Address: Shop 327-333, 3/F Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Website: www.ciakconcept.com/home.htm
Authentic and tasty Italian is rarely used in the same sentence, or at least not in Hong Kong. CIAK is one of the few that does Italian home-cooking well. It’s no wonder that CIAK, with guidance from 3 Michelin starred Chef Umberto Bombana and 1 Michelin starred Chef Valentino Ugolini, that it continues to hold its position as a Michelin star restaurant.
You are immediately greeted by the smells of baked bread and pizzas from the open kitchen, sending you straight back to Italy. Rustic family style butcher block tables and an industrial design, sets you right in the mood for a tasty carb-filled meal ahead! CIAK is a trattoria concept that encompasses a deli and restaurant area for its diners to fully immerse themselves in the authentic Italian experience.
CIAK has a modest menu of fresh and dried pasta dishes, as well as Pizzas and meat dishes. Though simple in concept, they certainly do not lack in flavor. You can also customize you evening to fit your budget with dishes ranging from HK$200 to the more generous HK$500.
Tagliatelle – Prime beef and mortadella ham meatballs in tomato sauce
- Aldente and smooth, handmade pasta with small parcels of meat dotted around the dish. Creamy tomato sauce.
- A wonderfully comforting dish!
Lasagnette – Homemade sausage, mushroom and buffalo mozzarella
- Baby version of the larger lasagna, but just as rich and full of flavor.
- Complex tomato sauce with a creamy mozzarella topping, and great meat to pasta ratio.
Tagliolini – Datterino cherry tomato and pesto sauce
- Fresh pesto mixed in fresh Tagliolini, though could have added a few more tomatoes.
- Another great, fresh summery pasta dish.
Spaghetti – Garlic, olive oil and chilli pepper with Sardinian bottarga
- On the salty side, though had very generous shavings of Bottarga/ dried fish roe.
- Spaghetti could have been cooked a few minutes longer and was on the hard side.
- Mediocre.
Tagliolini – Classic carbonara
- Creamy, rich sauce that is not sickening, with a good amount of bacon running through.
- Again, a well executed dish that is well portioned and thought-out.
Pesto Pizza – Mozzarella, pesto sauce, semi-dried cherry tomato, sun-dried tomato and shaved parmesan cheese
- Fluffy base that is thin at the bottom, with generous, rich filling.
- Fresh pesto was nice and herby, not too salty and paired perfectly with the oozing cheese and tomatoes.
- Great for sharing!
Tiramisu – Lady Finger sponge, coffee jelly, coffee ice cream
- Good, strong coffee flavored ice cream, that is smooth and creamy.
- Fluffy and light cream that is not too sweet.
- Coffee jelly seemed more of a chef-y move and didn’t bring much to the dessert.
- Overall, mediocre, though the ice cream was good.
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