During my recent trip to Kota Kinabalu, I had a chance to check out Favola at the Le Meridien. Freshly refurbished, the restaurant breathes warmth, modern charm and a certain rustic elegance in its ambience. It’s not a huge space, just comfortably cosy and can be as private as you want (there’s a nice private dining room in Favola too). Favola’s menu spells “modern and creative” Tuscany-style cuisine. With a wine list that boasts not less than 60 selections of Italian and … [Read more...]
LIVELLO UNO @ Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, fondly known as “TTDI” has seen quite a number of family restaurants sprouting in this past year. By “family restaurants”, I mean those eateries run by family members and their set-up being very family-friendly, too. One of the latest such eateries is Livello Uno, located on an upper floor of a shoplift along Jalan Aminuddin Baki. Barely 6 months old, this restaurant has been quietly satiating many an Italian food lover in this neighbourhood. As it’s housed in an upper … [Read more...]
PORTOFINO @ Lucky Garden, Bangsar: authentic Italian fares
Owned and managed by two true-blue Italians, Portofino has been quietly delighting lovers of authentic Italian fares in Bangsar. Named after a popular seaside town in Italy, Portofino occupies a corner lot (which used to be Pizza Hut for 15 years) in the quieter side of Bangsar – Lucky Garden. Italian Chef Keli rules the kitchen while Luca ensures the front of house runs smoothly. It had always been Chef Keli’s dream to own and run a restaurant in a tropical country and Malaysia was a … [Read more...]
FAVOLA @ Le Meridien Chiang Mai, Thailand
Sitting at the main lobby of the Le Meridien Chiang Mai, I couldn’t help but be struck by the timeless chic design of the hotel, enhanced by various pieces of striking contemporary art pieces on the walls. It shouldn’t surprise me, really as the Le Meridien hotels all over the world subscribe to their universal theme of being a leading contemporary lifestyle brand. As I make my way up to Favola, their Italian restaurant, I can smell the delicious aromas of breads or pizzas (I’m not sure … [Read more...]
PREZZO @ Telawi, Bangsar
Prezzo, located smack in the middle of one of Bangsar’s busiest streets, has been drawing in a steady stream of diners since it opened its doors more than a month ago. You can’t miss their bright red signboard raised against a green awning along busy Telawi 5. There are several tables arranged on the walkway for a bit of al fresco dining while the inside is furnished with simple but comfortable furniture. The menu lists predominantly Italian-style dishes. We munched on some Crab … [Read more...]
Private dining @ HUNGRY MARIO
Driven by passion and a great love for food, Sim Hon Sing decided to quit the corporate world and succumbed to his dream of living a culinary lifestyle fulltime. Together with his lovely wife, Magarita, both of them have opened up their gorgeous house to welcome guests who wish to experience private dining on a personal level. A self-taught chef, Hon Sing was introduced to the world of cooking by none other than his mother. As a kid, he used to love watching and helping his mother cook up … [Read more...]
FUZIO Bar & Restaurant, Kuala Lumpur
Located in the quieter part of Changkat Bukit Bintang, just behind the busy main thoroughfare, Fuzio’s facade commands more than a second glance. The slender vertical beams in its exterior design, coupled with a wooden panel with hanging potted plants, emblazoning its cuisine, lend a rustic charm to the whole setup. Upon stepping through its double glass doors, the interior exudes a cosy warmth. The raw-grained wooden tables, assorted eclectic paintings, mosaic walls, warm lightings all … [Read more...]
Olive Garden @ Mid Valley MegaMall – hearty Italian fares
Malaysia has recently joined the list of locations of Olive Garden, a chain of Italian restaurants originating from the USA. Operated by the Secret Recipe Group here, Olive Garden is housed inside MidValley Mega Mall. The restaurant adopts a casual dining concept with its tiled floor, stone-clad pillars and wooden beams across the ceiling. The earth tones exude a sense of cosy warmth and somehow the booth seating on one side of the restaurant reminds me of an American diner. The menu shows … [Read more...]
Enorme @ PJ Centrestage
Right smack in the centre of the podium of PJ Centrestage is Enorme. You can’t miss it. Actually, I didn’t even know about this PJ Centrestage until someone told me about Enorme. Opened since last December, Enorme has been quietly dishing up simple Italian fares to its clientele. Basically it’s a pizza and pasta joint, with some antipasti and mains thrown in. Oh, it also has a Brunch menu. “Enorme” is enormous in Italian and the inspiration for this chosen name lies in the … [Read more...]
Authentic Italian Delights at Uncle Chilli’s Bar & Restaurant by Chef Massimo Zampar
I first met Chef Massimo Zampar a couple of years ago when he was helming the kitchen of Neroteca. If there’s one memorable thing arising from that meal, it was the excellent tagliatellle which he made fresh and cooked it with the most delicious meaty sauce. It was such an exceptional dish that whenever I think of pasta, especially tagliatelIe, Chef Zampar’s creation would always be my benchmark. So, imagine my delight when recently I was invited to check out some authentic Italian … [Read more...]
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