Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About
    • About Me
    • Tiny Urban Kitchen’s Favorite Equipment
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Asian
      • Chinese
      • Taiwanese
      • Thai
      • Malaysian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Salad
    • Pasta
    • Noodles
    • Rice
    • Vegetarian
    • Meat
    • Sweets
      • Baking
      • Ice cream
      • Cookies
    • Misc
    • Kawaii (Cute)
  • Travel / Restaurants
    • United States
      • Boston
        • Jen’s Picks
        • Boston
          • Allston
          • Back Bay
          • Brighton
          • North End
          • South End
        • Cambridge
          • Kendall Square
          • Inman Square
          • Central Square
          • Harvard Square
          • Porter Square
          • North Cambridge
        • Somerville
          • Davis Square
          • Union Square
        • Greater Boston
          • Brookline
          • Arlington
          • Belmont
          • Watertown
          • Newton
          • Lexington
          • Concord
          • Burlington
          • Natick
        • Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Berkshires
      • Vermont
      • Maine
      • New York
      • Washington DC
      • Philadelphia
      • Orlando
      • Chicago
      • Las Vegas
      • California
        • Los Angeles
        • San Francisco
        • Napa
        • Sonoma
      • Seattle
      • Hawaii
    • Canada
      • Montreal
      • Canadian Rockies
      • Toronto
    • Argentina
    • Europe
      • United Kingdom
        • London
        • Oxford
      • Italy
        • Rome
        • Piedmont
      • France
        • Paris
        • Bordeaux
      • Spain
        • Madrid
        • Barcelona
        • Catalonia / San Sebastian / Girona
      • Germany
      • Belgium
        • Brussels
      • Switzerland
      • Greece
      • Finland
      • Norway
      • Denmark
    • Japan
      • Japan Guide
      • Tokyo
      • Osaka
      • Kyoto
    • China (Mainland)
      • Beijing
      • Chengdu
      • Shanghai
      • Shaanxi
      • Shenzhen
      • Xiamen
      • Yunnan
    • Singapore
    • Hong Kong
    • Malaysia
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Australia/New Zealand
  • Michelin
    • Formerly had a star
    • Michelin Recommended
    • 1 Star
    • 2 Stars
    • 3 Stars
  • Jen’s Eating Guides!
    • Boston Restaurants
    • Boston Dishes
    • Tokyo
    • Hong Kong
    • Las Vegas
    • Napa / Sonoma
    • Taiwan (night markets)
    • Taiwanese (casual eats)
    • Street Foods of Bangkok (Part I)
    • Street Foods of Bangkok (Part II)
    • Kitchen Equipment
  • Trip Reports
    • All trip reports
    • New England
    • New York
    • Washington DC
    • Las Vegas
    • California
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Florida
    • Japan
    • China

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong – 3 Michelin Stars

December 1, 2018 by Jennifer Che 9 Comments

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong

Ahh birthdays.

Bryan and I have this unspoken rule. When it’s your birthday, the day is yours. You get to choose whatever activity you want. This year for Bryan’s birthday, his best friend from middle school flew out with his family to visit us and to celebrate Bryan’s birthday with us.

I had originally suggested to Bryan that we eat at 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong for his birthday. This exquisite 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant has been on Bryan’s “to-try” list forever (like, since we moved to Hong Kong over a year ago). However, he felt bad about not giving his visiting friends an authentic Hong Kong experience.

I mean, who goes to Hong Kong to eat Italian food?
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
Our friends were surprisingly supportive, indicating that if a 3-Michelin starred restaurant is, by definition, “worth a special journey,” then that was reason alone to visit 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana. Considering it’s the only 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy, 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana becomes even more unique and special.

I won’t hold the suspense until the end. We all loved it. My friends were floored by the quality of the meal and concluded that it was one of the best meals of the entire trip! Most importantly, Bryan loved it and really enjoyed his birthday meal.

Here’s our meal!

To start . . .

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
Bread was a great way to start since we were all pretty hungry. We loved the olive oil that came with the bread, which was fragrant, fruity, and a bit peppery as well.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
Everyone received a simple amuse bouche consisting of a mushroom foam soup that included bits of mushrooms inside. It was light, airy, and creamy with a pleasant mushroom flavor.

