Vegetable croquettes may appear unevenly cooked as some had turned darker than the others, but each of these deep-fried morsels was packed with chopped vegetables, bound together by a creamy sauce. The Iberico meatballs, however, were a bit on the dry side despite a fresh tomato sauce served alongside.

While a Valencian paella was the first item that caught our attention, it was the squid ink pasta that won our hearts. Presented in the same manner as the paella, the team at Plato 86 prepared fregola pasta grains in the same way as they do with rice in a paella. These chewy pasta grains are evenly spread over the base of the paella pan, which helps to build a thin crust underneath. The miniature ringlets of squid were fresh and matched the rest of the dish. The selection of mains are scarce, but the grilled suckling pig was a surprise hit—the ultra-thin skin was crispy while the meat stayed tender throughout. 

The wine list offers an abundance of beverages, from wines by-the-glass to the quintessential sangria. We opted for both white and red sangria; the white version was fruitier and served cooler. The wine list was a fine read, pinned on a long wooden plank. Service is personal and helpful from the minute we set foot in the restaurant, and the service team has been proactive in describing the restaurant’s concept and introducing daily specials. Service was friendly and we were rather impressed with the staff’s deep understanding of the menu and wine pairing knowledge, which comes in handy for wine novices.

Plato86, Shop 2, 1/F Causeway Centre, 28 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852  2368 1223

Rating: 3.5/5

How we rate
Each of our reviewers score restaurants based on four main criteria: setting, food, service, and drinks, taking into account more than 35 different points of reference including manners of staff, usefulness of the wine list, and whether or not the restaurant makes an effort to be environmentally aware. 5/5 indicates an exceptional experience; 4-4.5/5 is excellent; 3-3.5/5 is good to very good; and 2.5/5 or lower is average to below average. Before visiting a restaurant, the reviewers will book using a pseudonym and do not make themselves known to restaurant staff, in order to experience the venue as a regular guest—if this is not possible, or if we are recognised, we will indicate this in the review.