ATTENDING a lunch hosted by barrister Alan Hoo in his private chambers at Va Bene, which he co-owns - where the guests included the Civil Services Secretary, Michael Sze, ICAC boss Bertrand de Speville, Singapore Commissioner Gordon Seow and wife Eileen, and tycoon Allan Zeman - we were intrigued by one particular topic of conversation. For the gregarious Hoo was telling us about the next opening of Va Bene (after Hong Kong and Jakarta) which has been slated for, of all places, Constantinople. If the idea of Hoo and his partners takes off, it is bound to be the most momentous event to take place in this historic city lapping the Bosporus since the artillery and cannon fire of Turkish Sultan Mohammed's troops brought down the Byzantine Empire in 1453. And to think Hoo is planning his invasion armed just with pasta.