Italian Restaurant Bangsar South – Dolce Vita Gets a Refresh
Words: Lianne Chung
Photos: Peter Tan
Dolce Vita’s enduring appeal as a Kuala Lumpur staple remains strong. The restaurant continues to uphold its reputation for authentic Italian cuisine, invigorated by the introduction of Chef Stefano Criber. Hailing from and trained in Italy, yet a familiar presence in KL kitchens, Chef Stefano embodies the restaurant’s ongoing dedication to maintaining Italian food, chefs, and ownership. With a recently released menu, its items showcase Chef Stefano’s creativity while preserving classic Italian flavours.
Our visit focused on trying Chef Stefano’s unique take on traditional recipes built upon the strong foundation Dolce Vita has established over the years. These new plates present a refresh to the restaurant’s menu while reaffirming its dedication to the purists of Italian food. With Chef Stefano joining the Dolce Vita team, the restaurant continues to offer authentic homemade pasta and pizzas, but a new perspective and a beat of originality invite guests back to experience familiar flavours in new ways.
Starters
We started with the Eggplant Caponata Sicilian Style (RM 28) and the Prawn and Crab Croquettes (RM 32). The caponata in an agrodolce sauce provided sweetness to balance the tanginess and the acidity. This dish, full of mixed sautéed vegetables, was tender and easily dished up on the in-house pizza focaccia. The Prawn and Crab Croquettes had a golden, crispy exterior without being too oily. Inside, the generous prawn and crab filling paired nicely with each bite of its crispy shell. The Romesco sauce, made from capsicum and toasted almonds, created a nutty flavour that complemented the seafood. These starters drove the strong start of the flavours and textures that would appear in the rest of the meal.
Pasta
With pasta being an indispensable feature of any Italian meal, Dolce Vita provides options for any pasta enthusiast and ensures that its pasta is homemade. This section of the menu provides guests with the classics and tempts us with inventive and compelling pasta items. From the pasta menu’s new dishes, we tried the Tagliatelle Porcini and Duck Bacon (RM 46) and the Mezze Maniche Burrata and Prawns (RM 62). Elements of the traditional pasta carbonara are present in the tagliatelle. It holds onto its simplicity, but Chef Stefano elevates this with a porcini sauce and duck bacon that permeates the entire dish. The Mezze Maniche Burrata and Prawns (RM 62) was the perfect pasta shape to hold the cherry tomato sauce. The refreshing and light sauce enveloped the mini pasta tubes and chopped prawn and was topped with creamy burrata warmed with the complemented sauce. With each pasta dish thoughtfully crafted with individuality, you can’t make a wrong choice.
Main Course
Our main course featured the Rack of Lamb (RM 288) and the Seabass in Orange Sauce (RM 68). The frenched-cut rack of Australian lamb is generously portioned for two to three people. On a bed of Brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes, this tender lamb is paired with black pepper sauce and roasted garlic, adding depth and variety to the flavours.
In contrast to the hearty lamb, we moved on to the pan-seared seabass, which provided a refreshing shift with its lighter orange sauce. The white wine and orange butter sauce created a velvety texture with a citrusy finish. It was presented on perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes and sautéed oyster mushrooms, which were a highlight of the dish for me. Each meat dish in our main course reiterated the high-quality ingredients at Dolce Vita and Chef Stefano’s ability to take something classic and prepare it with a fresh look.
Pizza Gourmet
We would be remiss not to include the pizzas on our already abundant dinner table. The quintessential element to an Italian meal and easily adaptable, Chef Stefano also brings new and unique flavours to Dolce Vita’s pizza menu.
Our first pizza was the vegetarian Eggplant Parmigiana (RM 50)- a somewhat unusual main topping that still maintained the essence of authentic Italian flavours. Each slice carried full, satisfying bites of San Marzano tomatoes, Italian smoked scamorza cheese, and tender eggplant.
Even more creativity sliding off of Chef Stefano’s list of new items is the Beef Porchetta Tonnata (RM 54) – a white pizza with a balance of chewiness and crispiness. The distinctive element was the homemade beef porchetta. Although, at first glance, the carved brisket did not seem compatible with my narrow understanding of pizza, the thin slices blended with the cherry tomatoes and the creamy fiordilatte mozzarella created a delicious, hearty blend of flavours. The distinct tastes and ingredients of this pizza choice peaked my curiosity in what the other pizza toppings had to offer.
Desserts
The dessert followed suit with a uniqueness that threaded the entire meal. In a change from the traditional chocolate lava cake, we were served the Pistachio Lava Cake (RM 34). The molten centre featured a white chocolate and pistachio paste, creating a nutty flavour from the pistachio and a creamy sweetness from the white chocolate. Building each bite of the perfect ratio of cake to macadamia gelato was elevated by the crumble that added a crunch to the texture.
Finally, the visually aesthetic Panna Cotta (RM 26) was achieved by edible flowers and a brilliant red strawberry coulis over a lemon sponge and almond biscuit crumble. Each bite was not overly sweet, but left a lasting sweet finale after the extensive variety of dishes we were served.
Every part of this new menu has a stamp of Chef Stefano’s vision for bringing something fresh and different. There is enough here for continued visits and its originality means you’ll always be venturing into something new.
Reasons to visit Dolce Vita: sophisticated but comfortable setting; homemade pasta and pizza; commitment to authenticity with two Italian chefs and owners; great Italian wine list.
Dolce Vita Ristorante & Pizzeria
Nexus, Bangsar South, G-17, Ground Floor
7, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+612 256 7309
www.portofino.my/dolcevita
Link to Dolce Vita on Google Maps
*Vegetarian options
Dolce Vita Opening Hours
Daily 10 am – 11 pm
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