Livello Uno, A Most Pleasant Family Outing Place, Affordable Italian by Celebrity Chef Mashad Pino

It was one of those rare Saturday nights when I had nothing on, no parties to attend, and the kids were free as well (usually they hang out with their cousins on Saturday night), so I thought I'd use the Entertainer App and scour around for good deals.  The kids had chosen "Italian" as the cuisine of choice for the night, and one of the search results was Livello Uno in TTDI.  I knew I'd seen the name somewhere, I just couldn't place it.

When I searched the net, lo and behold, it turns out that it's actually been a place I've been meaning to check out, BECAUSE the Chef, is my Instapal, ie, Instagram friend (the modern day equivalent of a penpal I guess), Chef Mashad Pino, who is a celebrity chef who appears in quite a lot of places.  So the decision was made, and off to TTDI the troops went.

Love the simple whimsical decor that really gives a sense that this was indeed your neighbourhood family restaurant to go to, unpretentious, and welcoming....

This cheesy Spinach crepe was a fabulous starter, simple, but so tasty.  Daughter had this for mains in fact.  Very reasonably priced, if memory serves me correctly, around RM13...

I loved my homemade tomato soup, which was tangy, and just the right consistency, and further embellished with dots of black pepper.

Baby girl ordered this Beef Lasagna, which was a generous portion, and I was wondering how a petite thing like her would be able to finish it, but finish it she did.

Generous amounts of cheese and beef with a good helping of tomatoes.  I didn't taste this, but judging from the way the little girl finished it, it must have been good.

Boy had the pan seared sea bass, which looked good.  Anyway, this is the son who is passionate about cooking, so if it wasn't good, he'd have had something to say.  He gave the thumbs up.

Kids shared this pepperoni pizza, which okay, to me, was rather ordinary....I liked the thin crust though.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Vongole, which had a spicy kick to it, and the clam juices were sweet ...Finished the whole dish in a jiffy, including the clammy juices like a nice broth.

The other boy had this beef carbonara, (or I think it's called Creamy Beef), which looked good, but at my age, I can never finish an entire carbonara myself.  Boy proclaimed in his usual way, DEEEELISHOS...

Wifey ordered grilled chicken, which I thought was a strange choice.  Well, chicken is chicken, can't really go wrong there...

But of course, the highlight for me was meeting Chef Mashad Pino, finally.  He's definitely up and coming, slated to have his own show on RTM 1.  We were bemoaning the rapidly increasing price of raw ingredients thanks to our shrinking ringgit, and the constant challenges in the F&B industry here. And actually, his pricing IS very reasonable, if I recall, all the pasta dishes are below RM30, and the most expensive item is RM48.

Obviously, the place is Pork free and Alcohol Free.  (though he did give me a conspirational wink and said I was welcome to bring my own wine).

Come and check out the pastas at Livello Uno


Address: 165 A, Jalan Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone: +60 3-2856 0345

Le Midi, BSC

To the uninformed illiterate like me, Midi is probably something in between a Mini and a Maxi. I think those were names of dressing styles when I was growing up. If I recall, it also refers to the size of a beer glass, in Australia, where words rarely exceed two syllables, and if they did, are truncated to two. A certain number of midis would put you above the breathalyser limit.

However, LeMidi doesn't refer to anything quite so frivolous, but actually a geographical region in Southern France that covers the Pyrenes to the Ryon Alps. If you dont believe me, check out the Wikipedia entry HERE.

Again, I had already read about it on the definitive KL fine dining blog, EatDrinkKL, and with an intro like "Le Midi opened on 10/10/10, instantly becoming BSC's most romantic restaurant", I was rather chuffed to get an invite from Dinesh of BRDB to dine at Le Midi. Not because of the romantic aspect, I have about as much romantic inclination in me as a balitong, but because of the stunning review by Sean...and if HE says it's good, well....

Now, strangely enough, I inadvertently bumped into the owner, Melissa Groot, a lovely, gregarious friendly classy lady, in an upscale pet grooming shop in Bangsar, whereby the owner Carol introduced us. When Carol mentioned, "oh, my friend here has just opened a new restaurant in BSC", I immediately said "OOOH, LE MIDI!". Very karmic.

