ROBERTO’S 1020 Osteria, opening at a prime location at the Bangsar Shopping Centre on December 16, hopes to provide a discerning audience with authentic Emiliano and Tuscan cuisine – northern Italy – that has previously been hard to find in Kuala Lumpur.
The restaurant will be the first of many Roberto’s as Petra Cucina plans to open more outlets across Malaysia, and throughout Southeast Asia.
Roberto Guiati, Chief Executive of Petra Cucina said, “At Roberto’s, we share Italian hospitality by welcoming our guests like family and making every visit truly memorable. In Italy, eating together is what connects us with family members and friends.”
The food here is designed for sharing, ideal for a gathering of friends and family. The menu at Roberto’s has been meticulously curated and was inspired by Guiati’s and head Chef, Cristian Grandi’s personal taste.
The restaurant sources many of its ingredients such as cold cuts, cheese, flour, some vegetables, some of the fish, veal, olive oil and wine directly from Italy.
While the menu is resplendent with various mainstays like salads, soups and pastas, Roberto’s calling card is its selection of pizzas made in an Alfa Forni wood and gas fired pizza oven brought specially from Italy. The model located in the outdoor dining area is the only one of it’s kind in Malaysia.
The food very much shares the ethos of simple, quality ingredients prepared well. There is not an excess of sauce on a dish, just enough to coat and enrich the pasta.
The mushroom risotto is especially flavoursome, each bite transportive to a bucolic northern Italian villa. It's very rich, belying the simple and humble ingredients.
There are also plans to introduce seasonal recipes in keeping with what ingredients are available from Italy at any given moment. However, this is still traditional northern Italian food, so don’t expect localised dishes with typical Malaysian flavours (sambal on pizza?) anytime soon.
The Margherita pizza up for sampling was made in the shape of a Christmas star, the bread having a nice char with a soft crunch. Light and airy, it exemplifies the notion that the best pizza is a simple pizza. You can’t go wrong with the perfect balance of bread, sauce and cheese.
In terms of beverages, the restaurant has wine from all regions but specialises in a unique selection sourced from the lush and bountiful Tuscan countryside, and characterised by an elegant yet powerful and structured style.
The restaurant also features an indoor and al-fresco dining area and a bar where drinks and cocktails are served by a trained mixologist. It boasts a modern interior incorporating Tuscan elements.
Located at the ground floor of Bangsar Shopping Centre, Roberto's will open for breakfast, lunch and dinner starting tomorrow. For reservations, please call +6017 3948 050. – The Vibes, December 18, 2020
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