Paisano's Central

I'm not really known to jump on bandwagons.  In fact, my first instinct when a mob of people tell me something is really spectacular is to find a way to disagree. Naturally, then, when I heard the hype about legendary Sai Kung pizza joint Paisano's coming to a location within stumbling distance of LKF, part of me really wanted to hate it with the fiery passion of a thousand red hot burning suns. Or at least be able to say in my most contemptuous voice "eh...it's ok...you know Hong Kong pizza...never very good" while shrugging disappointedly.

But FINE I admit it, OK? It IS really good.  So the disagreeable part of me was pissed, and the other part of me was overjoyed, and sang songs of praise to the heavens, for a new era of pizza had dawned on central Hong Kong, and just as the prophets had forewarned, it was indeed a delicious new era.

But you've already read all that crap about how good it is in Timeout and HK Mag so let me just tell you a couple of things you may not have heard already:

1. I don't love the sauce.  Please see me after class for more details.

2. I am just as crazy about giant pizza slices as the next gal, but the size of these slices is unambiguously, positively, categorically and outrageously ridiculous, some might even say preposterous, and almost as unnecessarily absurd as this completely excessive string of words describing the size. 

3.  Seriously though, I asked them to cut them in half the second time.  This isn't a too much of a good thing is a bad thing situation, it's just impossible to eat.  Especially if you eat it standing in the street outside the store - as God intended for you to eat it.

4.  I'm a firm believer that pizza slice vendors should remain open past 11 pm.  All night long would be preferable.

5.  I hope they start delivering soon as advertised. And I hope they know how to deliver pizza. As in, while it's still hot.

Crust: 9

Toppings: 7 (good cheese levels but the sauce is just ok)
VFM: 8
Ambiance: N/A

Overall: 9

Paisano's

9 Lyndhurst Terrace

Central, Hong Kong

2544 4445

Weekly Recipes on Geoff's Twitchen

Starting this week, I will be collaborating with Geoff over at Geoff's Twitchen to share with his many adoring readers some of the results of my homemade pizza experiments.  You can find the first entry here.  If you are one of the few HK food lovers who doesn't yet know about Geoff's Twitchen, head over right away!

Cul-De-Sac

Tucked away on Wing Wah lane down an alley from Lan Kwai Fong, Cul-De-Sac is one of Hong Kong's few late night food shops that doesn't serve exclusively noodles and fish balls.  I know I sound like a broken record here but although you could do better, you could also do much worse for pizza and/or late night food here in the Kong.  Cul-De-Sac also has a variety of other late night favorites like poutine and a good beer selection. However, if you're at Cul-De-Sac I would be willing to bet you probably don't need any more beer.

Crust:  A bit crackery, but generally inoffensive. 6

Sauce:  I hate it when the sauce gets baked into the crust, and this stuff doesn't really have much flavor.  2

Toppings: Basic, but ok.  Good cheese levels.  6

Ambiance: Alleys are nice, but not really to eat in.  4

Overall:  5

Cul-De-Sac

GF Block A Winner Building
Wing Wah Lane
Central