The newest outpost of Hong Kong’s The Pizza Project, in Wan Chai’s Star Street, is a clear winner, with crisp, intelligent service, and an imaginative take on authentic Italian comfort cuisine.
Hong Kong has a funny relationship with pizza. It was the big culinary trend in the mid-2010s, with a host of restaurants peddling authentic, region-specific takes on this classic dish. Many of those are now no more, leaving the likes of Mother of Pizzas, Paisanos, and Motorino to sate our appetite for pie.
However, Pirata Group’s The Pizza Project has shaken things up; the first venue, on Peel Street, has been an overnight success, driving business into a well-deserving corner of Central, and the group’s second opening in Wan Chai continues the fanfare by keeping things dead simple and focusing on good service and even better pizza.
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A New Wan Chai Local
We visited the new Wan Chai branch on a brooding Friday evening and despite arriving early the restaurant was quickly packed, with would-be diners patiently waiting outside. The restaurant has a no-reservations policy, which means you might need to wait but it’s well worth it.
After checking our temperatures, manager Clement guided us to a booth table. The main dining room of The Pizza Project, with its residential vibe, potted plants and rattan furniture, features booths and conventional tables but if you’re dining alone or are on a date, make for the intimate bench seating, which faces the action of the open (glass-encased) kitchen.
The menu at The Pizza Project is blissfully simple, which is usually a good sign. With a selection of Antipasti, Gnocco Fritto, Le Pizze and Dolce all on one page, and with vegetarian and gluten-free options, it’s easy to navigate and staff were quick to offer their favourite recommendations.
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We kicked off with one of each of the venue’s two non-alcoholic drinks (an ode to Dry July), which proved to be a little sweet but very refreshing after the mugginess of the afternoon. If you’re looking for something a little headier, the restaurant’s extensive selection of Italian wines is all priced the same – HK$70 by the glass, HK$200 by the carafe, and HK$300 by the bottle – meaning you focus more on enjoying good boutique vino rather than mulling over what you paid. There are also five classic Italian cocktails ranging from the Aperol Spritz to the Negroni Sbagliato, a mix of Campari, vermouth, and prosecco.
Dinner began with three appetizers to share; the Burrata with cherry tomatoes, rocket and olive oil (HK$95) was firm to the touch and silky within. Presented with crusty pizza bread, it was a great, rustic take on the classic southern Italian dish.
The Parmigiana with eggplant, mozzarella, and parmesan (HK$95), which is only available at the new Wan Chai branch, was a sensational, gooey, moreish pot of sweet eggplant, stringy melted cheese and heart-warming spices that disappeared within moments of arriving.
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Finally, the beef tartare with parmesan cream, almonds, and olive oil (HK$110) was a nice take on the hand-cut classic, with the almonds giving a great crunchy texture to the dish and the tanginess of the cream cutting through the raw beef. I would have liked the beef to be a little more seasoned but that didn’t stop us from mopping up the empty dish with the leftover pizza bread.
The Show Stopper
From here the meal set new lofty heights with the arrival of the tuna gnocco fritto. Originally from the Emilia region of Italy, gnocco fritto is prepared with flour, water, and lard, which is fired, causing the dough to puff up. At The Pizza Project, these heavenly bite-sized dough balls are served with a variety of toppings, including ricotta, pistachio, and black truffle, but we opted for Porchetta Tonnata (HK$85), three fluffy pillows topped with tuna mayo, caperberries and strips of wafer-thin ham. The combination was awesome, with the tuna mayo melting into the warm, fluffy fried dough, and the caperberry’s saltiness slicing its way through the silky porchetta. A sure winner.
Pizza Done Right
On to the main event; the menu’s 10 pizzas are made with three different types of flour in a northern Italian style that features light, fluffy bases. We went with Clement’s favourite, the Rustica (HK$95), which arrived loaded with baked potato slices, strips of crispy pancetta, touches of rosemary, and two types of Italian cheese, fior di latte, a cow’s milk cheese made in the style of mozzarella, and tomino, a soft, ripened Piemonte cow’s milk cheese that has the earthy tanginess of brie. With the potatoes giving depth and texture, the pancetta giving a salty sweetness, the fior di latte holding the slices together, and the tomino delivering its elegant aged depth, the Rustica is one of the best pizzas we’ve ever had.
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You’d be remiss for skipping dessert, which includes Pici Tiramisu (HK$60), a signature of Pirata’s popular pasta bars, and White Chocolate Mousse with raspberry jam and mixed nuts (HK$60). However, we’d also completely understand if you decided to jump right back to another round of Porchetta Tonnatas.
Conclusion
The Pizza Project is exactly the kind of dining experience Hongkongers deserve; a warm, homely ambiance, intelligent, approachable service, and well-priced dishes that are big on flavour rather than pretension.
The Pizza Project, G/F, N.5 Star Street, Wanchai, +852 2577 7227; open for lunch and dinner (note present dining restrictions in HK).
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