Avanti Italian-American Ristorante,
Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa,
Persiaran Lagoon,
Bandar Sunway,
Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7495 1888
Business hours:
Noon to 2.30pm (Tuesday to Friday & Sunday)
and 6.30pm to 9.30pm daily.
WHATEVER is said about Valentine’s Day being commercialised, the celebration on Feb 14 where lovers and couples take time off to indulge each other with gifts and attention, is still a huge hit here.
It’s the day in a year when flowers are sold at exorbitant prices and restaurants dish out Valentine menus to feed the obliging customers. As such, the magic of love also fills the air at the Avanti Italian restaurant in Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa this season with its inviting setting for the love birds and a menu to go with it by its latest chef named Chef Giuseppe Napoletano or better known as Chef Pino.
The promotion, which is priced at RM185++ per person, is from Feb 11 to 14. So if you or your date are not free tomorrow, why not make today your Valentine’s Day out?
The hotel’s marketing services assistant manager Samantha Chin said the promotion was planned for four days to provide convenience and flexibility for customers.
“The actual day falls on a Tuesday. It’s a week day and may not be very convenient for some people as they have to work the next day. That’s why we started on the weekend before the 14th so that couples and customers can celebrate earlier,” she said.
While the hotel provides the convenient option, Chef Pino is all set to create the love mood with his food.
The 42-year-old, who has been with the restaurant for three months, has adapted the special menu with some Southern Italian influence for the promotion as that’s where he is from.
“While Northern Italian cuisine uses a lot of truffle, butter and meat, in the south we use plenty of tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and seafood. Every region has its speciality,” said Pino, who has worked with a couple of Michelin star restaurants in Italy.
Tempting delights: The Raspberry Crumble with Red Fruit Sherbet,Hazelnut Gianduja Moelleux and Mango Cream Cheese.Hence the L’amore e’ Bello set menu features an interesting array of dishes ranging from appetiser, soup and pasta to the main course and dessert. Light and appetising, the Stuffed Potatoes with Prawn, Grape Tomato and Chickpea Cream is typical of South Italy.
The prawn, marinated with garlic, lemon and olive oil, and grilled to perfection is a lovely combination with the chickpea cream, which is cooked with herbs like garlic, onions and thyme. I found the combination refreshing and it’s a good way of getting started.
The soup of Truffle with Potato Tartar and Beef Bacon is great with a dash of pepper. This thick soup is made with potatoes, cooked with onions and shallots, and flavoured with chicken stock.
I particularly loved the Cannelloni Pasta Stuffed with Spinach, Ricotta Cheese and Aurora Sauce. It’s quite a substantial portion given that it is part of a set meal.
The cheese-stuffed cannelloni is creamy and filling and together with the sauce made from tomato and double cream, it’s a perfect comfort food.
For the main course, there are two options — Beef Tenderloin with Baby Vegetable and Truffle Butter Sauce and Cod Fish Flavoured with Olive Pesto, Lemon Butter Sauce and Summer Vegetables.
But be cautioned because by the time you hit the main course, you are probably all filled up with the pasta that you won’t be able to enjoy these other dishes.
Dessert is a combination of sharp and sweet flavours in Raspberry Crumble with Red Fruit Sherbet, Hazelnut Gianduja Moelleux and Mango Cream Cheese.
The set menu does not come with wine servings.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
