il Bel Paese

We call this restaurant Dad’s Place because if my father is on Discovery Bay for Lunch or dinner this is where it goes to eat, and as such many of us are forced to join him there — not that we complain!
Il Bel Paese brings a sliver of Italy to Hong Kong, more in the way that they are understaffed and completely do not understand to idea of rushing than their food. To me that adds to the charm and teaches one patience and how to simply enjoy a social occasion. The manager, an Italian man with interesting facial hair, strolls around in his bright colored pants correcting the pronunciation of each patron’s order. «Yes, yes, it is coming.» He says with a smile whenever asked about the food or bill.
The restaurant has the majority of its tables just outside its doors. You can imagine how chilled-​out a feel it is on a clear sunny day with an Aperol Spritz in one hand, it makes it hard to argue with any of the waiters! The Italian food they serve tastes authentic, meaning very good. The dishes I’d recommend are the pesto penne pasta with pine nuts, an easy meal for lunch or an afternoon snack, their gnocchi is sublime — one of my favorites — and their salmon dish is also rather delicious. The only problem being that the portions are a bit on the small side leaving one hungry after the meal. Worry not! They have a gelato corner within the restaurant, besides its small shop of Italian ingredients, that offer a range of sugary good flavors.
If you are preparing to visit Il Bel Paese be sure to do it in a happy mood without a time constraint. If you can do that you’ll have a much fuller experience, learn a few Italian words, and maybe, just maybe, forget about work the next day!