Food review: Motorino

about HK$150 without drinks or the service charge.
 

crowded during standard dining hours.

the pizza is almost as good as it is at the Manhattan branch of Motorino, and while the leopard-spotted cornicione (the edge) might be slightly less puffy, it's still excellent. For lunch there is a choice of four pizzas with one of three starters for HK$128 plus 10 per cent.

we made a lunch reservation for two, but at the last minute another friend was able to join us. On arrival we were told that they couldn't accommodate the third guest, so my friend left. But then the hostess said, "That was your table," pointing to one that was occupied. "What do you mean, was?" I asked. She said that as we were now three, they couldn't accommodate that number, so she had given our table away. I explained firmly that just because they couldn't seat three it didn't mean that my original guest and I didn't still want to eat there. She found us another table, but it wasn't as well situated.

the Brussels sprout pizza (available on the lunch prix fixe, or HK$158 à la carte) is one of the "signature" selections - and with good reason. The Brussels sprouts were lightly charred and their slight bitterness went well with the creaminess of the fior di latte cheese. Cherrystone clam pizza (HK$208) had a crust that was a little soggy, but still enjoyable because the brininess of the clams brightened the subtle flavours of the other toppings. Soppressata piccante (on the lunch set, or HK$148 à la carte) was the only pizza we tried with tomato sauce, and it was the strongest in flavour, with thin, oily (in a good way) slices of the lightly spiced, cured sausage.

Motorino has branches in New York (Brooklyn and Manhattan). Lunch reservations are accepted from Monday to Friday.