aly's wonderland

il Lido Italian Dining + Lounge Bar, Jln Mayang

I was in Singapore in January and dying to try il Lido at Sentosa, after reading rave reviews online and in several magazines. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we gave it a miss. Who knew that only months later, it would come to me!

“Championed by Beppe de Vito, the established restaurateur who has created some of the finest dining experiences in Singapore and Hong Kong over the past 15 years, il Lido promises an all-inclusive, stylish environment that is complemented by its impeccable cuisine and a touch of warm, personable service”.

It’s location is somewhat discreet, yet bold, in the heart of KL city centre. Head to Jalan Mayang, off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, and you’ll come across a large bungalow set back from the main road, the only inkling of its presence a bright orange bubble light with its name subtly written.

Blink and you might miss it. It’s got an air of mystery, and definitely reeks of exclusivity. You have to take a private lift to the first floor, and the doors open to a dimly lit corridor. I loved the look of the main dining room.

It was chic, it was elegant, and minimalist. Very ‘designer’, with Philip Stark chairs and only the best interior and product designers from Europe. Ooh, the stylishness of it all was somewhat intimidating, yet the pleasant smiles and friendly faces of the staff made it quite comfortable.

Lil’ Chef and I settled into a table in the corner, and noticed that we were miles away from the next table of guests. The spaces between diners is massive, at least two tables worth, and allows for absolutely no eavesdropping and pure intimacy. There’s even a indented compartment along the wall for ladies to store their handbags and waiters to place your bottle of water.

We had a great time getting to know a bit about the place, its owners and of course, most importantly, il Lido’s Chef. Lil’ Chef listened intently with one ear and perused the extensive wine list, 300-strong labels wine list features the best in Old World and New World wines, with a strong emphasis on Old World classics like Italy’s Barolo, Brunello and Amarone, and France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy. We settled on a delicious bottle of red.

We were enraptured when the manager rattled off dishes that were a must try.

Chef Chef Samuele Alvisi helms the kitchen as Executive Chef at il Lido, bringing with him more than twelve years of skills and knowledge from various acclaimed restaurants around the world. His philosophy is simple Italian food served in a modern way. With so much that we wanted to try, in the end, Lil’ Chef and I decided on the degustation menu (as it came with most of the recommended dishes) and we also ordered a few extra’s off the a la carte menu.

‘DEGUSTATION’ SET MENU – RM 180

Apertura

Amuse Bouche – Seared Tuna with Avruga and juilienne Radish

Insalata di Granchio con Avocado e la sua Bisque Gelificata

Crab Salad with Avocado and Bisque Jelly

The shredded crab meat was sweet and complemented by the lemony avocado puree.

Fegato d’Oca con Galletta di Patate Dolci e Salsa alla Saba

Pan Fried Goose Liver with Saba Wine Must and Sweet Potato Galette

The goose  liver was nicely seared on the outside and pink on the inside. Unlike duck liver, which is very soft and almost runny on the inside, goose liver is creamy, but has a bit on bounce to it. The savoury taste of the liver went perfectly with the sweetness of the sweet potato, and the raisin/prune like flavour of the Saba Wine Must.

Tagliolini con ‘Nduja e Astice

Tagliolini with Lobster and Spicy ‘Calabria’ Salami

The first of only 3 items that contained pork in the entire menu. In this dish the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente. The sauce was rife with the flavour of the spicy salami, yet we couldn’t see any salami pieces. It would have been nice to have a few slices or chunks, to add a little texture to the pasta, that the slipper lobster only just began to do.  Overall, a fantastically flavoured dish.

Maialino da Latte con Legumi Arrostiti e Salsa alle Prugne

Roasted Suckling Pig with Plum Sauce

The second of only 3 pork items on the menu. In the degustation menu, you are served 2 squares of suckling pig. If you order an individual portion, you are served 3 squares.

The Chef cuts the best pieces of meat from the suckling pig into uniformed squares. Nice crunch to the crackling, with sticky fat and juicy tender meat. Simply indulgent.

