Bar at Linguini Fini (Hong Kong) - ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2

  The new Bar Menu downstairs is attractive and playful,  introducing more tastier dishes of otherwise wasted parts in a slaughtered animal.  These might include off cuts such as Pork brains,  the fatty lardos,  or Toy Testa Soldiers made with pigs head meat,  not to mention the normal dining menu which gives another reason to revisit.    This place kind of reminds me of some meals in Melbourne such as Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons and the Offals meal at Josie Bones.   Their pizzas are also worth a separate mention as they are of very high quality.  Not exactly Pizza Napoletana,  but very enjoyable in it’s own style.   A Previous review can be found here:   Linguini Fini.   For some reason many of us foodies are recently expecting that the quality of here might just go downhill somehow after some major restructuring of its staffs,  but let’s monitor and see.

 

 

Bread and Olive Oil -
Honestly,  not that great.
It has never been one of it’s strong points.   ~  4/10

 

 

 

Some Chianti from Italy -
A Carafe is around $108,  very well priced.

 

 

LF Wings - $48
With Gongonzola Dolce Aioli dip and coated in a home made Spicy Roasted Pepper Sauce. This was quite decent as the wings were plump and meaty. These had a more wetter sauce coating than the often drier version served elsewhere, it is also less hotter than normal Buffalo Wings which might be a good thing as it never claimed to be one falsely. The gongonzola dolce blue cheese dip was sweetish and cheesy without being too smelly and had nice little chunks of the original cheese in it. ~ 7/10

 

 

Fried Pork Brain - $48
Comes with a Roasted Lemon Aioli which cuts back on the grease, fried Sage herbs and House Cured Lardo, the latter was subtly herbed and pretty good quality. The pork brains seem to have been poached/soaked for quite a bit as it has very little brainy like acquire taste - this will suit people who are not really into 'brains' but personally, I thought it became a little too subdued ~ 8.5/10

 

 

Toy Soldiers - $48
With Pig's Testa head meat, Soft Boiled 'slow cooked' Egg, and Nduja sausage and Tomato sauce. This was a sensational dish, with the testa meat quite porky but manifesting its flavour in a nice way, and the sausage sauce was exceptional as a pairing. The half cooked egg was perfectly done and had a viscous running egg yolk for dipping the 'pork soldiers' into. A creative and fun dish that happened to be very tasty! Additive. ~ 10/10

 

 

Stracetti di Manzo -  $108
This might have gone up by $10,  but I think I got more meat this time!   This is still one of the best dishes here.  Seems to be less blue cheese like this time around.   ~  7.5/10

 

 

Trippa al Forno -  $88
An amazing dish.  This recipe has been improving everytime I visit,  and cumulated into this version with thicker pieces of tripes,  cooked to a better texture,  retaining more pork and beef tripes taste as well as having a gratinated cheesy top.   Excellent and right up there with the best I have tried anywhere else.    ~  9/10

 

 

Pizza Bianco with added Lardo - *Off Menu*
Their new pizzas are pretty decent.  The texture is definitely half spongy and half doughy like, but surprisingly come with a crispy charred bottom! I  really liked the texture of these pizze although traditionalists might think it is not authentic or whatever!  For me as long as they're good and not claiming to be what it isn't!   The Garlic Oil, Parmesan and Rosemary formed a good base to build on, but the added Lardo really brought this bianco pizza alive. They should have this as a permanent fixture or as an add on option! ~ 8/10

 

Pizza Picante - $128
My 2nd time eating this,  it has improved.   With Mozzarella, House made Spicy Sausage, Tomato and Chili, this was a pretty addictive pizza and quite meaty and herbal rich.  The sausages were surprisingly packed with pork flavours and a slight spiciness to give it a fiery kick. ~ 9/10

 

Mango and Apricot Sorbetti – $18 a Scoop
I liked the Apricot one,  it was quite smooth.  On the other hand the Mango one was too sweet and wasn’t mango-ey enough,  for a second I even hesitated whether this was the apricot scoop.  ~  6/10

 

Price: $108 (Lunch)  to $200-250 per person (night)
Food:  ♕♕♕♕ to  ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Opening Hours -
Mon to Thurs  12:00 - 14:30；18:00 - 22:30
Fri     12:00 - 14:30；18:00 - 23:00
Sat    12:00 - 16:00；18:00 - 23:00
Sun   12:00 - 16:00；18:00 - 22:30

Address: 中環皇后大道中139號
1/F, The L Place, 139 Queen's Road Central, Central
Ph: 2857 1333