The flavours of southern Italy soar to robust heights at Valentina Cucina E Bar, Bukit Jalil's rooftop restaurant that promises the pinnacle of Italian cuisine in KL's suburbs.
Embracing a fresh perspective on pastas, pizzas and more, Valentina now welcomes a new executive chef, Australian-born Nicholas de Gersigny, a Sydney native with Italian familial roots and plenty of professional experience in Italy, spanning stints in Sardinia, Genoa and the Amalfi Coast.
Chef Nic broadens Valentina's repertoire with full-flavoured recipes that rely on sumptuous seafood and vibrant vegetables, true to southern Italian traditions, from grilled jumbo prawns with stracciatella cheese to squid ink tagliolini with crab and tomatoes cooked in bisque.
Fun fact: Valentina is part of the Cinnamon Group that includes Natalina, Nero Nero, Nadodi and many more of the city's most respected restaurants.
Valentina ranks among the Klang Valley's most dynamic destinations for Italian dishes - perched more than a dozen floors up in the sky, it's the culinary crown jewel of Hyatt Place in Bukit Jalil, picturesque with poolside lounge seating and panoramic bird's-eye views.
Every element of the Valentina experience is carefully considered - even the welcome bread is excellent, featuring fragrant focaccia, some studded with olives and tomatoes, others showered with rosemary, complemented with rich-textured condiments of tapenade, spicy arrabbiata and salsa verde to represent the land's harvest of olives, tomatoes and tomatillos.
Only several weeks after arriving at Valentina, Chef Nic stamps his mark with the kitchen's latest luscious specials, such as Gamberoni Alla Griglia Con Stracciatella (RM62) for plump prawn pleasure. These captivating crustaceans prove big and brawny, flame-cooked for a gently grilled char, blanketed in buttery-creamy stracciatella, lightly nutty with almonds.
Stay on the seafood spree with the Calamaro Ripieno (RM65) - irresistible squid, pan-seared and oven-baked for firm-fleshed tenderness, filled with a briny-lemony stuffing of anchovies, capers and crackly focaccia crumbs, rounded out with rocket leaves and arrabbiata sauce.
Pastas are a cornerstone of Valentina, with everything from pappardelle to gnocchi present.
For a deep, decadent dive into the ocean, dig into the Cavatelli Marinara (RM75), house-crafted cavatelli shells with a satisfying bite, immersed in thick fish stock, finished with chopped prawns, calamari, clams and mussels for a boat's bounty on a perfect plate of pasta.
Ravioli del Pastore (RM63) is another stellar showcase of kitchen-made pasta, packed with sheep's milk ricotta, eggplant and mint for a silky balance of melt-in-the-mouth smoothness, cheerfully sauced with cherry tomatoes, chillies and garlic for alluring aromatics.
Carnivores, come for the Costolette Di Agnello (RM260), also introduced by Chef Nic, a meaty marvel of lamb rack for massive appetites, clocking in at 450 grams of red-meat succulence, impeccably prepared to sink our teeth into, coated with almonds and herbs, cushioned with artichoke puree, accompanied by roasted potatoes and mint salsa verde.
Southern Italy loves its pizzas, and so does Valentina, doing delightful justice to the Margherita (RM39), the Neapolitan stalwart with the classic ensemble of a chewy crust, perky tomato sauce, stretchy melted mozzarella and lively basil (add RM10 for pure buffalo mozzarella). Other options range from the fiery Diavola to colossal Calzone, so come hungry!
Tiramisu fans, visit Valentina for its rendition (RM45), decked with delectable coffee-dipped layers of ladyfingers, lined with a whipped medley of mascarpone cheese, coffee liqueur and eggs, dusted with cocoa and dressed with strawberries for a blissful finish to this feast.
Note that beyond the a la carte selection, Valentina also serves an Experience Menu featuring antipasti, pasta, a choice of main course and dessert.
From cocktails to mocktails to wine, Valentina tempts us to linger leisurely over the Tiramisu cocktail (RM45; dessert transformed into a potent drink of dark rum infused in-house with coffee beans, coffee liqueur, espresso, Baileys and brown sugar syrup) and Giardino Di Bacche mocktail (RM30; a rejuvenating house mix of wild berry shrubs with cranberry juice, grenadine syrup and lemon juice).
For special group celebrations, a tastefully furnished private room provides an intimate space for memorable occasions.
Valentina Cucina E Bar
Level R, Hyatt Place, Persiaran Jalil 1, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 12pm-10:30pm.
Tel: 012-679-3860
