Beertopia, an Online Wine Shop and a New Pizza Place called Motorino

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Published: 4:00pm, 28 Feb 2013Updated: 3:38pm, 19 Oct 2016

Watch Out For…

New pizza joint coming to town. The Brooklyn-born Motorino (14 Shelley St., Central) is setting up shop in Hong Kong after chef Mathieu Palombino decided to expand his popular homegrown business with an overseas branch. The Neapolitan-style pizzas from Motorino were critically acclaimed, apparently, with foodies being bowled over by the airy crusts and creative toppings. The wood-burning Ferrara oven used to bake the pies is another of their hallmarks. Looking forward!

Cheers

A while back, we did a story about where to get affordable wines in Hong Kong. After the story was published, Alex Tarleton from Essential Fine Wines (www.efw.com.hk) wrote in and introduced me to his online retail shop. EFW sources wines from both the New and Old World, but with a heavy emphasis on Australian and New Zealand bottles. Sparkling wines and champagnes are available too, and there’s also a wedding registry-slash-gift package section that lets you procure wine for others, and vice versa. As for the prices, the cheapest bottle starts at $138 with an Algareiro Albarino 2011 (a Spanish white wine). And seeing how it’s won a Decanter World Wine Awards Gold Medal, it’s a very promising start.

Beertopia (www.beertopiahk.com) at the Western Market was such a success last year that this year the organizers will be bringing it to the much more spacious West Kowloon Cultural District. Mark April 13 down on your calendars, and get ready for a full day of craft beer appreciation—or non-stop boozing, essentially. There’ll be over 150 brews featured, from Australia, Belgium, Japan and a whole bunch of other countries. It’s also worth mentioning that locally based Typhoon Brewery will be represented at the festival. Tickets are from about $250 to $550 and can be bought online or at the door. Check out their website for more details.

Talk of the Town

I am a big fan of the afternoon teas at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental (MO Bar, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2132-0077), not least because the hotel always teams up with the biggest names in fashion and retail to produce most gorgeous edibles that are as much a feast for the eyes as for the stomach. The latest collabo is with Jimmy Choo, with the menu taking inspiration from their spring/summer 2013 collection. I’ve been informed that there will be tassels and “embossed leather” details (edible, of course) on the shoe-shaped cakes and treats served. The promotion will run from April 2 to May 5, but knowing how popular these teas are, I’d advise booking way in advance. $260 per head from 3pm to 5pm Mondays to Fridays, $280 from 2:30pm to 6pm on weekends. Free gift included.