New York City Italian in HK multimedia-container

Rebecca Lo / China Daily

We ordered a few starters before the main attraction, and all of them were winners. I particularly enjoyed the octopus and potato salad, with its slightly charred edges and tart red onions. The dish was drenched in a high-quality olive oil and finished with a generous wedge of lemon for additional bite.

Equally delicious were the beetroot salad topped with half a soft-boiled egg, and chicken wings marinated in a variety of fresh herbs; both dishes sated our initial hunger pangs but left us wanting more.

More came soon enough with two house specialties: meatball pizza and white Brussels sprouts pizza. The doughy crust was flash-baked in an extremely hot pizza oven imported from Naples, and tasted just like the pies I remembered from a trip there. Big chunks of savory meatballs, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves were fused together in a rich tomato sauce.

By contrast, the Brussels sprouts pizza was not saucy at all. Similar to the white pizzas we had all over Campania, it contained no soft cheese. Instead, on a white base known as fior di latte, shredded Brussels sprouts, smoked pancetta, garlic and pecorino were scattered and then quickly baked at a high temperature to retain their freshness.

Being a fan of Brussels sprouts, this was my favorite dish. I loved the slight bitterness of the hearty vegetable and how it worked with the smoky saltiness of the bacon. Since we still had to work through a dessert of tiramisu, I took home the remnants of the pie in a doggy bag.

Even cold and droopy the next morning, I had to admit that it was still pretty delicious.

IF YOU GO:

Motorino

14 Shelley Street, Central, 852-2801-6881

Average cost per person: HK$250

Recommended: Brussels Sprouts Pizza Octopus and Potato Salad