Appetizers

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
For starters, several people got the Confit Abalone Carpaccio. Each thin slice came topped with sweet pepper, semi-dried tomato, and a generous amount of Calvisius elite caviar. It was a lovely, balanced, bite.

I chose to start instead with the Tuna Tartare, which included a mixture of two types of tuna (likely akami and chutoro) topped with caviar and a few dollops of a yuzu tofu cream. It was astounding. The quality of the ingredients was clearly top notch, and the balance of simple flavors really allowed the tuna to shine. To be honest, I preferred this to the abalone carpaccio.
 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
We were smack in the season of white truffle season, so white truffles were all over the menu. Several at our table (including me!) were tempted to order some. I opted for the Single Poached Egg on Toast with shaved white truffles on top.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
I firmly believe that the best way to enjoy white truffles is to have them with something simple. In Alba, most people either eat them with eggs, beef tartare, or a simple egg pasta. This is why I opted for a simple poached egg, which was delicious.

Before the next pasta mid-course, they brought over round two of bread. This bread was equally delicious, freshly made with different types of grains.

Pasta Mid Course


Then our mid-course (pasta!) started to arrive. The Linguini with Crab was fantastic, full of depth and umami from the crab yet still maintaining a sense of lightness. The pasta texture was perfect.

Bryan the birthday boy decided to go all out and order the homemade tagliolini with butter, Parmesan, and shaved Alba white truffles. This is a very traditional and authentic way to enjoy white truffles. He let me try a bite, and I was hooked. I must concede that his white truffle pasta dish showcased the truffles even better than my poached egg dish. If you only get one white truffle dish, get this one. It’s phenomenal.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
White truffles smell sooooo good.

Main Course

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
All of the main courses were excellent. M9 Sirloin and Beef Cheeks [HKD 490] was exceptionally tender and came with a red wine and plum sauce. A tiny salad of green beans and carrots plus a dollop of creamy mashed potatoes completed the dish.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
We were all really impressed with the Baby Lamb, which came with aromatic herbs, black olive, barley, and vegetables. The size of the ribs made me realize just how small the lamb must have been, which did make me just a tad sad.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
The steak was also cooked a perfect rare and came with some simple vegetables (zucchini, radish, carrots, green beans, etc.). It also included a dollop of the creamy mashed potatoes (reminiscent of Robuchon mashed potatoes but not quite the same).

Cheese and Dessert

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
The cheese block had many, many amazing options and it was hard to choose.

We ended up discovering some incredible cheeses that we had never tried and really, really enjoyed.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
For dessert, they highly recommended their signature Pear Tart, which I really liked. The crispy layers of crust were incredibly light, and the fruit inside was very natural with just a hint of added sugar.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
We also tried their lemon soufflé, which was light, airy, and overall executed perfectly.
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
Happy Birthday Bryan!
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
The mignardises or petit fours were a lovely way to finish the meal.

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong – General Thoughts

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
What can I say, we absolutely loved our meal here.The service was pleasant, the ambiance was comfortable, and the food was excellent. Chef Bombana is a genius when it comes to food, and we really appreciated the opportunity to be able to experience it. Although he also has restaurants in Shanghai and Macau, he spends most of his time at the Hong Kong location.

The menu has both a la carte options and a degustation tasting menu (around HKD 1680). We opted for a la carte because we were eating with a young child who would have had a hard time with the longer course-by-course format. Appetizers and pastas are in the HKD 200 – 400 range, while entrees average in the HKD400 – 600 range.

There is a dress code: men should avoid wearing shorts, vest, sandals and slippers. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner but closed on Sundays.

Highly recommended!

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong
Shop 202, Landmark Alexandra
18 Chater Road
Central Hong Kong

This is the forty-first post in the updated #50Postsin50Days – Take 2 Challenge. Other posts in this series will be added to the bottom of the original post.

