This post is brought to you in part by The Westin Kuala Lumpur.

The Westin Kuala Lumpur hosts one of the city’s longest-running Sunday Champagne brunches, the famous Bubbalicious Brunch, held in its authentic Italian eatery, Prego. Despite having lived here for a decade – and having been to the hotel more times than I can count – I had never actually indulged in the Sunday brunch. That was certainly my oversight, as Prego puts on a unique and outstanding Champagne-accompanied feast.

What makes the Bubbalicious Brunch special is its focus on keeping things authentically Italian. From the antipasti to the selection of cheeses, guests are reminded of Italy at every turn, with a keen focus on Sicilian dishes. (The beverages aren’t strictly Italian, it’s true, but given our appreciation of a glass of crisp Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, the brunch’s proffered Champagne, we are inclined to give them a pass!)

Starting with the antipasti spread, we found ourselves spoiled for choice, but found particular favour with selections like the Frittata Fiorentina, Calamari and Prawn Salad, Panzanella Toscana, and Sicilian Vegetable Caponata. Though not strictly Italian, we also loved the Smoked Duck Breast and House-cured Salmon. Standard salads featuring rocket and fresh spinach leaves were on offer, but Prego really wowed us with its live Caesar Salad station, whipping up to order a genuine delight, including a quickly soft-poached egg, salty anchovy fillets, capers, beef bacon, parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons, all tossed with a rich and tangy Caesar dressing. It was a further treat to complement the salad with fresh breads (we especially liked the mini baguette batons) and a selection of fine Italian cheeses, including Taleggio, Fontina, Pecorino Romano, and a beautiful, aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Throughout the meal, a parade of homestyle Italian dishes were brought around to the tables, including ravioli, penne pasta, spaghetti carbonara, and the not-to-be-missed crispy thin-crust pizzas served hot from Prego’s wood-burning oven. There is also a good selection of seafood on ice, including enormous prawns, fresh Irish oysters, and more. Outside, a grill station served up a host of meaty treats, but the best for us was the grilled-to-order sirloin steaks. Prepared a la minute on a real charcoal grill and complemented by a range of premium salts and mustards, this was a real treat, and paired nicely with the Wolf Blass Bilyara Shiraz being poured.

Desserts, meanwhile, were absolutely outstanding. Fruit tarts, Sicilian cannoli, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and the obligatory Tiramisu were just some of the selections we found tempting us. We can also report that the Lavazza flat white enjoyed with dessert was one of the finest such coffees we’ve been served in KL.

The Bubbalicious Brunch is available in three distinct tiers, each of which represents respectable value for money, we felt. The standard brunch, with the entire spread of food, is a reasonable RM188 nett. For RM118 more, you can add on a free flow of red, white, and sparkling wines, beer, selected cocktails, soft drinks, juices, and coffee. Top up with an additional RM220 – that’s a RM408 nett price tag – for the Moët & Chandon Champagne, plus all the other beverages. Service throughout the brunch was efficient and professional; we never had to ask for drinks to be topped up, used plates were cleared promptly, and the friendly parade of table-delivered Italian dishes ensured we were happily fed. All in all, this is a very easy bubbly brunch to recommend, and it’s equally easy to see why this has been such a mainstay in KL for so many years!

Location & Details

Address: Prego, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, 199 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2731 8333
Hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm on Sundays only (Bubbalicious Brunch)
Find: View directory for Prego here.