Villa Danieli at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur takes on a very different mood in the daytime. Unlike the luxe romantic air that envelopes this trattoria-styled Italian restaurant at night, in the daytime it looks more casual yet retaining its old-world charm, thanks to the bright lively ceiling mural done by Mindy Lehrman Cameron. The rough finishing of the walls, pillars and floors lent a rustic warmth, enhancing the ambience of a typical Italian villa. On a cool afternoon, dining al fresco in the patio would be preferred.
Read about my Ruffino wine dinner experience (not too long ago) at Villa Danieli here.
Villa Danieli offers a few set lunch options if you are too pressed for time; otherwise do order a la carte from their menu which features some classic Italian fares. With Italian Chef Simone La Gamba at the helm, who pays close attention to how authentic Italian recipes should be interpreted, be prepared to savour traditional fares from handmade pastas (like the classic spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli) to woodfire-baked pizzas.
When we had lunch there, DL opted for the Holy Roman Empire Set Lunch (RM85++) … now isn’t that such a memorable name?
The set started with an Appetizer: Tomato & Buffalo Mozarella with Basil Oil sitting on a bed of fresh rocket and sprinkled with pine nuts… simply refreshing.
For the Main Course: you can choose either Seafood Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce or Grilled Lamb Chop with Green Beans, Saute’ed Capsicum with Taleggio Cheese Sauce. Being a meat lover, DL naturally opted for the latter, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The lamb was grilled to perfection… tender and juicy.
Dessert: Chocolate Truffle with Vanilla & Coffee Sauce… smooth rich velvety chocolate globe!
LL decided to order from the menu and started his lunch with the Wild Mushroom Soup with Mascarpone Cheese (RM30)… the aroma of the wild mushrooms was made more intoxicating with the addition of the creamy mascarpone. I stole a spoonful and I must say the wild earthy flavour of the mushrooms was very appetizing.
LL’s mains of Pan-seared Cod with Crushed Potatoes & Eggplant, Basil Butter Sauce (RM68) was one of the highlights of the meal. Again, I stole a small chunk of the beautifully-seared cod which was juicy and full of marine sweetness. The flaky fish practically melted in the mouth… it was so good.
I had one of Chef Simone’s signature dishes – Warm Seafood Salad with Fennel & Red Onions scented with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (RM95). Everything that was presented on the plate was very fresh, from the clams to the shrimps to the sweet red onion swirls. A simple salad… the warm cooked seafood chunks came together very well with the fresh greens, bound together with just some extra virgin olive oil and vinaigrette.
We also ordered a pizza to share, having heard so much of their handmade pizzas. We had their Pancetta e funghi (RM38): Pizza with basil, mozzarella cheese, beef bacon and mushrooms. The crust was thin and crispy and not too cheesy, which is what I like and finishing up this pizza was not a problem.
Chef Simone La Gamba; the open concept kitchen
On the whole, service was attentive and food quality was good although I do think my warm seafood salad was a bit on the pricey side (for most budgets, I would think!). Portions were adequate. I certainly would like to go back and try their handmade pastas and more of the woodfire pizzas!
For reservations, please call 03-2717-9922.
Villa Danieli
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50450 Kuala Lumpur
tasty hor;)