This display of live jellyfish I have to say is MESMERIZING. Melissa has spared no expense to make Le Midi a place with one of the most gorgeous ID amongst all the outlets in BSC as can be seen with this unique display of Cnidaria...very alienlike, I could almost feel them trying to communicate. "Greetings greedy earthling, don't mind us as we observe your feeding habits"





Obviously the aliens hadn't landed yet when Sean was there, since he made no reference to it.

The classy interior of Le Midi makes it an ideal place for an exclusive party, and the little lounge area is perfect for small groups to chill, while admiring a stunning KLCC view.




The Monkey swims amongst the Medusae...Shall we just call it the Sea Monkey











Amuse Bouche..some chick pea tapenade and a lovely refreshing raita kind of combination.


Seafood Platter, or Fruit de mer Frutti di Mare. Yes, it tastes as good as it looks. Super fresh seafood, from the Aegean to the Altantic, and even from our local shores. Amazingly fresh lobster from the Mediterranean, plump, juicy oysters that make those from the buffet lines taste like erasers in comparison. Fresh and flavourful clams, that look like Lala on steroids, but oh so good. And the tinier shells, I forget what they're called, but reminiscent of our Balitongs, and so delicate.


An array of chilli sauce and the most wonderful homemade mayonnaise accompany this mouthwatering bonanza of sea creatures. The only thing missing from this platter was possibly the Little Mermaid, but she's from the Baltic Sea I believe.


I swear you could still taste the brine of the Mediterranean in the lobster. It was THAT fresh.


Lobsters are great to play with, especially when they're dead.


Another of life's little luxury, Echire butter that made Monkey smile like a Cheshire cat. How does one go back to eating normal butter after this creamy luxury? And the worst thing is, you can't really buy them off the supermarket shelves here.


Foie Gras pate. Smooth, silk and rich, melt in the mouth pate. Fabulous stuff, paired with the Marque De Riscal Sauvignon, a Rueda region wine, that has a floral aroma and lightens the entire experience in what could be otherwise quite heavy.


An unexpected encounter with local celebrity Chef, who needs no introduction. Our LilFatMonkey is friends with him, so we managed to hob nob a bit.


Carpaccio, apparently named after the Venetian Painter from 1930s at Harry's Bar. Raw beef, sliced to microscopicly thin slices, that just melt in the mouth.





Ceviche de Pescado, thinly sliced fish, served raw, "cooked" in the juices of the tangy dressing. A visual feast no doubt.


Bouillabaisse, originally a fisherman's dish from leftover seafood scraps, it has risen from its humble beginnings to become quite the gourmet's broth. The soup is like a thick bisque, full of marine flavours, and screams out for more bread with that lovely Echire butter. Except we were quite full by the time this dish arrived.


The lady Melissa herself, the epitome of elegance and grace, having a tete a tete with her Chef.


A lovely creme brulee, infused with that fabulous aroma of orange blossom. Possibly one of the best creme brulees I've had east of the Suez canal.


More people grabbing the opportunity to pose with the celebrity.


Traditional Tiramisu. Generous dousing of alcohol with the sponge at the bottom. Good old traditional fare.

Le Midi offers a wide variety of wines to pair with their extensive menu.

Well, fabulous ambience, stunning views of the city, great food, fairly easy parking... if they can maintain their quality and consistency, I have no doubt this restaurant will become the one of the more popular fine dining outlets in the area.

A special thanks to Melissa for hosting us, and to Dinesh of BRDB for inviting us. Hope to be back soon.

Le Midi is open daily, and closes late at night, for the party people.

Il Lido

There seems to be a few "Il" whatevers popping up. Il Divo, Il Lido, Il Primo. Now, if the Ministry of Education were to set up a restaurant, it would be called Il Literate, and if MACC were to set up one, it'll be Il Legal. The President of MCA's restaurant is called Il Licit. Of course, if I were to set up one, it'll be called Il Lustrious. Ahem!

Il Lido has been touted as "could be the best Italian restaurant in KL" but food cognoscenti, Sean Yoong of Eat Drink KL. With such rare accolade, of course, I was thrilled therefore to have been able to dine there TWICE so far, once for Bald Eagle's Surprise Birthday Dinner (which I've yet to blog about), and once for an invited review, organised by our Makan- Fairy Godmother, as A Lil Fat Monkey calls her. I'm not sure if that term is endorsed by Marian or not.