Filed Under: Hong Kong, Italian, Michelin, Michelin3, Restaurant, Review, World Travel

« Arcane Hong Kong – Exquisite European Food in Central
Sushi Nakamoto Hong Kong – Edomae Sushi »

Recent Posts

  • Nostalgic Reminders of Home: Five Guys Hong Kong January 6, 2021
  • Elementary Hong Kong January 5, 2021
  • Happy New Year 2021! A Look Back at 2020 January 1, 2021
  • Restaurant Le George Paris December 29, 2020
  • Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine Hong Kong December 28, 2020
  • Merry Christmas 2020 December 25, 2020
  • Sushi Shikon Autumn 2020 December 24, 2020
  • Foodhallen + Amsterdam Eats and Museums December 23, 2020

Latest Chinese recipes!

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    December 26, 2018 at 4:34 am

    Happy birthday Bryan!!! Looks like a wonderful meal! Also can I just say I LOVE your blue outfit! You look gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Che says

      January 31, 2019 at 11:22 am

      Thank you!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Beste Dating Sider Otta says:
    December 10, 2018 at 2:39 am

    […] 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong – 3 Michelin Stars – This year for Bryan’s birthday, his best friend from middle school flew out with his family to visit us and to celebrate Brya. […]

    Reply
  2. 50 Posts in 50 Days - Take 2! Exploring Hong Kong in 2018 - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    December 11, 2018 at 10:45 am

    […] Ovo Cafe (Vegetarian) Kyoku (Teppanyaki) Santé Wine Bar (Spanish/French) Arcane (European) 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Italian) Sushi Nakamoto (Edomae Sushi) Shiwei (Knife Shaved Noodles) Wai Kee Bowrington Road […]

    Reply
  3. Sushi Masataka Hong Kong - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    May 5, 2019 at 12:49 pm

    […] Sun Dining Group, a powerhouse dining group behind exclusive Michelin-decorated restaurants such as 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo, China Tang, and Kaiseki Den by […]

    Reply
  4. Happy New Year! Reflections on 2018 - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    January 3, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    […] top notch Cantonese seafood from The Chairman, 3-Michelin starred Italian food from 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo, and world renowned sushi from Sushi Saito. We cherished our time together, missing the days when […]

    Reply
  5. Ciak In the Kitchen Hong Kong - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    January 28, 2020 at 6:56 am

    […] in the Kitchen is the casual cousin to 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, the only Italian restaurant outside of Italy ever to earn three Michelin stars. Both restaurants […]

    Reply
  6. Octavium Hong Kong - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    February 13, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    […] is the experimental kitchen for Chef Umberto Bombana, the famous Italian chef behind 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (the only 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy). Octavium Hong Kong is part of a […]

    Reply
  7. Tosca di Angelo Ritz Carlton Hong Kong - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
    February 25, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    […] for Bryan’s birthday. In years past, we often would dine out (just the two of us), or have small gatherings with close friends. Bryan’s an introvert by nature and doesn’t really like big parties, so the dinners […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Tiny Urban Kitchen!

JenChe

Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am a Boston to Hong Kong transplant, born and raised in Ohio with parents from Taiwan. Feel free to head on over to the About page if you want to learn more about me, or just explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Archives

Categories

Awards

Saveur
PFB

BostonGlobe

Most Recent Posts

Five Guys Hong  Kong

Nostalgic Reminders of Home: Five Guys Hong Kong

Elementary HK

Elementary Hong Kong

Happy New Year 2021! A Look Back at 2020

Restaurant Le George Paris

Restaurant Le George Paris

Great Yakiniku and Fine Wine

Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine Hong Kong

Merry Christmas 2020

Sushi Shikon Autumn 2020

Foodhallen + Amsterdam Eats and Museums

4850 Restaurant Amsterdam

4850 Amsterdam – Nordic Inspired Creative Food

Van Wonderen Stroopwafels Amsterdam

Van Wonderen Stroopwafels Amsterdam

France!

Yam'Tcha Paris
David Toutain Paris
Divellec Paris
Breizh Cafe Paris
Clamato Paris

Kawaii! (Cute)

Norway!

Food Advertising by logo

Chinese Recipes

Okra with Chicken
Food Advertising by logo

Shop & Support us!

Spain!

Girona Spain
Amelia San Sebastian

Japan!

Bulgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin
Sukiyaki Imafuku Tokyo
Sushi Ishimaya Tokyo
Disney Sea Tokyo
Tempura Fukamachi Tokyo
Shinjuku Gyoen

Cambridge restaurants

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress