ITALIAN INSPIRATIONS

Limoncello...like the Italian tipple it's named after, the eatery aims to keeps foodies' spirits up

I have never set foot in Italy before but I've seen enough of its streets and piazzas on TV's travel shows. Whether one is in Rome, Venice or Milan, the key visitor hot spots are dotted with cafes that spill tables and chairs onto the sidewalks. These crowd-pulling eateries are well-patronised at all hours as people stop for coffee, delicious bistro food or copious glasses of wine.

Now tucked away in a lush, secluded corner of KLCC that look out to the fountain and park area is Limoncello - a casual Italian bistro that aims to evoke a similar feel just like its Italian counterparts. The outlet's specialities is designed to transport you there too ...think of it as a culinary journey of sorts on a plate or two or three.

Stimulating on the tastebuds...air-dried beef with cherry tomatoes & rocket salad

I have always found Italian antipasti or appetisers easy on the palate and aptly whet the appetite for more substantial fare to follow. Our curtain-raisers include gossamer-thin Carpaccio Di Bresaola (air-dried beef on rocket with cherry tomatoes and  parmesan flakes, RM32.80) and hearty Melanzane Alla Parmigiana (baked eggplant layered with tomato, mozzarella and parmesan RM24.80) are customary staples that help to warm hearts and loosen tongues amidst glasses of good wine.

Messy goodness to melt your heart

But I predict the Antipasti Misti (deep-fried morsels of calamari, meatballs and mozzarella enrobed in crisp breadcrumb crust, RM28.80) would be the surefire hit with locals.

Clever play of textures & flavours in one dish

For the harried time-poor white collar crowd, the Club Svago (RM32.80) is a reliable quick-fix lunch that shouldn't leave you dozing off after you eat it. Wholesome but superbly scrumptious, it's a hefty sandwich that has grilled chicken fillet piled with fresh vegetables, fried egg, tomato, lettuce and oregano.

Classic favourite that can do no wrong

Another speedy but delish option is Ravioli Di Mazo (RM28.80), deeply rustic albeit flavourful homemade beef ravioli in sundried tomato sauce.

Italian wontons to delight you

Limoncello is also a great place for oven-fresh pizzas. We tried two - Diavola Wood-Fired Pizza (RM28.80) that boasts beef salami, basil, parmesan, mozzarella, tomato, black olives and fresh chilli toppings and Portofino Wood-Fired Pizza (RM32.80) which features a satisfying combination of prawns, cherry tomatoes, rocket, basil, tomato and mozzarella.

Pizza perfect...salami, olives, cheese and other goodies on a crisp crust

Colour your pizza beautiful...absolute deliciousness

The unexpected show-stealer here though is Filetto Di Pesce All’arancio (RM34.80), pan-seared fish fillet in enticingly light orange sauce with rosemary potatoes and buttered vegetables. Tender, sweet yet ethereally light on the palate, we nearly licked the plate clean for this.

Get hooked on this fish dish

Whether you're a black sheep or a docile member of the flock, the indulgently rich Stinco Di Agnello Brasato (RM68.80) will be an irresistible heavyweight contender in your books. Slow-cooked to fork-tender perfection, the lamb shank on truffle mash potato will bring out the carnivore in you.

Simply shank-sational

Dolci (dessert) to square off your outing here includes Botta Di Banana (RM18.80)

pancake smothered in creamy nutty chocolate and topped with banana and cream, and Crostata Al Limone (RM16.80), a tantalising, citrusy lemon tart served with fior di latte gelato. In Italian, fior di latte means "flower of milk"; the creme de la creme of milk if you will - a distinct fresh, milky flavor that lets you discern if the gelato is up to mark or not.

Sweet tart of mine - yums

Go bananas over these crepes

Limoncello Bistro & Bar, G45B/136, Ground Level, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2163-3188

 

ITALIAN VA VA VOOM

Chefs are truly a special breed of people. They have to be if they willingly subject themselves to the searing heat in the kitchen day in, day out; cooking up a storm just to satisfy our need to be fed.

They are such a passionate, (well most of those I've met anyway) committed and resolute bunch that some paying diners invariably take them for granted; quite forgetting that chefs are human too and not immune to unjust criticisms and catty remarks. While constructive comments are well and good, thoughtlessly spewed statements can really break their spirit and rice bowl.

