Knickerbocker Glory & Coke Floats

It’s a little hot this summer, to help you cool down Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch and Haagen Daz are offering some old-style summer flavours.

Originating in the UK in the 1920s the Knickerbocker Glory ($88) features layers of fruit (banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), crumbed biscuits, raspberry sauce and Haagen Daz ice cream topped with whipped cream and Nutella.

The iconic coke float, created in  1874 by Robert McCay Green, is simply coca-cola and a scoop of ice-cream. Pizza Express have given the float a twenty nineteen twist by blending smooth the ingredients and called the original The Little Kid ($68), to allow for an ‘adult’ version, The Big Kid ($78), which adds Baileys and whiskey…

These summer specials are only available at Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch from 19 July to 31 August.

If you’re in the area there are some free Little Kid tasters available on 20, 27, 28 July, 2-6pm; and on 21 July, noon-3pm – while stocks last.

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Calabrese pizza ($188)

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Pizza Express Lee Tung Avenue
G31, G/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai

Edited: 23 July, to clarify drink details.

Pizza Express Launches Summer Menu

Ahead of summer’s official start Pizza Express have launched a new Summer Menu featuring a wide range of new pizzas and pastas. bc sampled several of the new dishes at the Lee Tung Street branch which – with it’s chilled layout, fresh juice bar, coffee machine and free WiFi – also makes a nice change from your local coffee outlet when looking for a place to hunker down and work or chat.

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Burrata & Eggplant ($88)

Among the new items on the Summer Menu are three new starters: Burrata & Eggplant ($88), Prawn & Tomato ($58) and Mango Crab Flatbread ($88). The Burrata is rich and creamy complimented nicely by the marinated eggplant.

There are two new salads Watermelon & Feta ($68/$128) and Mango Salsa Salad ($63/$108) available in small and large portions. The mango salsa is nice but like several of the other dishes on the menu it lacks that little extra freshness/ bite that has your tastebuds going… I want more!

The range of new pastas includes, as our waitress informed us, the already popular Baby Scallop Linguine ($143); Omnipork Penne Aglio Olio ($108) made with a plant based ‘pork’ and flavoured with fennel, water chestnut, garlic and mushroom; A Prawn Risotto ($148) cooked in a pomodoro sauce with garlic oil, onion and white wine tossed prawns and clams; Penne alla Norma ($118) a classic Italian pasta with eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, ricotta, pomodoro sauce and drizzled with garlic oil.

The new selection makes for a difficult choice when dining solo or in duo as there are several that sound tempting. bc opted for the Penne alla Norma which was filling and tasty.

Pizza Express has a bit of summer fun with it’s customers via the Burger Formaggi ($138) – one of four new pizzas on the menu – which tastes like a burger and is already proving popular. The other new pizzas are the Pancetta Garden ($138) and two vegetarian / vegan options Omnipork Bianco ($128) and Flori ($138).

The one new desert is the light Pineapple Cake with Ice Cream ($73) which is not too sweet and makes a pleasant finale to your meal.

The Pizza Express Vegan Menu has been revamped and offers a wide range of vegan dishes featuring vegan cheese and vegan pork. With an increasing awareness of healthy eating and vegan diners it’s good to see a big chain restaurant offering these options on a regular basis.

bc also likes the Lee Tung Street Pizza Express branch because it has a juice bar offering fresh juice ($68), smoothies ($68) and the new Watermelon Lemonade ($38) and Mrs Peroni ($68).

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Penne alla Norma ($118)

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Pineapple Cake ($73)

PizzaExpress x JUST Egg Vegan Pizza

The assorted healthy / diet fads that are sweeping the web and restaurants both locally and internationally often obscures the fact that some people really cannot eat gluten, dairy, eggs etc. And it can be really difficult for those with dietary restrictions to safely enjoy a meal out with friends.

PizzaExpress has teamed up with JUST Egg to expand it’s vegan and vegetarian menu offerings with new pizza and pasta dishes. JUST Egg is a new mung bean based plant alternative to egg that is high in protein and cholesterol free. Like real eggs Just Egg scrambles nicely to create a light fluffy texture and it also works well in cooking as both a binding and emulsifying agent.

The two new vegan dishes are currently only available at the recently opened Pizza Express Lee Tung in Wanchai. The JUST Pizza ($138) is dressed with tomato sauce and topped with scrambled JUST Egg, crumbled vegan sausage, button mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, vegan mozzarella and fresh rosemary.

The JUST Spaghetti ($128) is made with a JUST Egg, mushroom, liquid smoke puree and tossed with chopped peppadew and parsley.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Pizza-Express-Just-Egg-Vegan-Pizza-Launch-14-August-2018/i-SFPLcCQ

Pizza Express Lee Tung

Shop G31, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Tel: 3164 1303
www.pizzaexpress.com.hk

Note: JUST Egg was previously known as JUST Scramble

 

Zero Waste Cook Off @ Pizza Express – 19 July, 2018

The theme of Pizza Express’s Cook Off 4 was Zero Waste and taking up the challenge were guest Chef Neil Tomes and Pizza Express’s Development Chef Dan Segall.

The cook-off took place on 19 July at Pizza Express’s new Sheung Wan outlet infront of invited guests and friends. First up was Tomes to talk about his Indian inspired creation – a Spiced Spinach and Ricotta Pizza.

Segall in contrast sort to ‘interpret’ the classic Hawaiian – his Beach Picnic Pizza replacing the ham with salami, jalapeños and buffalo mozzarella for a more spicy flavour.

You can try both pizzas at all Pizza Express restaurants from 23 July to 3 September and cast your vote online.

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Vegan Pizza Launch @ Pizza Express Sai Ying Pun – 17 May, 2018

Pizza Express hosted a block party at it’s new Sai Ying Pun restaurant on the 17 May to announce the launch of a vegan pizza and a ‘dine and donate’ program which rewards those who donate dried food goods or unwanted clothes – to help those in need – with discount dining coupons.
Click on any photo for the full gallery.

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New Spring Dishes at Pizza Express

PizzaExpress has added some new dishes to it’s Spring/Summer menu that feature ‘superfoods’ such as kale, quinoa and plant-based meat alternatives such as Beyond Chicken.

The new dishes include: Quinoa & Kale salad, Bresaola e Asparagi, Kale Pesto Beyond Rigatoni, Pollo Verde (Pizza dressed with béchamel sauce, basil pesto and topped with chicken, wild mushroom, rocket and parmesan), Spaghetti alle Vongole and Bresaola di Lombardia.

There’s also a couple of new desserts, a Summer Meringue and Torta al Limone. While the Giardiniera (top photo) has a very tasty new recipe that includes asparagus, roasted pumpkin, mushroom, roasted pepper, cherry tomato, olive, garlic, basil pesto.

Pizza Express are looking to reduce waste so plastic straws and individual wet wipes are now only available on request.

From now until 13 May 2018 take a photo of any of the new dishes and post to Instagram with the hashtag #PizzaExpressHK and receive a 15% discount coupon for any vegetarian items on your next visit.