Having heard of Favola's reputation as one of KL's top Italian dining establishments, we were ecstatic to sample some of Favola's popular dishes over dinner last weekend.
On the whole: The food did not disappoint but more was expected from the dining experience, especially considering the establishment's reputation and price point.
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| Complimentary bread and grissini (breadsticks) with dips. |
After placing our order, we were given an assortment of bread and grissini to start with. Service was a little lukewarm and we were not told about what we were being served (nor were the specials explained to us.) Though a quick taste revealed that the dips were a creamy truffle, balsamic and olive oil, and a hearty, herby tomato puree. More balsamic with the oil would've been nice. The breads were very fresh, cracking open to a steamy, pillowy centre.
*A tiny gripe with service was when we asked to see the dessert menu and was given one menu to share between us. Waitstaff also took away the wrong cutlery when setting our table for the meal, leaving us with no knife for the appetiser and a soup spoon for the next course in its place!
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| Salmon and sea bass carpaccio, MYR56. |
We started with a cold antipasto of fish carpaccio topped with salmon roe, caviar, toasted pine nuts, Hawaiian salt, micro-cress salad, parsley sauce, and extra virgin olive oil. Very refreshing to the palate and a generous amount for two diners, this dish would be faultless save for the slight over-saltiness from the salmon roe overpowering the palate.
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| Classic gragano orecchiette, MYR44. |
This was my favourite dish of the evening! The orecchiette provided mouthfuls of chewiness and the accompanying tomato sauce had layers of flavour. The broccoli pieces went well with the pasta, making a good alternative to rapini (a leafy vegetable with stems similar to broccoli) usually used in a traditional orecchiette recipe from Apulia (a region of Southern Italy). The aged pecorino shaves provided some much needed sharpness and saltiness to the dish, and went well with the sauce. Pecorino is made from sheep's milk and usually aged for 8 months.
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| Sardinian seafood "Pingiadedda" and fregula pasta, MYR148. |
The look on my face when this arrived was that of dismay. This is the antithesis of any good Italian seafood stew! Having looked at pictures of this from other reviews, I was gobsmacked that this was even allowed to leave the kitchen as it is definitely watered down. Just look at the thinned broth.
My dining partner also commented that the shellfish was gritty from being inadequately cleaned. Having studied recipes of authentic Italian seafood stews, sampling the dish at other establishments, and having made one myself, this is simply not worthy and certainly not worth that price tag. I am guessing that this was made by an inexperienced member of staff and not by the Sardinian head chef as the chef came around the dining room and chatted a little with each table; he's clearly experienced and passionate about his food but doesn't get to cook every dish. Plus points for the dish would be the amazing cod fish chunks that were indeed very fresh. Order the cod as your main over this to prevent disappointment.
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| Cassata, MYR42. |
I'll always order this dish when it's on the menu. The Cassata is a dessert that consists of cake sponges layered between cheese or ice-cream, with variations depending on where in Italy the recipe is from. It is usually filled with nuts, fruits, and even liqueur. It pains me to say this but Favola's version was a letdown. Perhaps this is simply one variation of the cassata that I don't agree with? Favola's version has a Neapolitan of pistachio, vanilla, and strawberry ice-cream with layers of sponge on the top and bottom. It has marzipan-like icing on the outer layer and a nougat of fruit and pistachios in the centre, and accompanied by a berry compote on the side. The best cassata I've had in KL is at another Italian restaurant and it is less sweet, has Marsala wine infused in the sponge; and costs so much less.
We will likely return to sample more of the menu and hopefully by then, the newly-appointed Chef Domenico and his team would've had ample time to iron out the kinks and improve service standards.
