FoFo by el Willy: Pig Out on Tapas

Sassy Resident Food Blogger Michelle of ChopstixFix fattens up at FoFo by el Willy…

Sometimes, it’s all in the name, and Fofo is a brilliant moniker, especially as it means ‘fat’ in Spanish.

Situated on the top floor of the M88 building in Central, with amazing views of Hong Kong , diners are greeted by a massive expanse of white and quirky casts of roly-poly pigs and penguins. Whether Guillermo ‘Willy’ Trullas Moreno, the man behind Fofo, intends the name to be a reference to how we feel after we’ve eaten there or for those who want to reach new heights of satiety after a ‘pig out’ (haha), is anyone’s guess, but if you’re a fan of Spanish tapas, then make your way over.

Specialising in tapas with a contemporary edge, the original Fofo resides in Shanghai and is run by ‘Willy’, whereas the Hong Kong branch (which opened a year ago) is overseen by Chef Alex Fargas, hailing from Barcelona, who successfully recreates and delights Hong Kong crowds with Willy’s most popular dishes.

My friends and I had specific dishes in mind to try, following the recommendations of others and those that made the list were the scallop ceviche, lobster paella, pan fried chorizo, the tortilla and the roast suckling pig. We also asked for a big jug of sangria, a mistake as we glugged it like Ribena!

We started ‘healthily’, asking for the king crab salad, which was delicious, refreshing, and piled high with lots of crab meat. The scallop ceviche, served with crispy shallots, looked a lot blander than I expected, but the taste was delicate and clean. The fine texture of the scallops was nicely offset by the crunchy shallots.

The lobster paella was beautiful. The presentation was impressive- the whole lobster lying formidably on the paella made me think I had to break into a fortress to get to my food! The rice was perfectly al dente, not too hard, and not mushy, and the garlic mayonnaise it was served with completely transformed the taste. The flavours were heaven to my palate. The chorizos were so addictive. Salty and wonderfully crisp on the edges, chewy on the inside- scrumptious!

My favourite Spanish tapas dish of all time is tortilla de patatas, an egg omelette with fried potatoes and onions. I could honestly eat plates of the stuff and never get enough, so it was important to me that Fofo’s tortilla passed the test! When it arrived, I was excited. A wonderfully prepared round and thick omelette gazed at me and when our forks cut through it, lovely layers of potatoes were revealed. A delicious yet simple dish.

The most anticipated dish of the evening was Fofo’s signature roast suckling pig. The crispy skin was exquisite, the meat tender, but the portion was a bit on the small side. So if there are more than four of you, you should order two plates.

To end on a sweet note, we had the excellent churros served with hot dipping chocolate. This Spanish doughnut is such a moreish snack, even more so when fresh out of the oven.

There were many other dishes on the menu, such as the black truffle risotto, Iberian ham and organic eggs served with foie gras and truffle that I wanted to sink my teeth into, but that will have to be on my next visit!

Overall, a fantastic dinner with great service, and to top it all off, Chef Fargas stepped out of the kitchen at the end of the night and stopped at every table to make sure we enjoyed the food. A lovely added personal touch from a polite, smiley and obviously talented man. You made my taste buds happy and I definitely felt fofo!

FoFo by el Willy 20/F, M88, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central
2900 2009 www.fofo.hk/home.php

Price: $300-400 per person including drinks.