We were greeted by the warm and bubbly Lyla, who is the PR Lady of the place. Il Lido hails from Singapore, (and therefore it must be good la right?).


They serve a lovely herbed bread, with olive oil and balsamico, but I being the uncultured peasant that I am, prefer my bread with butter. You have to be careful not to overgorge yourself with this bread, as it's so delicious.


The amuse bouche. I love the way that microscopic piece of salmon is placed on that gigantic plate. It's like how Seri Perdana in Putrajaya is way too big for just the PM. However, the salmon was a lovely teaser to the feast that ensued.


A platter of Parma Ham, Rock Melon and Balsamic. Lovely thin strips of parma. There's something magical about the combination of the sweet rockmelon, and parma. I know its quite a normal combo, but whoever thought of it first, must have been quite a genius.


Rucola Salad with Pecorino Cheese, Walnut and Pear. Walnuts also seem to be the natural marriage partner with pears. Its seemed written in the stars. I'm not sure what Rucola is, but it tasted like some baby spinach.


Crab Salad With Avocado and Bisque Jelly. I love crab, and anything with PEELED crab, provided it doesnt have that freezer after taste, is always welcome. Such a pretty looking starter as well.


Spinach and Endive Salad With Golden Egg & Red Onion Compote. The highlight for me was the fried egg, runny yolk on the inside, while the albumen forms a natural sac protecting the liquid gold within.


Baked Eggplant and Mozarella Cheese...a mini mousakka, almost.


Pan Seared Foie Gras with Saba Wine Must and Sweet Potatoes. I have to say that for RM59, it is a generous slab of foie gras, and seared to perfection as well. Totally melt in the mouth, the subtle sweetness of the saba wine must and balsamic in union with the sinful diseased liver, ah, we are close to heaven.


Porcini Mushroom Cream With Truffle. I've only ever heard about such things, I hear they serve a lovely version in Senses, but with no yardstick to compare, I thought this was divine. I think when I return, I shall just have this soup, the foie gras, and their BREAD!


I didnt take many human pictures this time, as I was totally engrossed in the food, but this particular one, juxtaposed against that unique background, makes for a nice shot. Of course the subjects are also photogenic.


Rigatoni with Suckling Pig, Porcini Mushrooms and Truffle. Oh my gawd, if you like rich stuff, go for this dish. It's simply choking with goodness, but it is really too rich for me. Two pieces and I felt like I was about to do a Cheras Pomelo. Bits of luscious sucking pig, in a rich creamy based sauce fill the rigatoni, the way plaque would fill your artery.


Pumpkin Tortellini with Sage. Lovely homemade pasta, so refined and yet comforting.


Linguine With Jumbo Sea Prawns. The prawns were succulent and fresh, and okay, I think THIS dish, I could eat myself. (But not if I've had the Foie and Truffle Cream).
Good old pasta, this one, though it is gourmet.





Wagyu Beef Cheek with Celeriac Puree and fava beans. The beef was worthy of its wagyu status, tender, but there was one element in the sauce that seemed to overpower the dish, which we couldn't quite place.





For the pork lover, this is a must have dish. Sardinian Suckling Pig with Plum Sauce. If Sardinia itself didn't sound exotic enough on its own, this dish conjures up images of Marco Polo returning from his travels in China, and introducing this palatial dish in his hometown. Crispy crackling, a lovely layer of fat, and the tenderest of meat.


Red Snapper Fillet With Egg plant Caviar. Honestly, by this time, my palate had ceased to function, as the brain cried out to the tummy, ENOUGH ENOUGH. Looked healthy and tasty enough.



But there's always room for dessert. Some gelato...


A gorgeous panna cotta, creamy, firm, not overly wobbly...encased in a picturesque sugar net. Such effort people take to decorate their desserts.



Four types of creme brulee, all good.


Classic Tiramisu.


Molten Chocolate Cakes.

What can I say, but WOW, what a meal. I am inclined to agree with Sean's appraisal of the situation, and having dined here twice, (once as a paying guest...well, I didnt pay, but the hostess paid), and once for an invited review, both times have been beyond expectations.

Thanks Lyla for being a gracious host, and Marian for inviting.

Il Lido is situated right across the Aussie High Commission, on Jln Yap Kwan Seng. Tel: 21612291.