FEATURES

Italian, the American way

Delicious spinach and artichoke dip served with garlic bread

The atmosphere is distinctly mod cafe but the food is unmistakably Italian, writes TAN BEE HONG.

Bread and butter pudding topped with ice cream and caramel

Grilled prawns on a bed of Caesar Salad

YOU can’t help but notice the huge green umbrellas as you stroll along the walkway between MidValley Megamall and The Gardens.

This is Spaghetti Grill (where Annalakshmi used to be) which opened in mid-May and is operated by TAS, which runs Chili’s Grill & Bar.

But unlike Chili’s which is a Tex-Mex kind of place, Spaghetti Grill leans towards Italian. “American Italian to be precise,” says Nor Esah Abd. Ghani, TAS purchasing and marketing manager. “Here, we focus more on pasta and pizza.”

She shows off the brick pizza oven right at the back of the spacious restaurant from where the smell of baking bread wafts through the premises. The interior is divided into four sections with “screens” of wine bottles. Smokers sit right out front while families love the comfortable red and green settee chairs in front. A long bar with barstools and all dominate the centre. Huge TV screens and mirror faux windows hang on the walls. It all adds up to re-create the trendy, American cafe image.

The menu is easy reading, with pictures to help guide us along. Sharing meals is encouraged as portions can be pretty huge for Asian appetites.

We start with Stuffed Mushrooms (RM17.95) served on a plate of creamy cheese sauce. The mushrooms are stuffed with Italian chicken sausage which is so soft it tastes like chicken mousse. Then it’s a Grilled Prawn Caesar Salad (RM25.95). The combination of crunchy romaine lettuce, red cabbage and croutons is tossed with a creamy dressing. The salad is topped with aromatic grilled prawns (thankfully shelled) and grated parmesan.

But what I really love is the Spinach & Artichoke Dip (RM22.95) served with toasted garlic bread and chopped tomatoes. The thick dip is made with chopped marinated artichoke hearts, spinach leaves, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and cream cheese. Spread it on the garlic bread and you get a riot of flavours teasing your palate with each bite.

As we’re told that pasta and pizza are hugely popular here, we ask for Salmon Fettucine (RM35.95) and Garlic Chicken Pizza (RM27.95). You’re advised not to linger over these two items. By the time photographer Rosela finished shooting the dishes, the alfredo sauce had thickened to a gooey mess and left the cubes of panfried salmon hard and overcooked.

As for the thin-crust pizza, the crust had turned chewy instead of crisp as it should be. I actually don’t mind as I find the topping combination of garlic and barbecue sauce interesting.

Spaghetti Grill also offers a Calzone (RM20.95) stuffed with beef or chicken, onions, bell peppers and mozarella cheese as well as Pepperoni Pizza (RM26.95) and a seafood Margherita Pizza (RM22.95).

As for pasta, Nor says seafood pasta is popular, so besides the meat sauces, you can get Spaghetti Marinara, Cream Dory Fettucine and Seafood Pasta.

Lamb Shank (RM33.95) is recommended. The shank is done the way I like it, tender but with enough bite to satisfy diners, unless you wear dentures. It comes with a small bowl of honey barbecue dip which I find a bit too sweet. There’s garlic toast, a generous dollop of mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables – enoki mushrooms, capsicum, string peas and broccoli.

Small tots get their own menu which includes a mini pizza, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, chicken drummets and a breaded chicken sausage on a stick, served with fries.

Unfortunately, vegetarians may find difficulty getting a square meal at Spaghetti Grill as simply omitting the meat and fish from the salad, pasta or pizza sounds like a poor option.

To end the meal, we had Bread and Butter Pudding (RM13.95), served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, Italian-style Cheese Cake with strawberry sauce and a divine Chocolate Fudge Cake.



SPAGHETTI GRILL

Lot G(E) 17

MidValley Megamall

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2287 2220

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