Three Blind Mice: Great Food and Cool Vibes in Wan Chai

Service with a smile

District: Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Italian Comfort Food
How Much: Set lunch menu for $98, a la carte ranges from $110 to $150
Best for: Lunch, dinner, drink with friends
Must order: In Love With The Coco and Chicken and Chorizo Rigatoni

There’s no better find than a cool, quiet place tucked off a busy street, and Three Blind Mice is just that (and more!). Located on the quieter end of Ship Street, you’ll find a serene little bistro that is great for lunch, dinner or drinks. One of its owners, Ed Rolston, will great you with a smile, as will everyone who works there. The vibe is ultra laid-back and incredibly friendly, which is what one would want after braving the Wan Chai streets!

The concept of Three Blind Mice is what attracted us at first. Owners Rolston and Matt Lamming met as professional rugby players (Lamming still plays), and joined forces to create a few ventures, including Valley Butlers (male topless waitering and event entertainment company – hello!) and Candy Stand (a confectionary company). They teamed up with long time friend and chef, Charlie Morrice, to create a place where people could come and kick back, feel at home and have some reasonably priced food and drink. There’s even an upstairs private room for events and parties. They’re also socially conscious and have transformed empty beer and liquor bottles into super cool glasses and vases rather than tossing them in the bin.

Although they have a super affordable set lunch menu ($98 for three courses), we wanted to try a few different dishes. So, Chef Charlie (formerly of Posto Publico) started with Arancini Balls ($110), which were deep fried pesto risotto balls with lemon aioli (yes, please!) and after one bite, we knew we were in for some tasty dining. Crispy on the outside, moist and cheesy inside, we thought these were a great way to whet the appetite.

Next up were the Italian Meatballs ($110), which, for someone who doesn’t eat pork, was a truly welcome addition. These traditional Italian beef meatballs were soaked in just the right amount of marinara sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan, and were moist, flavourful and absolutely delicious.

We were then treated to the Chicken and Chorizo Rigatoni ($140), a mildly spicy, creamy tomato base pasta with chunks of chorizo. The rich sauce was a great complement to the pasta and we were definitely licking our plates clean after that one.

As an alternative to the rigatoni, we were treated to the Blue Swimmer Crab Linguini with Aglio Olio Style Pasta ($150). This lemony, fresh and light dish was great for the hot summer day we just braved.

Even though we were very satisfied, once we saw the In Love with the Coco ($95) we almost cried from excitement. This chocolate on chocolate on chocolate dessert was something out of the Chocoholics Guide To Enjoying Your Addiction. Rich, creamy mousse on top of a chocolate pie with a scoop of chocolate ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and more chocolate. I’m drooling as I write this.

For the vegetarians and gluten avoiders, Three Blind Mice also has an array of gluten-free and vegan options for anyone looking to customise its menu options.

Three Blind Mice, 35 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2447 7793, www.threeblindmicehk.com