Ambience: On the ceiling of the main dining area are mirrored squares (above), angled this way and that, adding glamour to the sophisticated setting. Even with every table taken, we felt comfortable, albeit on show, although we were given the option of dining in booths away from the main dining space.

Pros: Ingredients were top notch. The wine menu was extensive and included quite a few bottles priced below HK$500.

Cons: Service was friendly but patchy, and servings were small. Still hungry after my soup and pasta, I started digging into the bread basket, only to see it removed prematurely by a waitress. In rescuing the rolls and returning them to our table, a waiter, missing the point, proudly announced that a group of four men had ordered nine mains for themselves: two dinners each plus one to share among them. My artichoke soup (HK$160) was creamy and comforting but so mildly flavoured my guest had trouble guessing what I'd ordered. We also wouldn't write home about the strawberry Melba (HK$110), the sole dessert we ordered of eight offered. A dainty offering, our chosen sweet combined strawberry jelly, panacotta and vanilla foam. The tartness of the three wild strawberries was our only memory of the dish.

Recommended dishes: My guest made better choices than I did, by ordering the Hokkaido scallop starter (HK$200) and lobster cassoulet (HK$320) as his main. The scallops were perfect - fresh and succulent - and the celery foam wasn't just to show off. His main dish was of equal standing. Served with eggplant, parmigiana and sea urchin, this signature dish of ex-Toscana chef Umberto Bombana tasted of the sea: the sea urchin complemented the lobster, adding to the flavour instead of stealing the show. Another of Bombana's touted dishes, the burrata cheese ravioli (HK$210), was tasty if rich and a little unappetising after it had cooled. The pockets of pasta were filled with burrata (meaning 'buttered') and were accompanied by black olives and sweet, small datterino tomatoes.

What else? A degustation menu is available for HK$880 or HK$1,200 (with wine pairing). The lounge is open for tea (choose from 13 varieties) and pastries from 3pm to 6pm.