Goccia – A new Italian seafood restaurant

You know what, if you’re searching under Yahoo classified for Italian restaurants, you can find 21 of them, neglecting the number of branches like Little Italy and Fat Angelos. Italian food is one of the most varied and delicate types amongst its European counterparts. Already thinking 21 names are too many to remember? The growing popularity of Italian cuisine has brought in some stylish and unique new comers – like Goccia, a seafood specialist – the one we just have a food tasting in.

On 26th April, A new restaurant and bar, GOCCIA, (pronounced Goh-chee-a), which means “water droplet” in Italian, has opened at the top of Wyndham Street, next to the upmarket bars and antique shops, offering Hong Kong palates a refreshing and colourful taste of Southern Europe under the stewardship of Chef Patron, Michele Rodelli. He wants to show the customers a “true taste” from Italy – most of the ingredients are freshly flown in from Italy and France every week, while the “stylish, comfortable dining room and terrace on the upper level is ‘very Italian’ in both décor and menu, while downstairs at street level, the contemporary bar serves South European ‘pleasurable moments’,” remarks Michele.

Living in Hong Kong for 6 years, Chef Rodelli was previously the Chef of the popular Cine Citta’ restaurant in Star Street. He has an awesome reputation for his innovative savoury dishes, not to mention his incredible expertise with desserts. He is dedicated in creating superb desserts, and those who want a tiny sweet treat ($30), can mull over Cooked Cream, Rum Gelatin and 55% Chocolate, Flavoured with Jamaican Pepper, Hot Chocolate with Parfait of Hazelnuts, and Chantilly Cream with Balsamic Strawberries and Honey. In the tasting, Michele had offered us “a surprise” – we got the delicate white chocolate lemon cakes. Desserts – this Rodelli speciality will become a talking point and a key drawcard of the restaurant. Other choices customers could anticipate are Caramelized Layers of Puff Pastry with Vanilla Cream and Strawberry Compote, Spiced Soft Dark Chocolate Biscuit with Banana Flambé, and the exotic Guanyaquil Chocolate Cake with Macaroon in Vanilla and Lemon Coulis.

Typical dishes from the a la carte menu, which will be served in the upstairs dining area, include starters (Gli Antipasti in Italian) such as Seared Peppered Tuna with Oscietra Caviar, Millefeuille of Monk Fish with Grilled Vegetable Eggplant & Avocado Infusion (we had tried these two starters: tuna and monkfish, terrific in both taste and the plate “setting”), and Sautéed Baby Octopus from the Adriatic. The risottos and pastas have fish and vegetable bases; Linguine with Clams, White Wine, Garlic and Parsley, or Artichoke Ravioli with Mint Prawn and Dry Mullet Roe.

Main courses (around $220) include Swordfish with Lemon & Raisins, Classic Seafood Soup, Roasted Sea Bream with Porcini and Sautéed Clams, or Sea Bass in Crust of Salt Pasta for two. Meat eaters and vegetarians are not forgotten with main courses such as Veal Chops in a Herb Crust, Roasted Saddle of Lamb flavored with Thyme, and Roasted Chicken Breast stuffed with Pistachios.

Not to forget the tapas selection including Crispy Sesame Cones with Tuna Tartar & Asparagus Tips and Cold Tomato Soup with Pernod, served with Mussel and Zucchini Skewer. We tried the Focaccia bread that evening, very crispy at the skin and soft bread in the middle, and were served downstairs at the ground level.

Goccia has also a wide selection of white wines. Why white wines? We have asked the talented chef Michele, “Over 80% of the dishes in our menu were seafood, serving seafood with white wine is because they fit for each other. Unlike red wines, which usually have a strong taste, the taste of white wine is not too strong that will cover that of the seafood dishes, nor the taste of seafood surpass the wine.”

We did enjoy the lovely evening, leaning at the beige and cozy sofa, listening to Michele explaining with enthusiasm each of the dishes he’s preparing with his creativity, experience, talent, and most importantly, his heart.

Flipping over the a la carte menu, I found an interesting quotation from Antheime Brillat-Savarin (1755 – 1826):
The pleasure of the table belongs to all ages,
To all conditions,
To all countries, and
To all areas;
It mingles with all other pleasures,
And remains at last to console us for their departure.
~ The Physiology of Taste ~

Designed by KplusK Associates, Goccia was conceived, roughly, as a series of raw elemental spaces lined with luxurious comfort, says Project Director, Paul Kember. “The materials were juxtaposed to provide an environment of high textural contrast, including walls of raked stucco adjacent to smooth orange leather, in-situ concrete plinths below vast planks of Merbau timber, engineered bamboo ceilings and compressed straw acoustic panels next to smooth white plaster.”

So next time when you are in trouble thinking of somewhere to eat or drink peacefully and quietly with friends in Lan Kwai Fong, and feel like trying some Italian seafood, think about this “water droplet” in the busy city – only then you have to walk a street up to Wyndham Street.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. For reservations, please call 2167 8181 or 2905 1228.
Address: Ristorante E Bar, G/F, 73 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.

-Irene Lau