Nicholini's = overrated

Restaurant: Nicholini's
Type: Italian
Location: 88 Queensway Rd, In the Conrad Hotel, Pacific Place, Central, 2521 3838
Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 4.25/5
Service: 4.75/5
Expected damage: HKD 800-1000 pp, with appetizer, dessert and drink
Our Menu:
1) Buffalo Mozarella and Tomato salad/Grilled milk-fed veal chop/Apple Tart
2) Grilled sardine Pomelo salad with tartar sauce/Penne with Morel cream sauce

I was lucky enough to go to Nicholini's twice in one week; luckily, it was not on my tab. I had heard a lot about this place from friends and co-workers, and it had the reputation of "best italian in Hong Kong". It let down the first time, but the 2nd time made up for it (did not "more than make up for it").

The first time, the mozarel' and tomato salad was perfect (but I consider it an easy dish to make), but the veal chop was overcooked and came with about one bite of fettucini. The apple tart dessert was nicely presented, with the thin apple slices forming the tart's circular shape - filo pastry with nuts layered the bottom, and it of course came with a scoop of vanilla.

The second time, my grilled sardines salad was very good - the sardines were grilled just the right amount, although I was quite surprised because it looked completely different than the same salad which my coworker had the first time (that time, the sardines looked almost uncooked). The pomelo added some nice flavoring to the salad, and they had some interesting croutons which added the texture.

The cream-sauce penne was good - very heavy, to be expected, a bit salty for my tastes. Overall, it was delicious anyways. The morels, or maybe morels in general, didn't have much flavor.

Every meal comes with a huge sorbet after the starter to cleanse the mouth.

The portions are very stingy, so I left both nights with an unfull stomach - even the one where I had a dessert. My co-workers thought otherwise, but I'm pretty sure I could eat two entrees there.

We sat in the private room the second time, and it is notable that it looked like something out of MTV Cribs...perhaps something from Outkast's house. It is heavy on the velvet - the walls and the table are covered. It's pretty dim, with a few candles on the table. The velvet is actually too long off the table, and prevents you from even crossing your legs; this is quite uncomfortable. The temperature is quite freezing, but that's normal in Hong Kong.