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The start of a new year brings in waves of resolutions—some which last, most realistically, lesser so. Not to say that’s a bad thing—life is full of indulgences after all. If you’ve been craving something new in Central to try, PAZTA opened in December 2020 serving authentic Italian eats in an al fresco setting. We swung by the pasta-and-pizza restaurant to try a selection of appetisers and a signature ‘pazta’.
Image courtesy of Mr Ping | Cha Siu Papers Times
Tai Kwun location
The restaurant is nestled within Tai Kwun, an arts and heritage centre housing multiple upscale F&B outlets which mostly serve modern takes on traditional fare. We were seated outside on a beautiful winters’ afternoon so that we could soak in the surrounding sights—which, at the time, was festive in line with the Christmas season.
Specialising in Italian dishes from regions including Venice, Bologna, Rome, and Sardinia, the menu at PAZTA predominantly focuses on pizza and pasta. We started with an appetiser which covered most of the starters on the menu in bite-sized portions. Hefty but hearty, the sharing platter (Il Ghiottone—HK$390) comprised a mix of cold cuts, stuffed zucchini flowers, Tuscan pâté, beef carpaccio, and more.
Image courtesy of Mr Ping | Cha Siu Papers Times
Homecooked Italian fare
Being rather delighted from the generous portion of appetisers, we prepared ourselves for the mains with open arms. We ordered the recommended Pappardelle al Cinghiale e Olive Nere (HK$150), whisking you to the tranquil region of Tuscany. The thick egg pasta ribbons cooked with slow-cooked wild boar in Tuscan red wine was a unique and scrumptious combination, topped with black olives for a touch of Mediterranean fare. We also shared a chicken breast topped with cheese and truffle—this dish was, unfortunately, a bit dry and served in a very small portion which, in our opinion, wasn’t worth its price.
Image courtesy of Mr Ping | Cha Siu Papers Times
For dessert, we indulged in the Baba al rhum crema mascarpone e uvetta and the warm chocolate log served with vanilla gelato.
To top off our meal which was served with several glasses of bubbly, we finished off with a warm Italian espresso to complement the sweet treats.
Image courtesy of Mr Ping | Cha Siu Papers Times
Discover a journey through Italy at PAZTA, where pizza and pasta come together in a chic al fresco environment. The Tai Kwun location makes this open-air restaurant a new go-to for post-work drinks and sharing snacks or afternoon people watching.