Despite these hazards of the job, Nero Group Chef Michele Cuozzo remains the warm, welcoming host of Nerovivo restaurant; a prime KL landmark that promises diners an exceptional Italian casual dining experience. Not one to mince words, Chef Michele makes no bones about his opinion about bloggers and reviewers. Coming from a country with a rich culinary history that goes back some 2000 years, some of his views are justified.

 

A native of Sala Consilina from the Italian province Salerno, Chef Michele acquired his love for food and cooking through mama. When you dine at Nerovivo, you're not just eating another plate of pasta or pizza -- you're sampling the chef's soulful roots and palettes of his country's cultural and traditional heritage.

The restauant itself is an oasis of cool tranquility; its striking lilac walls adorned with Sandra Knuyt's artworks, interspersed by several floor-to-ceiling wine displays. There's also an al fresco section on the side for those who prefer a more outdoorsy ambiance. 

For the Kuala Lumpur Restaurant Week 2013 (4 - 11 October), Nerovivo is enticing Italian food lovers with two incredibly great value menus: RM38 nett per person for lunch and RM78 nett per person for dinner. These special deals are available only via online reservations so you'd better reserve a seat or two before the deadline tomorrow (29 September).

The chef's infectious enthusiasm was evident when he insisted on serving us two starters: Seafood Salad and Pizza Tartufata from the menu. Fyi, this latter costs RM48++ as an a la carte order so the KLRW dinner menu at RM78 is a real steal!

We thoroughly relished the refreshing seafood salad - a glistening heap of mixed salad leaves with chunks of scallop, fish, clams, mussel and prawn that's simply accented with olives, garlic, capers, lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt. Just the right dish to get our gustatory juices flowing.

Our appetite was further whetted by the pizza's distinct truffle-scented aroma when it arrived piping hot to our table. The dough base is crisp without being too thin; just sturdy enough to hold its irresistible toppings of porcini, smoked cheese, parmesan shavings, truffle cream and oil, and mozzarella. Bursting with deliciously rustic, musky and smoky accents, it's as authentic as any you'd get in Italy.

Other scrumptious starter options that you can select include Bresaola (air-dried cured beef) with Rocket Salad, Buffala Mozarella Caprese, Mixed Seasonal Green Salad, Pizza Capricciosa or Pizza Margherita.

Since I'm a newbie to Nerovivo, Chef Michele very generously gave me an insight into his hometown specialities such as bread, pasta and risotto which use squid ink as a key ingredient. For the uninitiated, squid ink has been found to contain many health benefits and is effacacious against cancer. However, one has to be wary of artificial squid ink-imbued dishes but I digress. 

After tickling our palate with his squid ink bruschetta topped with oven-dried cherry tomato, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, we were treated to his speciality of Calamari Nerovivo (RM36++). Now this dish is NOT part of the promo menu but you can always order it a la carte if you wish to try it. 

"It's inspired by a traditional dish from Palermo where freshly caught squid is cooked with squid ink and a little tomato paste in a claypot," says Chef Michele. "Similarly, my dish has sliced calamari cooked in my own blend of squid ink sauce with red, orange and green pepper, onion, and chilli padi-infused olive oil to give it some oomph."

According to him, the sauce takes 3-4 hours to concoct using naturally extracted squid ink, extra virgin olive oil, roasted garlic, vegetable stock and capsicum. The result is a full-bodied, unctuous sauce with a discernible umami nuance to it.

For the main, the chef rustled up his Fettuccine Norcina - tender homemade flat pasta tossed in a gritty, meaty sauce that clings to the thin, chewy ribbons. I particularly like the simple albeit big flavours that spread across our palate; a tasty hodge-podge of minced chicken, ground walnuts, fennel seeds, paprika and salt all rolled into one. Definitely a welcome breakaway from the usual arrabiata and aglio olio preparations.

Those preferring to play it safe may want to consider alternative main course choices such as
Risotto al Nero di Seppia (squid ink risotto), Pollo alla Diavola (Italian-style roast chicken) or Lamb Chop Scottadito.
 

Sweet endings come in the form of Limoncello Cake, Almond Chocolate Cake, Tiramisú or

Chocolate Mousse. Heeding the chef's recommendation, we settled for the Limoncello Cake and had no regrets whatsoever. It's my kind of old-school cake; buttery soft with that slightly crumbly texture. Every mouthful is a delightful symphony of eggy and nutty richness, its cheery citrusy overtone enhanced by the attendant scoop of limoncello-flavoured ice cream.

