Where To Eat

Restaurant Il Milione of Hutchison House came and went, all within a space of a little more than one year, and, in its wake, Osteria Felice took over the lease of the premises, making the claim of being the latest ‘Italian’ restaurant to be located on the outskirts of the Central Business District of Hongkong Island. 

TARGET (泰達財經) visited Osteria Felice, last Monday afternoon, attracted to the restaurant’s claim that it was serving a two-course lunch at $HK138.  

TARGET questioned: Could a restaurant turn a profit at $HK138 for a two-course lunch? For what reason is it making such an offering?  

After sampling the food of this relatively newly opened restaurant, this medium’s three reviewers left the restaurant within 20 minutes of being seated. 

There was no reason to stay longer than 20 minutes: Enough was enough! 

There was nothing wrong with the Set Lunch – except, among other things, it was as far removed from being Italian food as one could imagine and, in addition, this restaurant is what this medium would describe as being a fast-food joint. 

Within spitting distance of Osteria Felice, there is a fast-food restaurant, located on the Ground Floor of Bank of America Tower. This restaurant serves far-better food than this alleged Italian restaurant is dishing up. 

On the day of TARGET’s visit to this relatively newly opened eatery, this is that which this medium ordered from the Set Lunch for three people: 

Antipasti 

Soup of the Day – Green Peas Soup 

Caprese Salad
Vine tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil 

Sauteed Italian Clams
White Wine and Samphire 

Primi and Secondi 

Spaghetti Puttanesca
Cherry Tomatoes, Anchovy and Black Olives 

Diavola Pizza
Fiore di Latte, Spicy Salami, Tomato and Basil (9 inch) 

Slow-Cooked Salmon
Potato Puree, Asparagus and Lemon (add $HK50) 

The Food 

The Antipasti 

The Green Pea Soup was hot and tasted as one would expect from frozen peas that had been placed in a pot to which water was added and the concoction was allowed to boil for a number of hours. 

The Buffalo Mozzarella, the main ingredient of the Caprese Salad, was fresh and, most likely, it had been recently purchased from The GREAT Grocery Store of Pacific Place where it is sold by the ton.  

As for the Italian clams, pull the other teat, will you. 

The Prima and Secondi 

The Spaghetti Puttanesca was edible – but only just, mind you – because, among other things, the pasta had been overcooked. 

About the Diavola Pizza, strangely, it was quite good and, even more strangely, it was served hot. It was, in fact, the best of all of the dishes that were sampled, last Monday. 

Turning to the Slow-Cooked Salmon, sitting atop mashed potatoes, it was, as with the spaghetti dish, edible, but that was about all that one could state with regard to the single block of fish. 

As for the ‘Potato Puree’ – the mashed potatoes – it turned out to be bordering on being served cold.  

TARGET declined to give any consideration to ordering a desert and, instead, paid the bill and left the restaurant. 

The Ambience 

The ambience of Osteria Felice is little changed from the time that Shops 16-21 on the Ground Floor of Hutchison House were rented out to a Chinese group of businessmen that hung up the shingle, announcing the arrival of Restaurant Il Milione. 

The similarity between Il Milione and Osteria Felice is that the food, in both restaurants, is on a par: Both eateries, serving pretty much rubbish food. 

TARGET walked into Osteria Felice at noon, last Monday (January 19, 2016), and was told that, since no reservation had been made, a table could be arranged (in the nearly empty restaurant!), but that the TARGET team must vacate the restaurant within one hour. 

The restaurant appeared neat and tidy and, in the kitchen, separated from the dining area by a transparent glass barrier, this reviewer noted that there was no sign of an Italian chef or any other Caucasian, for that matter, but some six Chinese people, dressed in white gowns, were hastily working away. 

There was no music, piped through the restaurant, and it had all of the trappings of a fast-food restaurant, catering for workers – which is an apt description of it. 

Everything placed on the table was suggestive of the niggardliness of Management: Three people, eating at the table, therefore three thin slices of bread were placed in a small basket, but any sign of butter was absent.  

This medium has no idea how long Osteria Felice will be able to continue with its claim of being an Italian restaurant, but Il Milione, also having made the claim of serving authentic Italian cuisine, lasted a little less than one year of full operation. 

One may like to speculate as to whether or not Osteria Felice will be able to break Il Milione’s 12-month record of full operation.