“Casa” means “home” in Italian and the ambience reflects this with a concertina restaurant front that opens up to the outside, allowing diners with dogs to sit with their pets while enjoying a cocktail or two. There are three floors, with a staircase in the middle of the venue giving a homely vibe. Each floor has a different theme: the bar is downstairs, with a family kitchen and dining area on the first floor while the top floor offers a private dining experience.

We started with a few signature cocktails: a Bloody Mary martini with tequila, triple sec, tomato and red pepper juice, and a Fresh Line with vodka, raspberry and kaffir lime leaf. (HK$88 each). We tried some small plates for sharing – the beetroot salad (HK$78) featuring diced beetroot, avocado with orange, toasted hazelnut and mixed green was deliciously light with a balance of textures and flavours. The scallop carpaccio (HK$108) is dressed with pineapple, yuzu with a touch of cardamom spices giving it a lift, and is garnished with ogonori seaweed, while the fritto misto (HK$180) features deep-fried crispy scallop, squid and shrimp served with house-made sun-dried tomato aioli, which was perfectly fried sans oily aftertaste. 

The pasta is home-made and we loved the duck ragu pappardelle (HK$178) made with double-seared duck breast braised with tomato concasse, carrots, celery, onions and duck jus for five hours. Then house-made chicken liver parfait and French yellow wine is added, mixed with house-made pappardelle and topped with Parmesan. The oxtail ravioli (HK$188) is also a good choice. For mains, roasted grass-fed lamb rack (HK$255) is served with roast potatoes with a hint of paprika and a green peppercorn Madeira wine sauce. The steak tagliata (HK$268) comes with deliciously creamy mash. For dessert, the tiramisu (HK58) and tofu panna cotta (HK$58) are must-tries.

Casa Cucina & Bar

Shops 8 & 9, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun