The Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar has opened; its main F&B attraction is Mediterranean restaurant La Cucina, a cushy venue with several interesting ideas emanating from its open kitchen.
Meals here start on a confident note, with bread, olive oil & tapenade that would fit in well at many trattorias & tavernas.
Salads can be selected from a display counter (two for RM34++).
We have mixed feelings about some of the dishes though. These scallops are excellent but the risotto, while aromatic with both saffron & truffle oil, is unsettlingly mushy.
Pumpkin gnocchi with beef short ribs, kale, boletus mushrooms & shaved pecorino in pomodoro sauce. Not terrible, though the gnocchi could be a bit less stodgy.
The menu calls this taglioni, though it's really closer to ravioli, stuffed with smoked duck & topped with crumbled feta, spinach & pine nuts.
This pizza, nicely crowned with house-made lamb sausage, avocado, rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes & buffalo mozzarella but let down by a not-crisp-enough base, illustrates the potential of this place; La Cucina's recipes sound sensational on paper but need a bit more finesse in execution.
Desserts come from a chiller; cool-looking range, with no lack of figs, fruits & nuts.
Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar also currently features all-day-dining establishment Link for buffet hunters as well as pastry-&-coffee shop Le Petit Cafe; more outlets may open next year.
Sean is currently still away, 8,765 kilometers & six time zones removed from KL, on a vacation that has now been extended to Nov. 17. Apologies for being very slow in responding to comments; will catch up slowly but surely.
La Cucina
Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar Hotel, Jalan Pantai Jaya
This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.
The Oct.-Dec. edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites is now available in an eBook for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. It comprises reviews of 100 eateries that span various locations, cuisines & budgets: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Oct-Dec-2013 (link expires Dec. 31, 2013; see blog entries after that date for new link)
