Note: il Lido has since become a pork free restaurant. This is a review of the restaurant before the change.

October 2010

Not so long ago, it was fiendishly difficult to scratch one’s itch for good Italian chow in KL. Happily however, the roulette wheel of food trends has once again landed on the Italian food card and it’s now easier to score some top-notch food from Fellini’s country. The latest to join the growing roster is il Lido, and it could well be the heir to the throne, not least because it has all the trademarks of a restaurant that knows where its priorities lie. From the deliberately restrained setting and Starck – pun fully intended– simplicity of the furniture, everything is geared towards showcasing the star of the show, and like any true icon, she does not disappoint.

From the Sardinian suckling pig – as exquisite to savour as it is tortuous
to prepare (several hours’ confit time, chilling, pressing, grilling and roasting
are just a few of the many steps said piggy undergoes before it winds up on
your pristine white plate) – to the capellini with sea urchin and buffalo milk ricotta (a virtuoso symphony of textures and a master class in subtlety, however, at the time of print, the restaurant has modified the dish slightly to become spaghetti with sea urchin), this is Italian food at its finest. Despite the guilt that tugged at my conscience, I had to try the panfried goose liver with a sweet potato galette and saba wine must. The liver was superb, with just the right amount of crisp and a silken centre that almost assuaged my hypocrisy.

But just as even the brightest star can be dimmed by a bad movie role, il Lido is only as good as the sum of its parts. Happily, they more than make the grade. The floor staff are well spoken, helpful in a not-disgustingly obsequious way and confident of making well-considered recommendations. A well considered wine list (about 300 labels from both the old and the new worlds) with some interesting Italian selections also goes a long way towards adding to the already considerable appeal of the restaurant. If the tremendous success of its ‘elder sibling’, the similarly monikered il Lido in Singapore’s Sentosa island, is any yardstick, I’m putting my money on the KL version making it onto the speed dial of every self-respecting foodie in town. Fay Khoo

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Awards

Il Lido was shortlisted in the Best New Restaurant category of the Time Out KL Food Awards 2010. The restaurant was also shortlisted for Best Italian Restaurant in 2011 and 2012. Our food awards are 100% voted for by the people of KL. This way, we guarantee that popularity and consistent performance is rewarded.

Food 40 is our monthly, definitive guide for where to eat in the Klang Valley. No entry into the Food 40 has provided any Time Out team member with a free meal or other incentive. If you have eaten somewhere that you think should rank amongst KL's top 40, email us and we'll check it out: editor@timeoutkl.com.