Trattoria Dacristian – Italian Restaurant Bangsar

Trattoria Dacristian – Italian Restaurant Bangsar

Words: Theresa Hogan Leahy
Photos: Monica Tindall

“La Famiglia” (the family) is the most important aspect of an Italian’s life. So it is with Cristian Grandi, our chef and host of the newly opened (family-owned) restaurant, Trattoria Dacristian. The establishment already has a history, being the former location of the well-known Azeta Restaurant. Cristian is carrying on the Italian tradition in memory of the much-loved late Chef Andrea Zanella.

Situated on Jalan Kamuja, Bangsar, it is hard to believe we are metres from the Bank Rakyat LRT station and, yet, in such a tranquil location. The atmosphere is restful and unassuming, and you immediately feel at ease with the fresh and casual setting of wooden chairs and blue-checkered tablecloths. The homely vibes are inspired by Chef Cristian’s desire for an authentic Italian Trattoria. Although I have seen this word a lot, I’m now aware that the term refers to a traditionally family-run restaurant offering simple fare in a relaxed atmosphere, and that is what we got. Despite Cristian’s nine years in Malaysia, there is no dilution of his authentic style and taste. This is the food any Italian Mama would be proud of.

Aperitif

The restaurant opened a mere two weeks ago on Chef Cristian’s birthday. When I visited on behalf of The Yum List, it was already up and running with a warm, welcoming staff who were friendly, helpful, and experienced. With Monica and Caning, my fellow Yum Listers, we started our meal with an aperitif. It was rather hot outside, so we all opted for drinks with lots of ice. There were three on offer: an Aperol Spritz, a Gin & Tonic at RM32 and a Negroni at RM40. This was my first time tasting an Aperol Spritz, and it’s my new “go-to”. It is so refreshing, and with the slices of orange, it must be the healthiest alcoholic drink ever!

Trattoria Dacristian Menu

We decided to have a light starter of Prosciutto e Melone (RM 36). This was a very generous dish of Parma ham surrounding rosettes of Rock Melon, drizzled with a robust balsamic cream. We finished it off quickly and set about ordering our pasta and mains.

Chef Cristian is a native of Bologna. This northern Italian city is renowned for its rich hearty flavours, including meaty pasta dishes, strong cheeses, and the aforementioned balsamic vinegar. He specialises in pork, and we eagerly anticipated our pasta choices of Gnocchi Gorgo e Salsiccia (RM 44) and Penne al Rosa Gamberi e Zucchine (RM 38).

My favourite dish of the day was the gnocchi. It was comfort food at its best. As an Irish woman and potato expert – as all Irish people are – I can attest to the perfect ratio of potato to flour in the gnocchi. Mixed through was Italian sausage packed with flavour, and it was definitely a “moreish” dish. The penne al rosa had a prawn sauce with zucchini cooked just enough to give it a slight crunch. The pink pasta had a robust flavour of the sea and was gobbled up by the three of us.

Our main, Involtini di Maiale (RM48), was a rolled pork fillet with pancetta, scamorza cheese, sage butter, and garlic spinach. The pork in this expert’s hands was well-cooked with the melted smoked cheese stuffing heightened by the salty pancetta outer layer, its sweetness contrasted with the garlicky spinach – a wonderfully rounded dish.

For the pizza course, we felt very safe in Chef Cristian’s hands, one of Asia’s top 50 pizza-makers, so you can be guaranteed that it will be deliziosa! We continued our pork fest by choosing the Porky (RM46). It was cooked in the restaurant’s custom-built pizza oven and is more than suitable for sharing. It had a thin crispy base with a rich tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella topped with spicy salami, sausage, and bacon.

To accompany the generous food portions, we had an excellent bottle of Allegrini Palazzo della Torre (RM 226). It was fitting that we were drinking this red wine as it, too, is owned by a family business from Northern Italy – made since the sixteenth century by generations of the Allegrinis. It had a deep ruby colour, with a wild berry perfume and a taste of raisins on the palate, which we all agreed went superbly with our pasta, pork fillet, and pizza. We also appreciated the price, which was great value for such a good bottle.

We finished our meal with Macedonia (RM 20), a simple plate of mixed fruit which was freshly cut and the perfect ending to such a hearty meal.

Reasons to visit Trattoria Dacristian: simplicity of the food, generous portions, it is impossible to leave hungry. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, too, so all are welcome as part of this Italian “Famiglia”.

Trattoria Dacristian Italian Restaurant KL
14 Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, Malaysia
+603 67388908
@trattoriadacristian

Trattoria Dacristian Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 11 am -11 pm
Closed Mondays

Find more Italian restaurants in KL here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene here and here.