CIAK – In The Kitchen

I made the mistake of ordering a salad to go from here. It was after the lunch crowd died down and no line.
After 20 minutes of waiting with my number, I asked about it. It seems the number wasn’t helpful because they had to ask for my receipt. Their computerized system probably automatically lost my order.
Good food, just don’t get to go.

It was unexpected how good this place was. I have trust issues with mall restaurants. They’re usually overpriced and a bit overrated.
But somehow, CIAK is the exception to that rule.
The pasta was perfect, just the right texture and the bolognese sauce was not too tangy, not bland at all– just perfect. So tasty. We also shared a prosciutto pizza and it was fantastic. We ordered the triple chocolate cake for dessert. Once again, magnificent.
As expected, it’s a bit expensive, but it’s easy to overlook as you finish your highly satisfying meal.

CIAK makes some good Italian food but I really don’t see how they deserve a Michelin star. A restaurant like this back in the US would probably be fairly popular and well-​received, but not 5-​star worthy.
ATMOSPHERE:
I found the attempt to blend a market an a restaurant an odd concept. I guess you can go to the different stations and simply purchase food to go, which is nice. The problem is that the setup makes it feel overly casual. Perhaps that’s the point — casual, but well executed food in a mall setting — but that just didn’t work for me.
FOOD:
I started with the basil-​minestrone soup. It was served in a heavy iron bowl, looking like a murky greenish-​black surprise. Fortunately, the soup tasted great. From an optics perspective, however, a dark soup in an iron bowl just doesn’t look very appetizing. For my main, I had the prosciutto and formaggi pizza. The pizza was overly salty (yes, I realize that the prosciutto is salty but this was more than expected), but the crust and cheese hit the spot. This doesn’t reach the heights of Pizzeria Mozza in LA or Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, but I’d be surprised if you found something better in Hong Kong.
SERVICE:
After our group was seated, we just sat there as if they forgot we were there. We actually had to get the attention of one of the servers to ask if we ordered from them or from the individual stations. Things picked up with drinks and food coming quickly and the manager checking in on us later on, but the opening notes were definitely off.

truffle lovers will definitely love this restaurant! tried the truffle pizza with pieces of fresh truffles sprinkled on top. the desserts are phenomenal as well esp lemon tart with ice cream! highly recommended!

I dined here because it earned a Michelin star for 2015. I went on a week night and the restaurant was full house. It’s a good thing my friend made reservations the night before. Since I was visiting from out of town, I was dressed in jeans and a t-​shirt and I didn’t feel out of place. If I do go back in the future, I’d probably wear a collared shirt since it is a nice restaurant.
My favorite items were the bufala pizza, three chocolate cake and apple tart. The pizza is a must try because their crust is thin, crispy and topped it with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. It was delicious and if I could eat more, I would have ordered a second one! The three chocolate cake was a stand out because it wasn’t overly sweet and it was airy. It’s not your average chocolate cake so order it. Compared to the cake, the apple tart was sweeter. It was a pretty dessert. They layered thinly sliced apples over a sweet flaky crust and topped it with pistachio ice cream. This dessert is great for sharing.
I had a table that was in front of the kitchen so it was really cool to be able to see the chefs prepare the food. The staffs were friendly and they all speak English. They were very efficient on clearing off the plates when we finished a dish. Before we got our bill, the GM came over to ask us if we enjoyed our meal. That’s a nice touch because I normally don’t get that kind of thing in the states. Overall, I had a great meal and it came out to about $ 400 per person so that was reasonable. If I do visit Hong Kong again in the future, this restaurant will be on my list.

Best italian restaurant for the price. Well worth the michelin star. The pasta made al dente and the sauce was flavorful and just right. If you like the super thin crust kind of pizza then you must come here — yumz. All ingredients are of high quality. Best to go on weekend evenings as central is quite empty. Good place for couples and small group of friends gathering.

I recently revisited CIAK after coming here for the first time over a year ago… and I didn’t realize that they obtained a one Michelin star for 2015 just a few months ago.
CIAK is great in terms of their food, wine and service. Ambience is a bit casual, so don’t expect it to be a fine-​dining type of restaurant with dim lights. That doesn’t mean it’s bad though as it is a great place for groups to come here and share some great food and wine without having to worry about being too noisy.
Menu is simple. They have sections on some cold and hot dishes, pasta, pizza and mains. I highly recommend their steak. I tried the T-​bone steak last time and the prime rib this time. If I tell you. the succulent T-​bone steak I ate over one year ago is all I remember about CIAK, that’s already enough to tell you to come here and try it, right? Wine selection is not bad as well. They’ve got some good choices of Italian wine.
Spending per head was around $ 500-​$ 600 including wine. CIAK definitely has good value for some good quality food and the location is right in the center of Central. I’ll definitely come back for the third time someday!