Our host G assured us that there are more than subtle changes at Ramato other than the name change when we came for a visit a few weeks ago. What used to be called “208 Duecento Otto” on Hollywood Road has been relaunched as Ramato in late April with a “completely new” menu and décor, we were told.
I am sure there’s some truth to that with the menu now developed with Neapolitan Chef Antimo Maria Merone which oversaw the kitchen at Estro under the same owner, they now geared towards family style, Southern Italian fare and slightly toned down on the funky artworks while keeping the contemporary trattoria style interior over the spacious 2-level space. They also got a new chef Matteo which handled the day to day running of the kitchen.
We managed to work through quite a bit of the menu on a rainy evening just to get a feel of the new style, and I enjoyed the dishes. The antipasti of amberjack carpaccio – one of the four appetizers we had – was refreshing and full of flavor, with the thin slice of fish marinated and served with oranges, fennels and black olives on top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
The pasta dishes were the one that woo me over. Made with Tomato Ramato which gave the restaurant its name, their signature spaghetti got a nice sweet flavor made with just two simple ingredients of tomato and basil. The Carbonara was my favorite this time, done with Mezze Maniche pasta (like a rigatoni but shorter) with diced Guanciale and Pecorino Romano cheese – so simple but so good. I also liked the bouncy texture of the wide pappardelle noodles made in-house with the rich pork ragu, as well as the spinach and ricotta ravioli served with just a toss of butter and sage sauce.
We went with two rustic style main courses to share among the six of us, including the baked whole sea bass with Acqua Pazza sauce and the grilled wagyu rib-eye. The beef got my nod this time, perfectly done with the charred crust with just the right amount of marble fatty bits.
Tiramisu is the dessert I seldom said no to, and I love this soft and rich, served in a bowl dusted with cocoa powder on top. And the cannoli was addictively good too, stuffed with whipped ricotta cheese, candied lemon and pistachio, in true Southern Italian/Sicilian style.
I loved the good old 208 Duecetto Otto for its casual, laid-back style with solid execution of classic dishes, and glad to know that the new Ramato which took its place did exactly that too. That’s one thing we agreed didn’t change.
(Meal was by invitation)
When? June 15 2022
Where? Ramato, 208 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Mezze Maniche, Carbonara, Guanciale, Pecorino Cheese
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