PREGO @ The Westin KL

Viva Italia for a bubbly Sunday

13 September, 2019

Sunday morning dawned. Am particularly upbeat as I’m headed to Sunday brunch with champagne with My Best Friend and others.

Prego at The Westin is bustling with cheer even as I walk in and immediately see a table set with giant buckets of ice in which bottles of Moet & Chandon, wine and proscecco are chilling.

Right next to this is the dessert table, laden with delectable choices of cakes and pastries.

Oh, I see MBF and friends already seated with glasses of welcome juice in hand. I skip over and let the Cheers begin.

Prego’s Sunday Brunch is reputed for its selection of Italian antipasti and home-styled dishes by Italian Chef Marco De Cecco. In addition, there’s a seafood on ice and a sizzling barbecue going on at the verandah.

Cheese, cheese and more cheese

Macaroni Pasta Salad, Pesto with Pine Nuts, Feta Cheese, Cherry Tomato and Fresh Basil (top row)
and Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Salad

We start with the antipasti. There’s Macaroni Pasta Salad, Pesto with Pine Nuts, Feta Cheese, Cherry Tomato and Fresh Basil and Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Salad, which I have second helpings of.

Panzanella Toscana Salad

Sicilian Caponala with bread croutons

Spinach Frittata

Squid & Shrimps with mayo dressing

Eggs and Asparagus

There’s also Mushroom Soup, Spinach Frittata, Sicilian Caponala with bread croutons, Squid & Shrimps with mayo, Cured Salmon and plates of Pepperoni and Turkey Salami as well as Egg & Asparagus topped with tobiko.

The Panzanella Toscana Salad, comprising chopped toasted bread with finely sliced onion, cherry tomato and sweet basil, is delicious but even better is Semi-Dried Roma Tomato with added anchovies to give it a little perk.

Burrata, Mozzarella and a starter plate of small bites

Chef Marco adds a little drama with his special
burrata and mozzarella on dry ice

A whole table is devoted to cheese – Gorgonzola, Paramigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Taleggio and Goat Cheese. In another corner, we see fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and Burrata. In case you wonder if you should take some, ask and wait for Chef Marco to prepare his specials of mozzarella and creamy-centred burrata drizzled with balsamic vinegar and served on dried ice for a little touch of brunchtime drama.

Actually, the waiting staff comes around at constant intervals to bring special offerings from the kitchen, such as polenta with caramelised onions, thin crust pizza with salami/pepperoni and a stunning crab risotto.

Not only that but they also come around with cocktail surprises such as Rosemary Gin.

Pepperoni pizza, fresh from the oven

Crabilicious risotto, a la Prego

Polenta with caramelised onion on top

Seafood on ice with scallops and oysters shucked and crab claws shelled for good measure

I keep going back to the Seafood on Ice for Half-Shell Scallop, Tiger Prawn, Mussels, Oyster and mini Mud Crab Claw, shelled. The Tiger Prawn is my firm favourite. These are so fresh, crunchy and sweet. 

Udang Galah on the grill.... can you just smell the aroma? 

Roasted Whole Tiger Groupers with roasted potato and vegetables

Grilled chicken or leg of lamb?

Foot long lamb sausages

Skewers, Italian style

Barbecued short ribs in gravy

Outside, chefs are busy at the cooking station,  grilling choices of Beef Tagliata Style, Lamb Sausage, Fresh Water Prawns (Udang Galah) and Arrosticini (Italian style chicken and tomato skewers). Next to the grill are ready Roasted Whole Tiger Grouper, Chicken and Leg of Lamb with sidekicks of roasted potato and vegetables including carrot, peppers and zucchini as well as Braised Beef Cheek and BBQ Short Ribs simmering in claypots.

Part of the dessert spread

Oh, wait… don’t forget dessert. There are all kinds of cakes, pastries, cookies and pudding as well as fresh fruit. To be honest, I really couldn’t find tummy space for much more despite the tempting spread.

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PREGO RESTAURANT (pork-free)

The Westin Kuala Lumpur

199 Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL 

Telephone

+603-2731 8333 

Opening Hours

Sunday Brunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm

Promotion

Viva Italia Sunday Brunch is priced at RM188 nett. Add RM160 nett to enjoy free flow of red wine, white wine, proscecco, draught beer, special cocktails, soft drinks and chilled juices. Add RM260 nett to enjoy free flow Moet & Chandon champagne and all the available drinks.