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There are various Italian restaurants in this city that claim to be straight out of the motherland, but Villa Danieli is not one of these pretenders. Housed within the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, this cozy trattoria-style restaurant brings the best of Italy to the heart of Kuala Lumpur, both aesthetically and in the kitchen.

Its poolside location boasts lush greenery surrounding the brick-lined walls of the dining area, while the interior of the restaurant sees huge Greek columns, speckled furniture, and paintings splashed across the walls, reminiscent of Toulouse-Lautrec’s works. Freshly baked breads, wood-fire oven pizzas, and homemade pastas all feature prominently in Villa Danieli’s new and improved menu, with a keen focus on preparing the dishes much like they would be in Italy itself.

We started off our meal with charcoal bread and a zesty, dark tomato dip that was very much like sundried tomato pesto but with a stronger flavour. Nutty and rich, this dip kept us going back for more fluffy, focaccia bread.

The appetisers on the menu are definitely something to shout about. The juxtaposition of flavours in all of them – from the creamy Buffalo mozzarella with roasted cherry tomato salad, to the Italian veal strip loin with seared yellowfin tuna Carpaccio and tonnata sauce, and the exquisite Wagyu beef Carpaccio –with white asparagus, pine nuts, and aragula – made every mouthful a heavenly mixture of palatable tastes.

A break from the smorgasbord of flavours came in the form of wild mushroom soup truffle. Served in a little teacup, the crispy Shimeji mushrooms and delectable ricotta cheese mousse heightened the strong flavours of the mushroom.

Not to be outdone, the mains gave their appetizers siblings a run for their money. The homemade egg taglioloni with porcini mushrooms in white truffle butter sauce had the taste of Italy written all over it, while the rigatoni with beef ragout Florentine style is a sure-fire winner on the palate with its divine blend of flavours: creamy and spicy, with a dash of fresh basil and chilli.

A standout in the house specialties, the beef tenderloin was nothing short of outstanding. A fine cut of meat, the beef was cooked to perfection and served with pumpkin mash, making it melt-in-your-mouth worthy. If a lighter flavour is more suited to your taste, the fluffy codfish with capers is a great alternative.

Dessert was the icing on the cake (quite literally), with that all-time Italian favourite – tiramisu – topping the list, just ahead of the almond-infused panna cotta. Light, fluffy, and topped with cream, the lovely tiramisu was a splendidly delicious way to end a meal.

Villa Danieli’s extensive menu includes soft drinks, spirits, cocktails and a vast wine collection from Italy, Chile, France, the USA, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.

With five-star taste in a five-star location, Villa Danieli hits all the marks with the freshest ingredients and most distinctive flavours, delivering a truly authentic Italian experience.

Source: The Expat November 2013

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