TUCKED away in a corner of Jalan Mayang (off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng) in Kuala Lumpur is a gem of a fine-dining restaurant called ilLido which opened last year.
Owned by Beppe de Vito, who also owns three restaurants in Singapore including ilLido in Sentosa, the restaurant serves delectable Italian fare. ilLido (www.il-lido.com.my) initially served pork but it has gone pork-free since last month.
Food preparation is overseen by executive chef Andrea Zanella, a familiar face in the local culinary scene.
He is responsible for ilLido’s menu revamp which now features dishes created using the finest fresh ingredients procured locally and abroad.
At a recent food review at the restaurant, we begin our lunch with an amuse bouche (a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre) – a small piece of marinated kingfish with arugula. It is a beautiful combination of sweet and citrusy flavours with some mild bitterness from the aragula.
Next up is the seafood carpaccio with citrus dressing. Fresh slices of raw scallops, yabbies, kingfish and anchovies are given a boost of flavours from the tangy dressing.
Then comes the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-creamy-on-the-inside zucchini flower and mozzarella fritter served on top of vegetable caponata, a mixture of tomatoes, capsicum and olives.
For something light and summery, go for the crab salad with watermelon and tomato eliser. The sweet crab plays up well against the refreshing watermelon while the tomato eliser (tomato water) gives it a depth of flavour.
For pasta, the squid ink taglierini with crab and saffron is recommended. Chunky pieces of crab claws are used to provide a contrasting texture to the firm al dente pasta which is flavoured with a mild saffron-based sauce. It is pretty tasty and although the portion looks small, it can be filling.
Then comes the really delicious carnaroli risotto with crayfish. Carnaroli rice (instead of arborio) is used at ilLido because it has a better texture. The rich broth in which it is cooked as well as the meaty crayfish make this dish something truly remarkable.
For mains, we begin with poached barramundi fillet with aromatic vegetables and herb pesto. The flavours here are mild, but the lightness of the barramundi makes it very enjoyable.
Another signature dish here is the veal ossobuco with saffron risotto. There is also bone marrow on the side. You understand why the veal is so popular the moment you cut into its tender and succulent flesh and enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
For dessert, we enjoy the molten lava chocolate cake that lives up to its name when you cut into it and hot chocolate comes pouring out. Eaten with vanilla ice cream, it is a decadent end to a rich meal.
ilLido has good coffee too and it is served with a plate of chiacchiere, a type of traditional Italian sweet fritters, at the end of the meal.
The restaurant also has its own wine cellar stocked with over 300 old world and new world labels.
Lyla Lin, the sales and marketing manager of ilLido, shows off the two private rooms in the restaurant that can easily seat eight and 14 people respectively. Its main dining area seats about 40 people but for private functions, the floor can take up to 70 people easily.
The chairs are designed by Philip Stark to offer diners greater comfort, and special benches and shelves are placed along each table for diners to keep their bags or wine bottle.
The dark marble and wood décor exude a warm atmosphere while the giant light fixtures with moulding-like designs make a great conversation piece.
There is also a bar on the roof-top (with a great view of KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers) where you can have a drink before adjourning downstairs to enjoy classic Italian cooking.
Besides its a la carte and set menus, ilLido also offers a three-course lunch set of daily specials at RM49.90++ per person from Mondays to Fridays.
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