NEW ITALIAN FLAVOURS AT ENOTECA

Change is a constant in life and it's no different in the restaurant business. As of last October, Neroteca - a cosy Italian restaurant in Damansara Heights is now rebranded as Enoteca with new owners, management and chef in place. 

 

We had the honour of meeting the new Enoteca team recently, comprising Domenico Ferroni or Mimmo the affable Floor Manager from Roma, Annie Lim who's responsible for marketing and Abruzzo native, Chef Stefano Criber.

 

Positioned as a casual fine dining Italian restaurant serving up non-halal Italian cuisine, Mimmo assured us Chef Stefano strives to keep the house specialities as authentic as possible. Naturally, diners will find a handful of specialities from both Roma and Abruzzo alongside more familiar pasta, pizza, mains and dessert.

Interior-wise, the layout clad primarily in monochromatic shades remains intact. The intimate row of alcove seats are a magnet for romance seekers while a sleek floor-to-ceiling, glassy wine cellar takes pride of place at the back of the main dining space.

While we waited in anticipation for the chef's selection to be prepared, Mimmo treated us to an uplifting glass of sparkling Prosecco. The perfect ice-breaker to pave the way for the signature Tagliere Enoteca (RM99 full serving; RM50 half serving).

Freshly baked garlic focaccia served as the delicious canvas to showcase the six varieties of premium Italian cold cuts, two types of Italian cheese and antipasti: grilled vegetables and arancini (cheese stuffed rice balls deep-fried in breadcrumb coating). A substantial platter designed for sharing so it went down a storm with us from the get-go.

Octopus is the 'it' seafood now, its versatility revered by chefs from the East and West. At Enoteca, the sublime Piovra Arrosto Con Spuma Di Burrata & Pesto Rosso -- boiled and grilled octopus with mousse of burrata cheese and red Mediterranean pesto sauce knocked our socks off with its appetising textural and flavour composition, whetting our appetite for the much anticipated feast ahead.

"NO cream!" declared Mimmo when he presented the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (RM35) with a flourish. Yup, real spaghetti carbonara doesn't include cream. Instead, the lightly rich sauce was made using eggs, black pepper and pecorino cheese. The suckerpunch of deep-seated savouriness was bestowed by bits of guanciela -- fatty Roman pork cheek bacon. It was soooo good!

Ah, rivalling the spaghetti in the taste department is Chitarra Alla Montanara, an egg pasta typical of Abruzzo; the strands cut using an implement known as chitarra (pronounced key-tahr-rah, Italian for guitar). Tossed with porcini and chunky Italian sausage in brown sauce perfumed with truffle oil, the scrumptious housemade spaghetti was a befitting tribute to Chef Stefano's roots.

Want something luxe to sink your teeth into? Then call ahead a day in advance to request for the new speciality of Chitarra Alla Aragosta. Sautéed with chunky tomatoes, the pasta embraced the delicate sweetness of lobster meat, making it a sumptuous delight to relish.

Creamy, aromatic butter sauce with crushed walnuts lent warm rusticity and comforting appeal to Cappelletti Di Ricotta, Spinaci In Salsa Di Burro Aromatico & Noci (RM32), another new menu debutante. Any Italian mama worth her salt would approve of the tender,  handmade ravioli dumplings filled with ricotta and spinach in that pool of sinfully lush sauce.

The wood-fire pizza oven on premise means this perennial Italian fave is guaranteed to be on-point. Simplest but the best representation of a true Italian pizza has to be the classic Margherita & Basilica Pizza (RM26). Generous slather of tomato sauce, lots of mozzarella and fresh basil atop a thicker than usual crust ensured this pizza was superbly satisfying. Another variant that got the nod from us was the Gorgonzola Salsiccia Pizza -- a winsome dual topping of melted gorgozola cheese and chunky housemade pork sausage.

Apple cider vinegar formed part of the marinade for the pork chops or more correctly, Costoletta Di Maiale Ai Funghi Porcini & Raviolo Di Patate & Mele Al Ginepro.

According to Chef Stefano, the meat was marinated for 24 hours before it was sou vide.  To complete the dish, the pork chop is seared and served with demi-glace alongside roast potatoes. While the saucy pork jus splatters didn't do justice to the look of the dish, we assure you the resultant taste scored highly among our dining party.

 

More pork for thought appeared in Stinco Di Maiale Alla Birra E Miele (RM68), Chef Stefano's signature Italian pork shank braised in red wine served with boiled vegetables. While the meat was tender, it remained toothsome to the bite and suffused with the discernible wine and herb accents. A dish evocative of a heartwarming Italian hearth and home.

Appreciative oohs and aahs were heard the minute our palates got a sampling of Tagliata Di Pluma Iberico Al Tre Pepi Su Letto Di Rucola & Carciofi Grigliati (RM105), Iberico pork neck slices with 3 types of peppercorns. Grilled and served with rocket and marinated grilled artichoke, we made short work of the yummilicious pork secretly wishing for more.

Less is more holds true when it comes to La Milanese (RM32), a deceptively pared down fried pork chop. The flattened and lightly breaded fillet cooked in clarified butter left us smitten; its juicy sweetness resonated on our tastebuds via creamy mash potatoes and the housemade yoghurt dip.

Italians are sticklers for tradition hence there's no surprises in the dessert department. Most diners wouldn't dream of leaving without the typical pick-me-upper of Tiramisu (RM24). The coffee-flavoured ladyfinger sponge layered with mascarpone was mildly laced with alcohol but upon request, you can order extra shots of grand marnier to give the dessert more boozy kick.

