Mostaccioli Brothers  

I've walked by Mostaccioli Brothers many times and after reading some of the reviews have decided to give it a try. we made a booking and even though we did not specify we wanted outdoor seating, the hostess was kind enough to give us a table. The restaurant has a much larger terrace than you can see when you initially walk down from the stairs. The terrace opens up on the back and you can see it has a great outdoor, back yard garden vibe.

We were then served with freshly made warm bread with tomato sauce. Despite it being a full house, the waitress was quick to attend to our table with waters and menus. They were attentive throughout the evening.

The menu had a wide range of variety, most of which are American Italian comfort food - hearty pastas, cold cut meat and cheese platters and good selection of meat option. I ordered a Pasta Bresaola where the pasta was made al dente with a delicious fresh tomato based sauce. The portions were just right. They had an antipasta deal where you can order 2 for HKD 70. We ordered lemon squid and green olives. All very fresh and a great start to the meal with our wine. The prices were very reasonable. The steak was HKD270, and the pastas ranged from HKD 100 - 150. These prices are definitely reasonable for an al fresco restaurant in Soho.

We will definitely be back!

I always want to find a place for good pasta but never able too.
Recently, i have a friend recommend me go to Mostaccioli Brothers.
So last night i decided go there with my husband for dinner.

It is quite a secretive place. I thought it was a really small place but when i walked in. Inside was quite big and they have a open area section. Quite impressive.

We sat down ordered a bottle of red wine and a few starter.

When the starter arrived. I was really surprised. It is a really really small plate of started. It only take me a few bite to finish it.

Then i have ordered a penne pasta with fresh garlic, onion, anchovies, olives, capers and tomatoes. It wasn't as good as i thought. Maybe i just expecting too much.
But so far so good.

Don't be fooled by the dark alley you have to walk through to get to the restaurant as once you enter, you will find a spacious outdoor eating terrace with a bar and indoor restaurant tucked inside. All the waitresses greeted us with smiles and were all very friendly. The menu, though limited in dessert selection, has a wide range of antipasti dishes, beautifully sliced cold cuts (which I regret not ordering!), traditional pasta dishes flavoured with their own twists and their famous veal selection. We attempted to try all types of dishes and most of them turned out to be quite tasty.

Breadcrumb coated crab cakesUnlike most crab cakes I have tried in the past, this had a rather thick layer of batter coating. This gave the crab cake a toasty crunchy texture with every bite. The filling was soft and creamy with the tangy salsa adding a citrus-y surprise to the filling. A downside to the crab cake was the minimal fresh crab meat that was stuffed into the filling which they definitely could be more generous with.

Semi-dried tomatoes and grilled marinated eggplants duoI am used to semi-dried tomatoes that have a tangy sour taste due to its natural preservatives. However, these tomatoes arrived on our table swimming in a pool of olive oil. To make things worse, the tomatoes were rather tasteless, leaving me with a mushy mess stirring around in my mouth. On the other hand, the eggplants were grilled to perfection, giving it a slight smoky taste. The marinate was also light, preserving its succulent texture.

Classic Spaghetti with meatballsThis was definitely one of the top 5 pasta dishes I have had in Hong Kong. The meatballs came tender and juicy with a hint of basil and rosemary tucked into the chewy mixture, though I was slightly disappointed that there were only two on the dish! The pasta was also cooked al-dente and there were hints of aioli tossed into the pasta.

Veal Sealoppini MarsalaTo our surprise, the dish was presented to us with two very thin and lean cuts of veal drizzled with limited mushroom sauce. As a result, the veal was slightly tough to chew through and lacked moisture. The sauce also lacked an aromatic mushroom flavour though there was a hint of the marsala wine.

Due to the shortage of staff, many tables were waiting on the waitresses to take their order and there were plates of food also waiting to be served. Many times, the overwhelmed waitresses would miss out certain dishes or requests that customers had made in the flurry of tasks that were awaiting them. However, my overall experience was above average, thanks to the amazing pasta and nicely cooked crab cakes. When I return, I will avoid the veal and focus my attention on their wide selection of pastas as well as check out their cold cuts!

第一種感覺[First Impression]: Beautiful. Just beautiful little corner hidden away from Soho. There is a Mostaccioli bar next to the restaurant then some tables outside. Very nice and perfect place to have a drink to escape from the busy city.

服務態度[Service]: OK, not too friendly, nor rude. Acceptable. A little bit more of smile would be lovely.

