Located in the chic shopping mall Pacific Place, the dramatic faux barbed wire canopy covering the outer bar dining area automatically attracts diners to step into Mediterranean restaurant Zelo. Divided into three areas, the bar, the main dining room and a lounge area at the side, Zelo is welcoming with it warm lights and homey setting that are marked with modern elements. If you take a closer look at the furnishings, you will be amazed by how reusable materials and old furniture pieces are used to create its unique environment. Tables are spaciously spread out across the restaurant, making it a wonderful location for a leisurely dinner or a meet-up point with friends. Yet despite all of that, it remains difficult to forget that you are inside of a shopping mall, which does not provide the most ambient of dining environments.

Offering modern Mediterranean cuisine, Zelo has a relatively narrow menu, yet offers just enough to meet the appetites of different people. We start with the sliced Serrano and Parma ham with melon: this classic dish offers nothing in way of a surprise, and the hams are sliced a bit too thick for it to be a light appetiser. Fortunately, the signature grilled octopus with smoked paprika, potato and squid ink is a much better starter. The octopus is soft and tender, yet it still has the firmness of fresh octopus meat with a fine scent from the grill. The sauce gives out a lingering touch of chilli, perfect for whetting the appetite. For a meaty main, try the marinated grilled lamb chop with radicchio, green beans, olives and mint pesto. The lamb chop is juicy with a rich and robust taste and an abundant amount of vegetables gives the dish a nice presentation and provides at least the veneer of a healthy dish. Our other main course of saffron paella is more disappointing. Though it comes with a generous amount of shrimps, scallops, calamari, clams and sausages, the taste is bland and the seafood overcooked. To end the meal, we order the salty caramel mille-feuille (affectionately called a “millie” on the menu) and the pistachio tuille with caramelised chocolate mousse and pistachio gelato. The salty caramel mille-feuille is rich in caramel flavours, but it might be too filling for those who do not have a sweet tooth. Meanwhile, with just the right amount of sweetness, the smooth pistachio gelato is simply amazing with the crispy tuille and the rich chocolate mousse.

While not containing anything out of the ordinary, Zelo has quite a comprehensive wine selection with wines primarily from Europe and leans towards Italian varieties. The wine by the glass list offers a good selection of wines with useful tasting notes to help dinners choose a wine to meet their tastes and to match with their dishes.

Servers are welcoming and friendly and immediately available to help out. They are also knowledgeable with the dishes and wine and are able to give out good recommendations for both. They could however be more attentive when it comes to filling up water glasses or introducing dishes as they arrive rather than placing them down mutely on the table.

With regards to its setting, location, service and food, prices are reasonable. For HK$600 per person, diners can enjoy a complete meal from starters to desserts along with a nice glass of wine.