8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA - Push the gondola out

Rib (for two)

Just look at that. Geezus. Tender, juicy, with the right amount of fat, good bite, excellent beefy flavour. Oh, if I could just eat that off the day-m screen now. It might seem weird that I crave steak from an Italian restaurant (that's not a steak Florentine), but this one from 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana is better than any I've had at steakhouses in Hong Kong. (Though I'm yet to go to talk of the steak-town, Steakhouse at Grand Hyatt, which I've heard very good things about).

Stop press! The Drawing Room at JIA Hong Kong

My folks had the pleasure of dining at Aspasia over the weekend, when Chef Roland (Schuller) came out to tell them that he's opening the new resto at JIA Hong Kong, named The Drawing Room, which takes over the old Opia (once managed by Aussie superstar (chef) Teage Ezard, of Ezard in Melbourne).

He said he'll be working there from today onwards, (Siu Yeh tips us off with detailed info on the team, and an April 13 opening date - their website says so too) and will be shuttling back and forth between Aspasia and TDR, initially spending more time at the latter. Aspasia will lbe taken care of by the/an ex-Toscana chef, so I guess it'll be in good hands! *oops - see edit below

*edit 4.15pm April 6: sorry I should have read Siu Yeh's post more carefully than just blurt what my parents thought they heard - the ex-Toscana chef, Umberto Bombana, in fact co-owns The Drawing Room, so the question is - who will be Aspasia when Roland is running around?

Anxious to try The Drawing Room soon. Now the sad people refusing to cross over to the "dark side" will have a chance to experience some Schuller love (which, as I've mentioned before, is probably the most underrated in the SAR).

The Drawing Room
JIA Hong Kong
1-5 Irving St
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
+852 2915 6628
Taking reservations Apr 6 onwards, opening Apr 13