Ramato restaurant review: chef Matteo Caripoli’s rustic Italian home cooking style hits the spot without breaking the bank, in Hong Kong’s Central

This new Soho eatery is a fresh incarnation of JIA group’s earlier Italian offering, 208 Duecento Otto. Rather than taking inspiration from its address, this time Ramato is named after the famed ramato tomato from Italy’s Puglia region (odd, then, that the restaurant has opted for Sardinia’s camone tomato for its burrata). Like its predecessor, Ramato offers rustic Italian home cooking, with favourites like bruschetta, warm octopus salad, pasta, baked sea bass, grilled Wagyu, tiramisu and cannoli on offer.

The menu was designed by head chef Matteo Caripoli, alongside Antimo Maria Merone, executive chef at the group’s nearby higher-end option, Estro. The amberjack carpaccio (HK$208) was a refreshing start for a hot humid evening, and our warm octopus salad (HK$188) with potato cubes was tender and succulent, yet light enough to leave ample room for the rest of the meal.

With Merone looking over the menu, we were assured the pasta would be excellent. We were not to be disappointed. The house spaghetti was simple, but the ramato sauce gave an extra kick to the normal tomato purée. The meze maniche with a light carbonara was also excellent, and deliciously al dente. The home-made ricotta and spinach ravioli (HK$158), however, could have done with a lighter touch; the heavy portion of spinach made the dish a bit too bitter for our taste.

Fortunately the freshness of the baked sea bass in acqua pazza sauce (HK$548) quickly made up for it, as did the grilled M5 Australian rib-eye (HK$588). Special mention also has to made for the humble brown butter cauliflower (HK$58).

We ended the meal merrily with the traditional tiramisu (HK$98) and the Sicilian cannoli (HK$38). The fare at Ramato is definitely no fuss and no frills, but hits the spot when you’re looking for authentic Italian cuisine that does not break the bank.

208 Hollywood Road, Central