Zenzero @ St Mary Place

Remember Andrea Zanella? The temperamental but terrific Italian chef who founded Chiaroscuro& later took charge at il Lido is back in action, now commanding the kitchen at the freshly unveiled Zenzero.

 

This understated, unfussy outlet seems set to nurture a placid presence at St Mary Residences; it's casually elegant, maintaining the spotlight on enjoyable food served by a hardworking team.

 

 With a chef like Zanella, everything's worth eating, but our top pick's the Ancona-style brodetto, a seafood soup that brims with fresher-than-expected octopus, mussels, clams, fish & shrimp. Beautifully satisfying.

 

At RM22+, it's the ideal illustration of how Zenzero's prices might be the fairest of them all. 

 

Baked spinach & gorgonzola cheese pie (RM24+). Crispy-creamy textures, mild-&-light flavours. Another pleasant starter that two can share.

 

Hearty, house-made fettuccine with a thick truffle sauce (RM38+). Pasta that provides pure pleasure & compelling comfort.

 

Baked gnocchi sorrentina (RM42+), carbs made cheesy with mozzarella, tangy with tomato sauce & buoyant with basil leaves.

 

Ravioli filled with Piedmontese beef (RM28+), robustly savoury.

 

 

Warm apple phyllo strudels with a stuffing of pine nuts, a thin coat of grappa sauce & a cool companion of raisin ice cream. RM18+.

 

Sicily's sweet pride, ricotta-choked cannoli fried pastries, to wrap up this feel-good lunch. 

 

Carte Rouge Bordeaux, Calvet (RM78+ by the bottle). Zenzero's cheapest wine is a well-chosen, earthy one. 

 

All in all, Zenzero's another fine F&B find at St Mary Residences; will we hear more about this outlet in 2014? Count on it.

 

Zenzero Restaurant & Wine Bar

A-0-9, St Mary Place, Jalan Tengah, Kuala Lumpur. Beside Delicious.

Currently open for lunch & dinner, Tuesdays through Sundays. Tel: 03-2022-3883