An Authentic Italian Feast by Italian Chef Mirko At Neroteca @ Bukit Ceylon KL

My evening at Neroteca was not only filled with good food and great company, but also a splendid showcase of Italian Chef Mirko's specially crafted new menu. I was treated to some of their best-selling dishes, mostly in pork-licious proportions, with plenty of chit-chatter in between.

My first taste of the evening was eagerly received in the form of an Italian Antipasti, Burrata with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil.

Meant to be shared, the assortment of traditional antipasto was neatly arranged on the chopping board - guanciale (cured pork cheek), eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, cherry tomatoes and burrata (for those who do not know - burrata is a type of fresh Italian cheese made out of mozzarella and cream).

Next, I had the Green Tortellini stuffed with Italian Pork Sausages and Potato. 

I had fun chewing on the dainty portions of tortellini as it was pleasantly prepared, though I felt that it lacking a little in terms of textures. Personal preference aside, my friend really enjoyed the dish and had no problems polishing the entire plate up.

The Black Fettuccine with Seafood in Rosemary Pesto Sauce on the other hand, was simply delicious.

The pasta was cooked perfectly; the prawns were sweet and succulent; the seafood fresh; and the pesto sauce added a nice zing to the overall dish.

Now, on to the meats. The glistening chop of Pork Ribs Alla Maremmana was one of my favorites of the evening.

Glazed with Maremmana (Italian version of barbecue sauce), the ribs were addictively salty and sweet, and had toothsome textures all in all. The dish also came with mashed potatoes underneath.

The Pork Shank (Pre-order 2 days before) was one of the specials that evening, and it was sensational.

Slow-cooked for 8-hours, the pork was not only incredibly tender and flavorsome, but also crackled! Served with roasted potatoes and salad. An addition to an otherwise fantastic pork dish - some gravy to compliment. I'd shamelessly finish this all on my own.

The Italian Sabayon Espresso was a basic, old-fashioned Italian dessert. From the bottom - vanilla ice cream with a tinge of ginger extract, separated by a thin layer of chocolate, over a custard of egg yolk, sugar and a hint of sweet white wine, and finally, sprinkled and dusted with chocolate and espresso on top.

After a supposedly savory meal, this rich and creamy dessert was an enjoyable treat. Having said that, it could progressively cloying after a few spoonfuls. I'd recommend to share.

That evening, I got to sample some really authentic Italian dishes, that had intensely big and interesting flavors, somewhat contrasting to what I'm more accustomed to in Malaysian shores. I'd personally recommend the Black Fettuccine with Seafood in Rosemary Pesto Sauce, Pork Ribs Alla Maremmana and Pork Shank.

Thank you Chef Mirko and Neroteca for being a generous host.

*Prices will be updated in August*

Neroteca KL is located at:
Address: Ground Floor, The Somerset, 8 Lorong Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone: 03-2070 0530
Opening Hours: 11.30am-11.30pm Daily.