Hong Kong residents have always been fond of pizzas, and now they have renewed that love affair, with pizza-by-the-slice stores popping up everywhere.

One of these is Pizzeria Pubblico, a new standout addition to what seems to be a very competitive market. It is tucked away in an alley off the Central outdoor escalator near Hollywood Road, and is operated by the same people who brought Posto Pubblico and Linguini Fini to Hong Kong.

Known for using quality ingredients from organic and "clean" sources, the expectation was that the food at Pizzeria Pubblico would be of high quality, fresh and flavorful. This casual venue's decor is old-school American with checkered floor, exposed brick walls and an open kitchen.

As the name suggests, the main attraction is the pizza here, specifically New York-style pizzeria pizza. Five varieties are served - plain (Margherita or cheese pizza), pepperoni, sausage, Pubblico and Brooklyn special. The pizzas are topped with fresh made-in-house mozzarella, sausages and pepperoni.

The pizzas are available by the slice for HK$30-45 ($4-6) and whole pies are available for HK$200-260. You can also build your own pizza by choosing your own toppings.

My favorite was the Pubblico (topped with mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, chili, tomato sauce, basil and extra virgin olive oil). The house-made mozzarella was the best part with its soft, slightly chewy texture and delicate flavor.

The Brooklyn special with the fried eggplant and roasted garlic and peppers was another winner.

I grew up in Canada thinking pizza should have a soggy, doughy crust and be loaded down with toppings that often make a gooey mess.

After I experienced thin-crust pizza made with a few quality toppings, I realized how unsophisticated my palate had been. The crusts here are neither too thin nor thick, providing a good tender base with a nice crispy edge.

There is also the Italian sub filled with mortadella, salami, and capiola plus pickled peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The meatball sub was smothered generously in melted cheese .

Though it was smaller than expected with its HK$100 price tag, the meatballs were tender, meaty and well seasoned, and the crusty roll crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The best thing about this meal was that it didn't feel like an unhealthy meal, even though it was "fast food", probably because of the size of the portions.

The only dessert on the menu, the cannoli at HK$35 for two, is a crispy tube-shaped Sicilian pastry filled with a creamy filling made with ricotta cheese.

sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn