La Scala @ Jalan Yap Kwan Seng KL - Affordable and Pork-Free Italian Fine Dining

My first time having 24K Gold Risotto and cheese - loads and loads of cheese. Talk about luxury treats.

La Scala

My short stroll to La Scala was a breeze. Just around the corner from Avenue K and a minute walk from KLCC. Despite neighboring my workplace, this Italian restaurant was virtually unheard of in my books, until tonight of course.

I have a love-hate relationship with places like these. Love the notion of playing dress-up and being all prim and proper like that, but find this all somewhat intimidating if you may, of being overly pretentious.

La Scala is pork free, but they are in works on introducing a Sunday brunch menu at the rooftop bar, serving some non-halal dishes and small bites, at really affordable price - more details below.

The restaurant's owner is Italian; the host is Italian; the chef also hails from Italy. Great!

Tonight, I will be sampling some of Executive Chef Emil Sassolini's newly crafted dishes. On the other hand, if you'd liked talk about everything-and-anything Italian, Gianfranco is your man, the Italian host at La Scala.

Chef Emil & Gianfranco

Complimentary Amuse Bouche.

On the left - a spoonful of Burrata. On the right - ciabatta, grissini, parmesan bread, baked fresh daily. Where's the dipping though?

Complimentary Parmesan Cheese Platter.

A palate cleanser for wine they say - parmesan, sundried tomatoes and songino leaves.

Fruit Salad. Rm38.

"38 bucks? Really?" my friend muttered out loud. A fruity salad consisting of sliced green apple and orange, drizzled with balsamic reduction. Again, there're plenty of other salads in their menu.

Roasted Hokkaido Bay Scallops. Rm68.

Champion of the night - perfectly roasted Hokkaido Bay scallop caved between delicate cuts of truffle and cheese, with marvelous truffle cream sauce beneath. An indulgence perhaps but you have to try this!

Crespella.

I couldn't wait to pry this apart - moneybags of sauteed tiger shrimp ragout with bechamel sauce, on tomato cheese fondue. I thought these had great combination of flavors and textures. Also one of my favorites tonight.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cheese. Rm44.

Potato and beetroot gnocchi in gorgonzola cheese, walnuts and wild rockets. We were stuffed by the time we got to the gnocchi, saving room for the rest of the dishes, we didn't finish this.

24K Gold Risotto.

The swankiest risotto I've ever had! La Scala uses carnaroli rice for their risotto, firmer in texture compared to the typical arborio, and the saffron had a nice balance of creaminess. 24k gold leaves? An exquisite touch!

Lamb Chop with Sesame Crust.

What a beautiful sight! The dish fell short taste wise however. The sesame crust was just too thick, I could barely taste the lamb. A sprinkle would do? Topped with fried leek and pomegranate reduction.

Tris di Ricotta Mousse. 

La Scala special - strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ricotta mousse, which came smooth and creamy, made fresh, including the chocolate slices too! Think - thick flavored cream. It could get tad rich towards the end, do share.

La Scala Happy Hour Menu and Prices.

 La Scala Set Lunch Menu and Prices.

Full La Scala Menu Here.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Now, lets start with the location. Despite being right opposite Ambank, Public Bank, Megan Avenue and the likes - strategic like that - the restaurant remains rather hidden and unknown, it is located on the second floor. Perhaps having a large signboard upfront, visible from the roads, would give the place a bit of a boost. Apart from that, I figured La Scala would be a great place to host corporate events and business meetings, being a walk away from KLCC and Avenue K. For those who're up for drinks and nibbles, they've got a decent-view rooftop bar in the making. Moving on to the food - food was decent, not great, but good. I guess I overindulged in a bit too much cheese that night - Italian cuisine in all its glory, which naturally made me felt as though the meal came far too rich for my liking, personal preference nonetheless. Price wise - where else can you get a 3-course Italian fine-dining meal for 68 bucks?

La Scala is located at:
Address: Lot 183, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng (Off Jalan Mayang), 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone: +603 2161 2291 / +603 2161 2295
Email: info@lascala.my
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm-2.30pm and 6.30pm-10.30pm. Saturday 6.30pm-10.30pm. Closed Sunday.