環境[Atmosphere]: Romantic, relaxing and spacious食物[Food]
It comes with bread, it is hot when it arrives. 4 slices with some tomato sauce. It is very nice to start the meal with some fresh bread.We ordered 2 starters. The pepper dew and octopus. 外表[Look]: Presentation is very good, some salad inbetween the two dishes.
味道[Taste]: Absolutely delicious.
份量[Size]: Perfectly for starter.外表[Look]: Like a pub food or popcorns??
味道[Taste]: Ok. It tastes nothing without the spicy sauce
份量[Size]: A fair amount, would be too much for starter外表[Look]: Perfect as it should be.
味道[Taste]: Great. Pasta is cooked perfectly well. The sauce is just work very well with the cheese and ingredients.
份量[Size]: Perfect amount.

Mostaccioli Brothers is El Grande Concepts' (also nicknamed the Grappa's group) latest addition in Hong Kong. Hidden behind an alley way on Elgin Street, this American Italian restaurant resembles a warm family kitchen offering traditional early Italian immigrant dishes.

Passing through the long entrance you will see a big alfresco dining and bar area enclosed by clean white walls. Yet, the interior of the dining room is chic modern. Contrast of wooden elements and plenty of natural lighting warms up the room in this sunny afternoon. Fresh veggies and fruits in the open kitchen further color up the cheerful restaurant. Upon entering, we are greeted with a very friendly staff wearing a big Miss Sunshine smile. A very good start already.

Mostaccioli Brothers' one page menu offers a various of starters and classic pastas made with simple recipes. Today we've decided to go for 4 small apps ($138). We love their Pepper Dew. Few small sweet red pimiento peppers are stuffed with soft creamy goat cheese which is rich but not overwhelming. We also have Marinated Mushrooms, Artichokes and Eggplants - all really simple ingredients but finely seasoned with fresh herbs and excellent extra virgin olive oil. The perfect start makes us look forward to the signature dish Spaghetti & Meatballs ($100) and the vegetarian Penne Arrabiata ($100). The classic Spaghetti & Meatballs reminds one of mama's home-cooked meal. Simple, warm and tasty. The meat is full of gravy, the tomato sauce fresh and spaghetti al dente. However, the Penne Arrabiata is a bit disappointing as it's a bit too oily and the zest of garlic and chili weak. We end our meal with a cup of Cagliari coffee, another reminder of the family tradition, feeling at home.

Overall, dining experience in Mostaccioli Brothers is very good, given that the restaurant has opened for just one week. We are surprised this casual, down-to-earth venue is run by a large restaurant group which sometimes can go characterless. We'll definitely return, perhaps for some cheese and ham and Italian wines (starts at $260/bottle) next time.

As a weekly visitor of the Soho dining area was I glad to find this place which was new to me...
A narrow alley at Elgin street guides you to the restaurant entrance,. It looks all so idyllic and promising.
My girlfriend and I are immediately seated and ready to order lunch....Surprisingly were we the only customers around 1pm on a Saturday afternoon.
The concept of their set lunch menu was a bid confusing i must say ...basically it's an á la carte menu but includes either a salad or ''Italian vegetable soup as starter. The salad concept is ''all you can eat’ ‘although there is no salad bar or any counter with cold dishes...
Both of us decide to keep things simple and feel tempted to order the Italian soup (at least...it sounds to be something Italian’’).

I believe there shouldn’t be anything too complicated about making a fresh vegetable soup....Unfortunately, at 'Mostaccioli Brothers it seems to come out of a can...

I did my best to finish all but my girlfriend decided to leave it after one sip.

Looking forward for the main dish...
A salmon Salad and a Pasta with Salami...

The smoked salmon was completley mashed and the color looked weird.....

but the highlight of our lunch was the pasta..

........making pasta myself every week, ..I could tell that this one was heated up in a micro wave.. !!! ofcourse not ál dente'and obviously not freshsly made....quite dissapointing for a so called Ítalian restaurant'' !!

As very dissapoitning customers., we left most of our plate and requested the pay and leave....

It's was a very sad experience because the location has potential....
Even though the owners are not Italian, I expected they would have done some research and better efforts.

What a pleasant surprise. We were just looking for a simple meal before a concert. Assaggio was my first choice but it was fully booked on a weekday. So we picked a place in central so we can walk over from my wife's office. At 6:15 the place was empty, so we get full attention from the friendly staff. The place has lots of open area dining and a nice subdued decor. The salad portion was huge and hence we have to pack part of my baked mostaccioli (a signature dish), which was delicious and we were too full to try dessert. The american twist (yes they serve spaghetti with meat balls) reminds me a bit of the Boston North End little Italy restaurant area.

The wine selection was all rounded and to our surprise all the dishes was cooked in a mild flavor and light, a good adaptation for Hong Kong clients.

We will have to pay another visit to try the other dishes.