Osteria Emilia, Mont Kiara

Mont Kiara's new Osteria Emilia puts patrons in a Milanese state of mind: Inspired by generations-old Italian restaurants where marvellous meals and memories are made, Osteria Emilia honours the spirit and soulfulness of one of the world's most revered cuisines.

From Rome's saltimbocca to Milanese saffron risotto, Osteria Emilia burrows through the breadth of timeless Italian classics, with a name that pays twofold tribute to the casual cheer of osterias and the reputation of Emilia-Romagna as Italy's culinary heartland.

The space is striking, framed by ceiling-height wine buttresses that wrap customers in a warm embrace, gleaming gorgeously in sunshine from wide windows that overlook the leafy streets outside 163 Retail Park.

The mood is merry, but Osteria Emilia's kitchen is serious about its craft, shepherded by KL-born chef Kim, who has spent more than a dozen years in mainly Italian-focused venues in Malaysia and Singapore.

The menu is currently in chrysalis, with mighty carnivorous highlights like bistecca alla fiorentina and cotoletta still to come. But there's already enough to merit multiple visits.

Start with a splashy protein powerhouse, the Italian Salumi Plank, playfully perched on cans of Italian sun-dried tomatoes. The board is blanketed to bursting with the coolest of cold cuts: Prosciutto, mortadella pistachio ham, pork salami and beef bresaola, lined with Lombardy chillies, caper berries, olives, Pecorino cheese with chilli jam, and bocconcini cheese balls with tapenade, resembling the opener of an hours-long lunch under the Tuscan sun (RM52).

Also among the antipasti, the cantaloupe melon with prosciutto, figs, organic honey and mesclun salad showcases a vibrant presentation of a familiar sweet-savoury favourite (RM34), while the wood-fired sourdough bruschetta, topped thickly with tenderly marinated crab meat, guacamole and trout roe, evokes the modern Italian equivalent of an avocado toast (RM38).