A classically Italian Culinary Journey
After a decade of great success in bringing honest Italian delicacies to the Singaporean fine dining scene, Ristorante Da Valentino has recently opened in Jakarta, carrying the same original vision and DNA of Chef Valentino. The family-style Italian restaurant is designed to very much resemble an Italian home, with a relaxing and cosy ambience and authentic Italian cooking from the heart.
Chef Valentino envisions a very Italian ristorante, where guests sit together at the table and share the hearty food that is prepared meticulously and promises honest goodness from the heart. Using only premium ingredients and sublime techniques to recreate the family recipes and his personal creations, Ristorante Da Valentino was started by the family and it is intended to be preserved as the family’s legacy as well.
Located on the 11th floor of MD Place building, the restaurant promises a scenic view of busy downtown Jakarta, especially if you’re seated at the tables by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Diners coming in the evening can fully take in the night lights of Jakarta’s skyscrapers on the horizon.
Interior wise, Ristorante Da Valentino places red velvety chairs against white, neatly pressed table linens, with fresh roses on the table for that added dash of intimacy. Upon noticing the raw brick walls and metal garden fences I could not but imagine myself dining in a semi-outdoor terrace within a luxurious mansion complex somewhere in Italy.
Visiting the elegant dining area for the first time, the impressive hand-painted wall murals caught my attention immediately. These life-like works of art were created by L.K. Bing, an Indonesian artist from Surabaya. From cobblestone bridges crossing a tranquil river to a peaceful village nestled at the foot of a majestic mountain on a verdant, grassy plain, it is as if the murals welcomed me to a different place in a different time – and a better one at that.
Some of the most popular dishes at Ristorante Da Valentino include the ravishingly iconic Burrata cheese appetizer. The delicious dish contains a large sphere of fresh Burrata, cherry tomatoes and a myriad of purple and green lettuce, making for a very fresh dish rich in flavours. As I savoured each bite of the creamy, imported Burrata, I was enraptured by the the consistent juiciness of the cheese and the overall balance of the dish. This dish is best enjoyed the Italian way—shared among friends over a glass of fine wine.
Another popular dish is the Sicilian-styled snapper fillet with white wine and tomato sauce, traditional Italian risotto cooked with squid ink and porcini mushrooms in a very healthy olive oil, garlic and chilli, finished with a touch of white truffle oil.
I also tried the fettuccine granchio, which is signature squid ink fettuccine with crab meat in creamy pink tomato sauce, and the linguini aglio olio con gamberone—a king prawn pasta in very healthy olive oil, garlic and chilli sauce. Chef Valentino added fresh seafood toppings to his aglio oglio, making it a unique combination that is to die for.
Fine wine is an integral part of a hearty Italian dining experience, and as such, all of the Italian wine selections at Ristorante Da Valentino are hand-picked by Chef Valentino himself, and are the perfect complement to the chef’s cooking style.
Finishing off the exquisitely delightful experience of the evening is the dessert. Over at Ristorante Da Valentino, a lot of thought is put into the desserts. The tiramisu, for example, comes in a dessert glass and the smooth texture is pure bliss. The added Kahlua among the mascarpone adds a flavourful kick that I just could not get enough of. Needless to say, I finished the tiramisu all too fast.
Another delectable dessert is the chocolate lava cake. Upon grazing the surface of the chocolate cake, warm and sweet dark chocolate came gushing out like a river of brown lava. I had declared myself full after finishing the tiramisu, but when they sliced this chocolate lava cake, next thing I knew my eyes were fixed on the oozing chocolate and a dessert spoon was in my hand. The cake did not last long.
Ristorante Da Valentino is not positioning itself as a fine dining restaurant, but it strives to be the best authentic Italian, serving only the finest to patrons who know and can appreciate the values that the chef himself envisions. Coming to Ristorante Da Valentino, you can expect a very classically Italian dining experience with a welcoming atmosphere and top-notch cuisine.
(www.valentino-id.com)
