It might be surprising to you, but any Italian person you asked would be really skeptical about fusing traditional Italian cuisine with Asian flavours.

It was even more surprising to discover that fusion sometimes works very well and Regina Bar has the recipe for it.

I went with some friends out once and, bored as we were of the usual spots, we decided to try something new. I cannot say that we were really convinced at first, since our first impressions of the place, namely a ground floor full of dark green chairs that reminded us a lot of the ’80s, were not the best.

The surprise came looking at the lighting and the first floor, decorated with special taste, with a fancy statue of the Virgin Mary catching our attention. The neon did the rest and we were sure we were at the right place.

The waitress came and smiled at us with her white teeth, offered us a beer made of pumpkin, and then we started ordering our meals. The menu was a bit surprising, for example mixing Burrata cheese with intense Thai basil in a cup of olive oil, but it was one of the most exciting culinary experience I’ve had. The pizza was also good – the size wasn’t too big but it was very creative and original and had a hell of a taste.

It’s definitely a spot to visit before the crowds discover it.