Spanning virtually the entire 19th floor of the spanking new Hyatt Centric City Centre Kuala Lumpur, Executive Chef Vincenzo Carbone—known more affectionately as Chef Enzo—helms a bustling team as they prepare for iftar service at IL Forno. On the way to our table, we were greeted by a beautiful spread of antipasti, dips and cheeses laid out for guests to break their fasts this Ramadan.

ABOVE IL Forno Open Kitchen

The restaurant space is massive, featuring four distinct dining zones—the main dining room, lounge, bar, and al fresco balcony—just barely separated by sliding doors and cosy walkways. Our table had a lovely floor-to-ceiling view of the neighbouring skyscrapers and KL’s most iconic twin towers.

ABOVE The Dining Zones at IL Forno

Other than being one of the most scenic restaurants in the city for a romantic dinner for two, or an energetic gathering with friends, IL Forno also serves as the all-day dining restaurant for Hyatt Centric City Centre Kuala Lumpur where hotel guests can experience a made-to-order continental and Italian fare breakfast buffet with live stations galore.

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Antipasti

We were strongly recommended the signature antipasti platter, colloquially called the “one metre”, and rightfully so—Tagliere Misto di Antipasti e Formaggi (RM198)—was a showstopper in every right.

The platter, or should I say table, of appetisers includes four of their signatures—one of the best burrata salads I’ve ever tasted, an uncommon sight in KL: vitello tonnato, incredible tomato bruschetta, and Italian beef bresaola—and a healthy selection of pickles, nuts, cheese and a basket of herbed pizza bread. The platter comfortably feeds 3-4 persons, and sets the tone for the rest of the meal.

While I spent a good chunk of time picking off the intensely savoury beef bresaola (very good by the way!), the star of the assortment for me was the bruschetta. There is just a je nais de quois when it comes to fresh peak-season tomatoes simply enrobed in olive oil and salt, and don’t even get me started on crusty sourdough pan fried with the same good oil. There are few things that elicit the reaction I had after the first crunch.

Vitello tonnato is not the most common dish in Malaysia, only a few Italian restaurants have it on the menu, and even less do it well. I was first introduced to this combination of thinly sliced veal, tuna sauce and capers just last year at Pizza Duo where they reimagined it as a pizza topping.

Having the real thing at IL Forno with the silkiest milk-fed veal was a revelation. However, between the unique combination of textures and the pungency of the caperberries, I can see why my dining partner did not fully enjoy this dish.

What she absolutely devoured was the burrata salad crowned with lovely chunks of scarlet-red tomato. The burrata at IL Forno is the sort that pulls apart in heavenly stretches, not the molten core one, and had the loveliest milky flavour that had her eyes rolling back in ecstasy.

We also ordered the Carpaccio di Ricciola (RM68, for one). Thin slices of fresh yellowtail lightly cured and dressed with a rustic lemon balm salsa verde made for a luscious bite that melts in the mouth. The flavour was subtle yet sublime, just the perfect ratio of acidity to fattiness. I highly recommend getting the portion for two (RM10 more).

All the Carbs! Pasta & Pizza

What would an Italian trattoria be without its carb-centric menu? Chef Enzo is extremely passionate about his Napoli-style pizza dough, which they ferment in-house for up to 48 hours before baking for precisely 90 seconds in custom-made furnace ovens fashioned from Italian volcanic stones, from where the restaurant gets its name.

READ ALSO: Nacre’s interview with Executive Chef Vincenzo Carbone

A fantastic starting point to Neapolitan pizza is the classic Margherita (RM39, 9 in)—simply topped with high quality San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and hand torn basil. While delectable, the Margherita is not the best I’ve had in the city.

Chef was also feeling experimental yesterday, excitedly showcasing an off-menu creation combining focaccia and Margherita pizza toppings, and allowing us a sample (slice or four). Would it be odd that I preferred the focaccia version?

Even before our visit, I was told that the Gnocchi con Fonduta di Grana (RM45, for one) is a must-try. What the dish lacked in colour, it certainly made up for in flavour because this plate of little potato dumplings packed a formidable formaggic punch. Whole walnuts were a nice addition for a little astringent contrast.

From a far right corner of the two-sided menu, Pearl excitedly ordered the Saffron Risotto (RM35) which turned out to be an umami-bomb. The rice grains were cooked to a nice al dente, and the beef bone marrow-infused sauce really brought the otherwise plain Jane plate to new heights. While the colour of this risotto said “SAFFRON!” it tasted more like just saffron, which by no means is a bad thing.

Risotto is one of those things that is simple in concept, but entirely relies on technique to be executed nicely. So when one risotto turns out beautifully, the natural thing would be to order another one! Risotto con Porcini, Funghi e Tartufo Nero (RM110, for one) is a generous portion of mushroomy goodness with an even more generous table-side shaving of fresh Italian black truffle. This is one very rich plate that is suitable for sharing.

Secondi

We only picked one item from the mains selection, perhaps our greed for antipasti and carbs got the better of us.

Our choice of Filetto di Merluzzo alla Livornese (RM135) is a fillet of cod baked in a briny and tangy tomato sauce with olives, capers, parsley and white wine, not unlike pasta puttanesca but also unexpectedly similar to our local asam pedas style of seafood.

If you are a fan of all these briny, pungent ingredients like me, you’d definitely enjoy a whole serving of the fish. A side of olive-oil toasted crusty bread would be excellent to mop up the sauce.

Dolci

To finish our dinner, we opted for Tiramisu (RM48) served by the dollop from a copper pan. It really does seem like tiramisu is the current golden child of the food world, with establishments big and small putting out great renditions of this Italian classic.

IL Forno’s tiramisu leverages all-Italian ingredients from Lavazza espresso and savoiardi to the creamy mascarpone, and I expected nothing less from Chef Enzo’s passion. This pick-me-up was so good that we had two whole servings of it.

Profitteroli, Amarena Fabbri (RM38) was served as a trio of golden choux pastry filled with vanilla soft serve and Amarena Fabbri cherries in the middle provided an aromatic fruitiness that contrasted the creamy ice cream.

The drizzle of milk chocolate over top was a nice touch, but the soft serve was a little on the icy side, which is not my personal preference. I’d stick to the excellent tiramisu in future visits.

Bevande

IL Forno has an extensive beverage programme of wines from Italy and beyond, spirits, craft cocktails and zero-proof options. I’m a cocktail man through and through, so naturally I zeroed in on the cocktail list.

The Amalfi (RM65) was a massive quencher made with limoncello, Terriderai Prosecco DOCG Brut and soda water; incredible and fragrant from the Mediterranean citrus liquor. An easy drink that paired beautifully with the antipasti.

For dessert, an Espresso Martini (RM50) was the obvious choice with both the tiramisu and chocolate-covered profiteroles. My partner pointed out my affinity for this drink and I was in no position to deny it! The martini doubled down on the caffeine with both full-bodied espresso and coffee liquor, potent enough to give me palpitations after—no complaints here though.

The bottom line is: IL Forno is an Italian restaurant worth braving rush hour-Golden Triangle traffic for an excellent dinner experience that honestly does not break the bank.

An easy recommendation, I am already thinking of my next trip to Hyatt Centric KLCC—also no thanks to an immersive tour of the hotel’s gorgeous rooms and amenities. Thank you to the Hyatt Centric team for an amazing evening.

IL Forno
Level 19,
Hyatt Centric City Center Kuala Lumpur
17 Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Operation Hours: 6.30AM–10.00PM daily
Instagram | Website | Food Menu | Drinks Menu
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