attributed to its similar preparation method to fried chicken. This dish was very tasty and just made you feel so fat but in a good way (if that's ever possible). The steak was very tender and the breading maintained a decent amount of crispiness around the edges. The sausage gravy was thick and creamy and the sliced scallions added the perfect amount of kick to the dish. This is so Asian of me but I would totally eat a bowl of rice to this dish! 

Liver and Onion Dip - Chicken liver, Smoked Onion, Crispy Potato
This was the ULTIMATE star of the entire dinner, and this is saying a lot as every dish was good! The dip was rich, creamy, and smooth. The flavor of the liver was also strong and the onion also shone through without neither of the ingredients overpowering one another. The potato crisps were cut to just the right thickness and was the ideal accompaniment to the dip as it was firm enough for such a decadent paste but also not too heavy to make one too full from this dish. We actually ordered two of this dish because we loved it so much! 

Brussells Sprouts - Lardo, Malt Vinaigrette
The brussels sprouts were beautifully caramelized on the outside and maintained the perfect amount of crunch. Although these were cooked well, my attention was more focused on the other dishes.  

Pig's Foot and Ear Sizzlin' Sisig - Calamansi, Pickled Chilies, Fried Egg 
C was adamant that she ordered this dish as she loves eating the random bits and pieces of animals. I thought that this dish was tasty, but it would not be something that I would specifically want to order again. The dish was sufficiently flavored but I felt that the overall flavor profile was not specifically interesting and the pieces of meat was also cut too small and a bit dry for my liking (it could be that the ingredients called for this type of cutting but it just not to my personal preference).

Mac & Cheese - Egg Yolk, Sharp Cheddar
I really liked how the pasta shells were a bit larger than the ones usually used for mac and cheese. The pasta was al dente and each shell was coated with the luscious cream sauce. The addition of egg yolks made the sauce richer and also resulted in a very visually appealing dish. Another simple and delicious dish!

Chicken Wings - Chili, Garlic, Honey, Ranch
Being the greedy girls that we were, we decided to order one more dish (after ordering seconds on the liver dip hehe). The chicken wings were doused in a sauce that tickled your taste buds with an array of flavors: garlicky, sweet, then a kick of spice! The coating of the wings was crispy and not too thick and the meat was still juicy. The robust wings were paired with a generous cup of ranch dressing which I happily dunked my wings.

Although I liked some dishes more than others, every dish was good at Stone Nullah Tavern. This was definitely one of the highlights of my dining ventures and I am really excited to go back again! The chef also came outside to talk to our table a few times and was very amicable and showed that he cared about his food and his customers. The chef actually gave me his card as he was interested in seeing my food review but I unfortunately lost it! Hopefully he will be able to see my review and read about how much my friends and I enjoyed it. I already have a few other dishes that I spotted on the menu that I want to try so it will not be long before I step food into this exciting new restaurant again!

Stone Nullah Tavern

69 Stone Nullah Lane

Wanchai

Hong Kong