Those looking for a hearty, satisfying lunch at Nerovivo will have 5 different Starters: Beef Carpaccio (paper-thin sliced raw beef), Eggplant Parmigiana (baked eggplant with cheese), Mixed Seasonal Green Salad, Pizza Margherita (an evergreen classic) or Pizza Marinara to choose from.

Main Course temptations range from Spaghetti Nero di Seppia, Lasagna Bolognese, Roasted Chicken Diavola & roasted potato or Seared Baramundi in Guazzetto & sautéed vegetable. Dessert to sweeten you up is a choice of Almond Chocolate Cake or the signature Tiramisú.

Both menus are splendid deals that no Italian cuisine fans should miss out on. Remember to make your reservations by tomorrow via  http://www.klrestaurantweek.com/

Nerovivo, 3A Jalan Ceylon, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2070 3120

THURSDAY NIGHT TREATS

Whenever Thursdays roll around, I would invariably think of Eastin Chinese Chef Yong Kam Wah's exquisite Thursday Night Specials. It seems Thursdays tend to be popular dining out night with the hotel guests hence the chef decides he would proffer some choice morsels to delight them. 

During the recent mooncake sampling session, we were treated to samplings of the chef's Thursday Night Specials. The starter of Deluxe Twin Hot Combination pairs a wispy and crisp Prawn Yam Puff with a Lemongrass Skewer of Grilled Fish/Prawn Paste wrapped in Bacon. I like the latter for its imaginative combination of textures and piquant flavours, accentuated by a dollop of tantalisingly tart and spicy green bird's eye chilli and garlic dip.

Although I wasn't big on soups, the Double Boiled Fish Soup with Apples went down well for its salubrious and delicate nuances. The sweet, hearty broth bears fruity hints that temper whatever fishy accent there is.

It's not everyday one gets to savour old-school faves like Braised Eight Treasures Duck so this classic speciality definitely went swimmingly with me. As expected, the duck was fall of the bone tender, its inherent gaminess bestowing a deliciously deep-seated overtone to the yummy stuffing that comprises water chestnuts, mushroom, lotus seeds and other goodies. If you're a farn toong (rice fiend so to speak), you'd want to douse the unctuous brown sauce over a bowl of fluffy white rice to savour the superb nuances.

Looking distinctly like mahjong tiles, the Deep Fried Stuffed Boneless Chicken is another surefire palate-pleaser. You must appreciate the chef's patience and artistry in creating those irresistible layers that has crispy deep-fried chicken skin adorned with toasted almond flakes and fish paste alternating with mashed salted egg yolk and seaweed.

 

I must confess I'm not a big fan of cabbage but surprisingly, I relished every mouthful of the Braised Tian Jin Cabbage with Dried Scallop. The soft, tender leafs appeared almost velvety and well-infused with the dried scallops' subtle umami sea-brininess.

The Mini Lotus Leaf Rice could be a dead ringer for choong - those rice dumplings that we eat for Duan Wu Jie except the rice was less compactly wrapped in lotus leaves. Dried shrimps, salted egg yolk and sliced Chinese sausage lend the rice their scrumptiously rich accent.

 

 Before we proceed to sample the hotel's mooncake selection, a Double-Boiled Pear with American Figs dessert broth was served to cleanse our palate. Light and mildly sweet, the concoction is just the tonic to pave the way for the asssortment of baked and snow skin mini mooncakes.

 

The most outstanding variant this year for Eastin is undoubtedly its Mini Crystal Durian Paste mooncakes - a special edition to commemorate the Hotel’s 15^th anniversary celebration.  Filled with fresh Musang King durian flesh, the snowskin mooncake makes its presence felt by the sheer aroma of the King of Fruit alone.

 

More exotic fillings include Dragon Fruit paste, White Coffee and Corn, and Chocolate - inventive flavours to suit today's discerning palates. The hotel has a total of 15 varieties to choose from so those looking to buy Mid-Autumn Fest gifts for their family and friends should be over the moon. Available from RM10+ per piece and from RM80+ per box until 19 September 2013 for take-away and dine-in. 

Dishes for the Thursday Night Specials Promotion starts from RM 30++ per portion and will be served until end of September. Patrons will also be serenaded by the J Musical Live Band who will be performing evergreen Chinese and English hits from the 70’s and 80’s from 7.30pm-8.15pm and 8.45pm -9.30pm. 

For reservations, please call Ee Chinese Cuisine at 03 -7628 7338 or log onto www.eastin.com.