Zenzero at St Mary Place : Monthly Sunday brunch review

This review is brought to you in part by Zenzero.

Here’s a bright, buoyant reason to celebrate the weekend: One of KL’s top Italian restaurants recently revamped its monthly Sunday brunches, featuring course after course of beautiful sharing platters prepared by chef Paolo Petris and his team, featuring the touchstones of cuisine from bel paese in one bountiful feast (the next brunch is scheduled for Father’s Day).

Starters

Bread, that steadfast starter for an Italian meal, sets a confident tone for Zenzero’s brunch, with no fewer than five varieties – ciabatta, onion focaccia, fried focaccia, grissini and semolina sheets – for May’s edition of this event. The exact offerings for each monthly brunch will evolve, but customers can expect to be served with soup (warm Irish oyster broth with leeks, potatoes and watercress in our case), followed by a colourful smorgasbord of small bites – air-dried beef bresaola and buffalo mozzarella with a salad of arugula, parmesan and lemon dressing; salmon gravlax marinated in citrus jus, with an orange and red onion salad; and NZ green shell mussels and scallops gratinated with bechamel sauce and herbed breadcrumbs proved ideal to ignite the appetite.

Pasta

Pasta pleasure is next – our triumvirate of Zenzero’s kitchen-made squid ink ravioli stuffed with crab meat and mascarpone, topped with asparagus and mushroom sauce; tagliatelle with white truffle paste and mushroom ragu; and potato gnocchi with dried ricotta and veal and lamb ragu reminded us how Italian cooking can really hit the spot, thanks to fresh, flavoursome components.

Main courses

Seafood and meat make up our main courses: Classic fritto misto with battered calamari rings, mini prawns and baby crabs over a creamy bed of tartar sauce; pan-seared sole with lemon caper sauce; and roasted Black Angus rib-eye steak, with sides of cauliflower au gratin, portobello mushrooms and rosemary potatoes. We like how each elaborate platter here is expertly executed, taking patrons through a complete culinary experience with a communal spirit; it feels like food for a festive occasion, when everyone comes together to eat and be merry (without the task of slaving over the stove and washing the plates).

Desserts

A chef’s selection of desserts that once again spotlights the breadth of Italian gastronomy brings a close to the afternoon; this monthly Sunday brunch is available for a minimum of two persons per table, costing RM130++ per person (not inclusive of recommended sparkling cocktails like the Aperol Spritz or Perfect Gin and Tonic). Our gratitude to Zenzero for having us here.

Location & Details

Address: Ground Floor, St Mary Place, Jalan Tengah, Off Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2022-3883
Find: View directory for Zenzero here.