Sfogliatina all’ Arancio con Pistacchi Croccanti

Ricotta Cheese Cake with Orange and Pistacchio

A very savoury dessert, crispy filo stuffed with an orange, pistachio, and a crumbly ricotta filling.

il Servizio del Caffé e Piccola Pasticceria

Coffee & Petit Four

From the a la carte menu:

APPETIZERS

Cappesante con Marmellata di Pomodori e Salsa alla Liquerizia

Pan Roasted Scallops with Tomato Compote and Liquorice Sauce – RM49

The liquorice sauce was interesting, particularly to Lil’ Chef who says the Swedes love eating it for candy. I enjoyed the lightely seared juicy scallops, but felt the tomato compote was a little bland and could have had more oomph to it.

HOMEMADE PASTA

Tortelli di Zucca con Salvia, Balsamico e Amaretti

Pumpkin Tortelli with Sage, Aged Balsamic Vinegar and Amaretti Crumbs – RM39

This dish was sweeter than the dessert! The pumpkin filling was smooth and silky, and a wonderful salty balance came from the shaved parmesan and fried sage leaves. One of our favourite dishes for the evening.

Ravioli di Mare con Bisque e Dragoncello

Seafood Ravioli with Shellfish & Tarragon Emulsion -  RM45

The ravioli dish looked very impressive. Beautifully presented and very tantalizing.  The taste was fantastic, with the wonderful seafood sauce. The ravioli however, was a little flat and could have done with more substantial filling.

MEAT

As we already had quite a lot of rich food, we decided against the beef cheek and opted for the duck instead.

Coscia d’Anatra Confit con Scalogni Caramellati e Insalata al Tartufo

Duck Leg Confit with Truffle Salad and Caramelized Shallots – RM75

The duck was excellent. A classic dish that was done perfectly. A crispy skin on the duck leg, on a bed of hearty mash, with shavings of truffle scattered on top, and drizzled with truffle oil. The duck jus and caramelized shallots added the perfect finishing touch to this dish.

Do you see the smile on this face? Very happy Aly.

I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the price for the set lunch. “Is this a misprint?” I asked Lyla. “Nope,” she replied. “It’s right!”

Well, darn it, I can never make lunch anyway, but for you guys who can, here’s what you get for the sterling price of RM 49.90:

‘LUNCH’ SET MENU – RM 49.90

Amuse Bouche

Choice of Daily Appetizer or Soup

Choice of Daily Main Course

Coffee & Petit Four

We walked off the food by checking out the rest of the restaurant. Beautiful private dining rooms, available for hire at no extra charge.

Decked out in famed designer Philippe Starck’s whimsical range of chairs, bag stools and vases and Marcel Wanders’ glamourous and regal chandeliers.

A gorgeous roof top, with a view of the twin towers, soon to be covered with a tasteful canopy to protect us from KL’s crazy weather.

“With il Lido in Kuala Lumpur, we have created an environment that our guests will be able to settle in effortlessly, dining and wining at their leisure. They can first linger over a marvellous meal, before going up to the bar for more drinks and conversations – or vice versa. It’s the complete experience we are
offering” – Beppe di Vito.

il Lido’s menu is extremely affordable, the ingredients fresh and of high quality. Throughout our meal the staff were attentive, efficient but unobtrusive.

It’s a nice addition to the existing Italian restaurants in KL, and it offers something a little different to your traditional Italian food. I do hope over time, they will take advantage of their ‘Non-Halal’ status and add more pork items to the menu. Until then, I shall be satisfied to return for another great meal in its ‘ultra-luxe and modern Italian space’.

Ciao Bella!

*Special thanks to Lyla and the cordial staff at il Lido for a wonderful evening.

CONTACT

il Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar (NON-HALAL)
Jalan Mayang (Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng)
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603 21612291
Fax: +603 21612295

Opening Hours
Restaurant:
- Lunch: Mon-Fri, 12-2.30pm
- Dinner: Mon-Sat, 6.30-10.30pm
Bar: Monday to Saturday, 5pm-1am