This review is brought to you in part by Eatalia.

Pastas, pizzas and more: Eatalia tackles the crowd-pleasing classics with a casual confidence, cultivating a reputation as a friendly neighbourhood destination for fuss-free Italian fare at fair prices. The restaurant’s Malaysian husband-and-wife founders worked with an Italian chef to craft the recipes served here, and they’ve also infused a charming personal touch to their eatery, with the couple’s Vespa scooter greeting customers at the entrance and photos from their travels in Europe gracing the walls.

1-eatalia

2-eatalia

3-eatalia

Salads

Eatalia’s salads reveal a promising start for a trip here, showing respect for the Italian emphasis on fresh produce and carefully tuned flavours. Rocket leaves come tossed with equally crisp pear slices, balanced with Grana Padano shavings, almonds and walnuts in a lively lemon dressing (RM22), while the restaurant’s take on the traditional Caprese salad puts together a platter of ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes with hefty hand-torn chunks of mozzarella and green basil to whet the appetite for what’s ahead.

4-eatalia

5-eatalia

Pasta

We appreciate any Italian venue that makes some of its own pastas – ravioli is prepared in Eatalia’s kitchen, tinted black with squid ink, served with baby scallops and mushrooms in a rich cream sauce laced with saffron and pink peppercorn (RM33), while the gnocchi should fulfill fans of tender potato dumplings, immersed in a thick, robust gorgonzola sauce (RM25). The dried pasta selection remains tempting too – try the spaghetti in a house-blended pesto sauce, aromatic with basil leaves and olive oil, textured with pine nuts and fleshy prawns.

6-eatalia

7-eatalia

8-eatalia

Pizza

Residents and workers at Desa Sri Hartamas may realise that Eatalia marks a revamp of the long-running Pizza Brava; the name has changed, but the place continues to take pride in its wood-fired pizzas, with a wide selection that spans numerous varieties – the Rustica (RM32) boasts toppings of beef salami with tomatoes, peas, corn, rocket and gorgonzola, perfect for sharing on those evenings when everyone feels like savouring a tasty thin-crust pizza, accompanied by time-honoured antipasto like beef bresaola with buffalo mozzarella (RM33) and mixed mushroom bruschetta with scamorza cheese (RM18).

9-eatalia

10-eatalia

11-eatalia

12-eatalia

Meat and fish

Eatalia does justice to meat and fish as well – the NZ rack of lamb with assorted vegetables and potatoes (RM56) makes for a hearty, protein-packed serving, while the stuffed chicken breast with ricotta and spinach sauce will be comfort food for many customers, complete with pumpkin mash and mushroom cream sauce (RM28). The pan-fried sea bass is capably executed too, with the moist fillet supplemented by almond flakes and pickle-caper sauce alongside baby spinach and mashed potatoes (RM35).

13-eatalia

14-eatalia

15-eatalia

Desserts

Desserts done right: Save space for Eatalia’s delicately wobbly panna cotta, more naturally nuanced than the norm, finished with a berry compote (RM13), can’t-fail tiramisu (RM16) and a faultless creme brulee (RM13) that proves Eatalia’s capabilities extend to this French staple too.

16-eatalia

17-eatalia

18-eatalia

Drinks

Among Eatalia’s cocktails, the Blue Margarita is one of several with unexpected visual allure, crested with the cutest of ducklings (RM25). And since no Italian meal is truly comprehensive without wine, Eatalia ensures that its selection is satisfactory – house pours start from RM28 by the glass, but the range of bottles should be explored too, with a Banfi Chianti as the recommended red. Many thanks to Eatalia’s warm, hospitable team for having us here.

19-eatalia

20-eatalia

21-eatalia

22-eatalia

Location & Details

Address: 18, Jalan 25/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Hours: Daily, 11am-11pm.
Tel: +603-6201-6608
Find: View directory for Eatalia by Brava here.