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CAFE Roma is one of those places that just cannot make up its mind what it wants to be.

 It seems to aspire to being Italian, judging by the scenes that are pasted onto its walls. The floors, of course, are marble of the Hong Kong variety.

 Then, you read the menu. There are the Italian-influenced dishes but there's also borscht and other dishes labelled Portuguese or French-style.

 It all begins to feel rather schizophrenic.

 No matter, the staff are some of the most charming we have met in Hong Kong and the place is packed at lunchtime on a gloomy, rain-drenched early weekday.

 We opt for one of the lunchtime specials which range from $45 to $50 and include soup, a main course and coffee or tea, and a selection from the a la carte menu.

 The vegetable soup is thin, watery and, with its greasy film, looks unpromising. Surprisingly, it is tasty with a hint of spice and contains cabbage and celery. We notice fellow diners at a neighbouring table drain the contents of their bowls without barely pausing to take a breath.

 Our other starter, the Parma ham and melon, is unavailable in that form and the waiter, in a rare flash of inspiration for Hong Kong, suggests strawberries and orange to accompany the prosciutto.

 We accept and find it to be excellent advice with the fresh fruit making a refreshing contrast to the ham.

 For the main course, the fillet of chicken in garlic sauce, which is part of the set menu, is bland and disappointing. The meat is tender but greasy and the crinkle-cut chips seem out of place.

 The addition of crispy broccoli makes us realise that we would have preferred just vegetables with the meat.

 Much better is the penne in a spicy tomato sauce. The pasta is cooked al dente and there is a profusion of healthy vegetables - celery, zucchini, red peppers and onions. It looks thoroughly appetising, but disappointingly there is no freshly ground pepper to top off a wholesome dish.

 We come to the conclusion that diners do not visit Cafe Roma for a quiet bite. What with the noise inside and the din from the traffic outside, it's a rather rowdy hangout, but it has a charm nonetheless and, in its own way, is not unlike the raucous high spirits of a Roman trattoria.

 For dessert we round off with chocolate ice-cream and vanilla cheesecake. We're certain both are bought in but they are enjoyable all the same, with the cheesecake light and the ice-cream having a satisfyingly rich chocolate aftertaste.

 A couple of areas need a little fine-tuning. The staff, in their eagerness to please, have a tendency to whip away dishes while others are still eating. It's not just bad manners, it's also extremely irritating.

 Similarly, we half expect the orange juice to be freshly squeezed. In fact it is barely drinkable bottled orange drink - and bearing no resemblance to its description.

 In its favour, Cafe Roma makes an alternative stop for the crowds of Pacific Place.

 And with its late opening hours it is an ideal bolt-hole for cinema-goers or those out for a late-night drink in Wan Chai wanting a wake-up coffee on their way home.

 But this is not authentic Italian dining, and we advise visitors to opt for the a la carte menu, rather than the set deal.

 A three-course lunch for two with a couple of soft drinks and one coffee came to $260 with the service charge and tip, which we thought was fine value for money.

Cafe Roma, G/F 8-12 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2527 1686. Open Monday-Saturday 11.30am-midnight, Sunday 5.30pm-midnight 



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