I particularly enjoyed Semifreddo Al Pistacchio (RM24), frozen pistachio mousse with its pistochio biscuit crust. A defyingly simple treat to leave an indelible impression if you're partial to everything nutty.

Surefire crowd-pleasing Chocolate Lava (RM28), warm molten chocolate cake with vanilla gelato is on the menu too. Dark, fluffy and oozing with liquid chocolate at the core, most people will find this too irresistible to pass up.

Again, the failsafe option is to savour the house-churned I Nostri Gelati (RM15) in a choice of pistachio, chocolate or vanilla. Served in cialde, housemade wafer 'flower' cups, the cool treats wrapped up our visit to Enoteca on a pleasantly sweet note.

For reservations, call Enoteca Italian Restaurant KL, tel: 03 2011 5725. Address: 15 & 17, Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
www.facebook.com/enotecaplazadamansara

COMFORTING TAKEOVER AT CHAPTERS URBAN BISTRO

Pizza, pasta and crowd-pleasing comfort food rule the roost at Chapters Urban Bistro. Opened about eight months ago at the Empire Damansara enclave, chef at the helm of Chapters, Vicneswara Thenamirtham aka Chef Vic banks on his inimitable use of aromatic spices, Asian herbs and as much as possible, locally sourced produce to draw in the drink & dine clientele.

The retro-inspired brick-and-mortar façade on both sides evokes a casual, inviting feel with ample seating while the elongated narrow interior is dominated by a huge, dramatic mural depicting a sultry lass. 

Suspended overhead is a singular row of geometric pendant lights to lend shine to the chalkboard of 'punny' quips. Nip upstairs and you'd find two floors outfitted with pool tables, cosy seating area and a stage for live music performances; a multi-purpose event space for parties and gatherings.

A popular outpost for tipples after work, Chapters wades into the mixology realm with boozy gems like Emperor Sirk – a cocktail of gin, kahlua and campari (RM34), Lychee Martini, Jazz Jager - Jagermeister, triple sec and pineapple juice (RM28) and some mocktails like Cub Royale (RM12) - fresh apple juice with crushed mint.

The drinks are complemented by loads of simple, homey fare to satisfy hunger pangs and hearty appetites. Chef Vic and his team even go the extra mile by baking bread, smoking salmon and making mayo on premise. 

Instead of fish coated in fried batter, Chef Vic has tweaked the familiar fish & chips into Grilled Fish & Chunk Chips (RM34). Coated with an aromatic rub of smoked Spanish paprika, ground cumin, dried mustard and fresh herbs, we were instantly smitten with the bright, sublime flavours from the grilled, locally sourced seabass fillet. The chunky thick-cut chips with garlic aioli proved a worthy match for it.

We recommend greening your meal with a serving of Marinated Mango & Avocado Salad (RM18). It's almost a no-brainer to marry chunks of fresh local mango (marinated with local herbs & lime juice) together with locally grown, organic mixed lettuce leaves and avocado. Drizzled with honey lemon vinaigrette, textural layers came from the addition of pea sprouts, pickled chilli and almond flakes in the salad. 

Chapter’s spice rub lent zingy fragrance to the crumbed and fried local seabass fillet, hooking us at first bite when we sampled the Posh Bass Sliders (RM24). Sandwiched between two brioche buns slathered with basil pine nut aioli and bedecked with fresh greens, the sliders were hearty enough to satisfy.

You don’t need to go to Morocco for tasty lamb meatballs. Chef Vic dished up a mean version using ground NZ leg of lamb tossed with seven spices, parmesan and egg. Braised in chunky tomato sauce, the Moroccan Lamb Meatballs (RM26) disappeared in a jiffy and we even wiped the plate clean, soaking up the scrumptious sauce with the accompanying buttered toasts.

Jostling for limelight was a slab of delectable Charbroiled Leg of Lamb (RM52). Again, the meat was sufficiently redolent with heady spice accents; its herbal smoky overtone rendered by brown butter and rosemary. Crispy crushed potato and summer vegetables completed the ensemble, giving the dish some homespun flair.

Another dish that went swimmingly for us was the Spiced Grilled Salmon with Pesto Conchiglie (RM36). A simple but likeable offering, the salmon was well-flavoured by the house rub with a tangy punch provided by a dollop of mango salsa and sour cream. The generous serving of shell-shaped pasta tossed in house-made sweet basil pesto should leave you replete.

Thin, blistered and crunchy, the fresh-from-stone-oven Salmon & Alfredo Pizza (RM28) left us gushing praises in its wake. We love the crisp dough base laden with voluptuous creaminess of the house-made alfredo sauce, flakes of cherry wood smoked salmon, tart pips of capers, sliced red onion and wild rocket leaves.

Chapters are renowned for two local mainstays: Mutton Tossed Basmati (RM28) and Mamak Mee Goreng (RM26). The basmati rice is bound to keep carb lovers returning for more as the rice is fully imbued by the Indian spices and curry leaves used to braise the mutton shoulder in. Accompanied by pickled onion & cucumber raita, it’s a surefire hit among Malaysians when late night hunger pangs hit. As for the latter, I'd say the noodles passed the taste test thanks to the squid, prawns and organic egg to enhance its tempting allure.

Dessert options boil down to either Salted Caramel Chilled Cheesecake (RM18) or Oozing Chocolate Cake. Let's not dwell too much on the decadent quotient of the cheesecake and take comfort the slice is enough to ensure the sweet-toothed leave in a good mood whilst toning down on the guilt factor.

For reservations, call Chapters Urban Bistro, tel: 03-7732 9484. The restaurant is

located at Lot 13, Heritage Lane, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8a, Damansara Perdana, Selangor.