Fri, 2010-06-04 12:22 — admin

Tuck into a tantalizing treat at Delucca, where folded pizzas and pink pastas teased our palates and pleased our tastebuds.

Let me start by saying: I love Italian.

Food, I mean, not men. Although both are equally delectable, I am afraid only one of the two will be reviewed here - well, there was one Italian man involved... but that's not the point. Ahem.

Italian casual restaurant Delucca, which is located off Jalan Mesui and right behind Hotel Istana, offers some good, simple Italian fare, and a beautiful, rustic ambience.

We first tasted the Fantasia di Bruschette (price upon request as, it is not on the menu), which is an appetiser of sliced grilled bread with various different toppings, usually of tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms or beans. Here, we had five different toppings -none of which I could recognise save for a few- but they were all equally as delicious.

It was a simple start to the real deal: The Delucca Special Calzone (RM36), which is a folded pizza not unfamiliar to Malaysians, but Delucca boasts a variety very rarely seen in other Italian casual dining restaurants. The Delucca Special, which is a masterpiece of mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese with sundried tomatoes and mushrooms, can easily be shared between two. Eaten piping hot and with the cheese oozing out the corners, it is definitely a must-try.

 Next up, we had the Pasta Rosa (RM34), which is handmade pasta (all the pastas here are handmade) that is an unusual light pink, due to the tomato paste used in making the pasta. It glistened with a tomato-based sauce as well, and it was refreshing and light on the palate, making it a great contrast and complement to the rich cheeses of the pizza.

But where would we be without dessert? We were served a beautiful warm Peach Cake (RM20), which is sweet, soft, warm and topped with luscious cream and drizzles of caramel. Heck, just thinking about it makes me want to go there right now and finish off my already-terminally ill diet.

Ah, but it is only fair that I warn that a meal here will set you back a fair bit, with prices ranging from RM 30 and up for pastas and their specialty Calzone pizzas. There are also live jazz bands on weekends to get you in the mood, though there will be a small cover charge. There are also various promotions, offers and special deals that you can check out on http://www.delucca.com.my/.

All in all, Delucca is a great place for an easy and enjoyable dining experience.