Elegant waterfront dining at Tseung Kwan O restaurant Pastis Tapas

FARE Classic tapas and sharing plates

AMBIENCE Located along a new luxury waterfront residential development in Tseung Kwan O, the eatery offers alfresco seating plus a cosy indoor dining area with Spanish tile-lined walls.

COST Around HK$1,000 for two with a drink.

WHO TO BRING Family and a small groups of friends.

TURN-ONS Staff at this new restaurant are cheerful and friendly with good knowledge of the menu. We started the evening with a gazpacho with Mozzarella cheese foam. The chilled tomato soup, with hints of basil, was a refreshing first course. Truffle and serrano ham croquettes followed. The bite-size crispy morsels are filled with cheese and paired perfectly with their fruity sangria. The sautéed octopus with taboule and lentils was heavy on the lentils, and we wished there was more of the octopus instead. Our final starter, the pan-fried green Padrón peppers, seasoned with a generous sprinkle of coarse salt, was a welcome veggie dish following the rich croquettes.

For our shared mains, the staff suggested the clams in carta fata with white wine and garlic. The clams were fresh and plump, steamed in their own juices and white wine, which gave the dish a touch of tartness. We then moved on to our final savoury item of the evening, crispy suckling pig with piquillo peppers and watercress. The sweet peppers were a nice contrast to the meaty pork, though the skin was not as crispy as we’d hoped. But dessert – crunchy churros with chocolate sauce – more than made up for it. The fresh-out-of-the-fryer pastry was airy, and coated with a crunchy sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.