the good life | dining |

A Season of Change
ilLido Kuala Lumpur introduces a new spring menu that brings along lovely new treats at friendly prices, discovers dian pasquinal kaur
PHOTOGRAPHY / soo Phye

BlAck cOd wiTH GARlic fOndue And 12YO BAlsAmic

the charm of Italian food lies in the fresh ingredients and lingering flavours that remain in the heart long after the dining experience is over. Yes, it all begins and ends in the heart. Its with a passion that Andrea Zanella, executive chef of ilLido Kuala Lumpur, talks about his food and restaurant. ilLido is known for its fresh pasta made daily by a specialised pasta chef who presses and rolls the pasta by hand. We use the very best of Italian durum wheat flour to make the most delicious pasta such as the agnolotti, tortelli, taglierini and spaghetti. Chef Zanella also highlights that ilLido Kuala Lumpur takes pride in using fresh ingredients flown in from Italy every week for that authentic Italian flavour. We have an Italian supplier in Kuala Lumpur who can source for any ingredient I ask him for. Recently, I wanted to add a twist to the classic beef carpaccio by adding vacche rosse parmesan to the dish. The parmesan is made from the milk of a rare breed of cow called Reggiana that has a beautiful red coat. And he managed to get it for us, says the Vincenzaborn chef with a smile. Chef Zanella has 34 years of experience in the culinary world from restaurants in Italy and London. He made his way to Asia and fell in love with the region right away. His passion for cooking was sparked when his friends father offered an apprenticeship in the restaurant he owned. Zanella hasnt looked back since. Starting young at traditional trattorias in his hometown helped him to perfect classic Italian cooking techniques and become familiar with the various signature cuisines of every region in Italy. This season, Chef Zanella puts together a new spring menu that comes with recessionfriendly prices. Restaurant owner Beppe De Vito presents his case for the change: As Malaysias finest Italian restaurant, we decided to shake things up a little to stay ahead of the pack. The new menu designed by our executive chef is a feast of the spring seasons freshest and finest produce, a trove of his signature Italian recipes. Its all about fresh greens and tender meats. The menu boasts not just new dishes but
may 2012 Prestige 093

092 Prestige may 2012

the good life | dining |

lAmB sHAnk TORTelli wiTH BAsil cReAm sAuce

sTeAmed cRAYfisH TAils wiTH sPicY BeAns sAlAd

new prices for more affordable dining for all occasions, so premier items like Wagyu beef cheek will no longer leave a dent in the pocket. Finally, it was time to taste some of the items from the new spring menu. While waiting for Chef Zanella to prepare the spread, I start off with bites of ciabatta bread dipped in olive oil and a serving of amuse-bouche. You can never go wrong with starter beef carpaccio and ilLido Kuala Lumpurs version with rucola and vacche rosse parmigiano cheese does a great job perking up the palate. The beef slices are nicely seasoned and the cheese from the red cow tastes so wonderfully rich that its almost like savouring the mother of all parmigiano cheeses. The next dish is a feast to the eye a succulent steamed crayfish laid out invitingly on a bed of spicy beans salad. My dining companions and I get right down to polishing off every inch of the crayfishs nicely cooked tail together with the assortment of chickpeas, lima beans, green beans and black-eyed peas mixed in special sauce. The beans medley gets two thumbs-up from me and its the chefs favourite too. Incidentally, this is the first time

ilLido has ever introduced beans in its menu. Keep it, I say. When it comes to lamb shank, its usually prepared in the same way without much variation. Theres a twist to the dish here at ilLido though the lamb shank is served in tortelli with basil cream sauce. The black cod with garlic fondue and 12yo balsamic that comes next is the perfect selection for fish lovers. The mildly flavoured cod simply melts in your mouth and the soft potato mash the cod comes with is comfort food at its best. The final main is veal scaloppine with mushrooms and creamy polenta. The veal is cooked to perfection in the mushroom ragu, moist all the way through. The polenta is made of ground maize and according to Chef Zanella, a staple in his region of origin. When dining in an Italian restaurant, dessert orders tend to veer towards either the tiramisu or panna cotta. Instead of these (or perhaps in addition to!), I recommend giving the lemon flan with fresh strawberries a try. The flans arrival at our table is marked at once by its buttery, citrusy smell. Taking a bite is like savouring a hundred warm summer kisses. And then all that lemon sauce starts oozing out. Indescribably delicious. ilLido Kuala Lumpur offers a selection of over 30 different mouth-watering starters, homemade pastas and gourmet meats as well as seafood mains, all within affordable price range in its new menu. The dishes may have changed and the prices may have been adjusted, but rest assured that the service, setting and servings at this cosy, awardwinning Italian restaurant remain the same. And thats just the way I like it.

ilLido Kuala Lumpur (pork-free) 183 Jalan Mayang (off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng) 50450 Kuala Lumpur Tel: (603) 2161 2291 www.il-lido.com.my

Beef cARPAcciO wiTH RucOlA And vAccHe ROsse PARmiGiAnO cHeese

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094 Prestige may 2012

terms and conditions apply. promotion is valid from 1-31 May 2012.

may 2012 Prestige 095