While we really dig the interiors at La Piola, it’s a bit of a shame that the open-fronted bar is right on the junction of Wellington and Lyndhurst. Heavy traffic on a weekday evening makes people watching just that little bit less pleasant. But hey, we’re in Hong Kong—where are you going to find somewhere that’s not right on the road? The excellent staff is really what makes this a place we’d like to revisit. In a town of indifference, the team here is happy, enthusiastic and very thoughtful—we wanted to share our mains, and without us having to ask, they plated up two half-portions of gnocchi for us, and cut our steak into juicy, bite-sized strips. Our appetizer was by far the best part. The generous slices of delicious Parma ham certainly went down well with a glass of wine, and the creamy, squidgy burrata was second-to-none—definitely don’t try to finish this hulking plate on your own. The gnocchi didn’t fare quite so well, being a little too sticky, doughy and lacking in flavor, and our panna cotta dessert was coated in this awful, artificial-tasting raspberry sauce. That said though, you’ll be sure to see us propping up the open-fronted bar with a glass of Italian wine and a few bar snacks in the coming weeks.