Mama Mia!

For deli fans like me the thought of twenty five types of salami, ham and pâté equals serious salivation. Add to this a whole ream of cheeses, including delicious taleggio and pecorino, grilled artichokes, broad bean salads and gently fried dover sole and you've got an elbow-jabbing, taxi-chasing, must-see attraction on your hands.

Il Bel Paese (I visited the Caine Road branch, but will be hurrying to Wanchai and Happy Valley as soon as I've finished scoffing my current batch of San Daniele) is one such Aladdin's Cave of deli delights. They've got shelves stacked with wine, olive oil (and I mean the good stuff), balsamic vinegar, pasta, tapenade, pesto, lentils, butter beans, chickpeas, capers, porcini mushrooms, truffles, peppers and more delicious Italian treats than I've seen since I set foot in Hong Kong. There's a fresh fruit and veg counter and, should you so desire, Florentine ceramics you can pick up too. The best part is that it's all a lot cheaper than the likes of CitySuper, Great and Olivers. Hooray!

They also prepare food to eat-in or takeaway. On the menu are salads such as Caesar ($32) and Tuscany bean with tuna ($28), cheese platters (from $72), cold cut platters (from $65), pasta dishes (from $48 - $58), fish ($52), meatballs ($52), sandwiches (from $30) - and we're talking the fiocaccia and ciabatta kind - and puddings (from $29). They can also cater if you're planning a party. The smells from the kitchen were delicious and I'm sure the food would do Mama proud.

Happy Valley: 23 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2868 2818
Mid-Levels: G/F, No.85 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2549 8893
Wanchai: G/F, No.25 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2804 2992

A deli-icious slice of home life

As insignificant as it sounds, one of the things that I really miss about living in Europe is popping into the local cheesemonger and stocking up on delicious treats at the tiny Italian deli just around the corner from my old flat. To my mind there's nothing finer than a warm, crispy baguette, a crumbling hunk of Montgomery cheddar, a couple of slices of delicious wafer thin ham and a glass of red wine. I can happily spend half an hour in the cheesemonger breathing in the comforting aromas of extra mature stilton and gently oozing brie, and I love the deli for the lingering smells of Spanish legs of ham and really good olive oil.

I've been missing that in Hong Kong, and although I'm a big fan of Cantonese cuisine there's nothing quite like the therapeutic whiffs of ham and cheese to make me feel comforted and at home. I was delighted, therefore, to stumble across Olala in Wanchai. It's a rare find in this crazy city: a small, wood furnished, simple French deli / brasserie tucked away just off Star Street.

For the princely sum of $72 (£4.50) you get two simple, but hearty courses from the set menu and $98 (£6.30) gets you three. The set menu is excellent value and offers bistro staples like steak frites, a plat du jour and a good, but straightforward lamb dish. None of that for me though, I sprinted straight towards the display of hams, salamis and cheeses stacked under the deli counter. As soon as you walk through the small door the smell of them hits you, and although they cost more at about $120 a plate each it's well worth it. There's a good selection of cheeses and cold meats to choose from and they can all be accompanied by decent French wine. I was extra nice to the staff there; I’m going to need them on my side when I end up at the door happily sniffing the air and completely oblivious to anything else that’s happening around me.

Olala – 1 Electric Steet, G/F, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2294 0450.