O'Galito ... The Mediterranean Taste You'll Never Forget

For centuries, food critics and lovers have been waxing lyrical about the charm and the goodness of food within the celebrated Mediterranean realm. 

A region that stretches from the coast of Turkey right to Morocco, the Mediterranean countries are blessed with a unique climate and terroir that allow thriving growth of diverse fruits, vegetables, as well as fresh seafood that are later exported to all corners of the world, including the sunny shores of Malaysia. 

Recently, fans of KL’s gastronomic scene – one of the most happening food havens in Asia and the world – witnessed the arrival of a new Mediterranean food haven called O’Galito Mediterranean restaurant and bar. Located at the swanky Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, O’Galito boasts a fun yet relaxed atmosphere where patrons could eat delicious Mediterranean food and sample ingenious cocktails made using some of the finest brands of spirits in the market.

"We bring the best of traditional Mediterranean fares and drinks to our guests’ tables, together with a friendly Latin dose of fun,” says Simone Coletta, the F&B Director of O’Galito with great enthusiasm. “We always try to keep the ambience as casual as possible so that our guests feel welcome all the time...European Style!" 

And when the word traditional is uttered, anyone, even the most experienced gourmand can be well-assured that only the best and the freshest ingredients are used and sourced throughout the Mediterranean realm and the world. 

For example, the diverse offering of cheeses is freshly flown from Italy; quality cuts of meats are flown from Australia; and the fresh vegetables are locally and sustainably grown.     

Moreover, O’Galito’s well-edited menu of delicious Mediterranean gastronomic delights is engineered with precision and passion by Chef Domenico Piras. Half Italian and half Spanish, Chef Piras received his culinary diploma at the young age of 16, under the tutelage of Chef Mauro Ernesto, who is also known as the Godfather of Italian Food and among the first chefs in Italy to earn the storied Michelin star. 

After completing his intense training with Chef Ernesto, Chef Piras travelled the world and spread his magical culinary touch to countries such as Brunei, Libya, and Singapore, working for a host of world-class clients such as the royal family of Monaco, the President of Kazakhstan, and a coterie of Italian celebrities before making Malaysia his new home.

At its launch event to herald the official opening of the restaurant, five signature dishes were presented to the guests and members of the media with each dish reflects the inevitable goodness of Mediterranean ingredients, colours and flavours. 

Plato de Pescado, a platter of high-end seafood caught fresh from the pristine sea served as the opening of the gastronomic fiesta, followed by four main courses – Fillet de Filè (tender beef tenderloin served with fresh, oven-baked potatoes and grilled seasonal Mediterranean vegetables); Salmão (fresh grilled salmon with baked rosemary potatoes, crunchy asparagus and tangy mustard sauce); piri-piri chicken (a well-known dish that infuses the culinary influences of Africa and Portugal); and Impanata di pollo (breaded chicken a la Milanese served with fresh mixed salad and cherry tomatoes)

Last but not least is Chef Piras’ interpretation of the classic French dessert crème brûlée – rich vanilla custard topped with a thin layer of caramelised sugar. All these dishes were presented by five models dressed in fabulous ready-to-wear pieces and su misura suits by fashion designers Melvin Shah and Bon Zainal. The fashionable pieces too were crafted as wearable interpretations to the colours, the flavours and the styles of the signature dishes. DJ-spun Latino-infused music filled in every iota of space as waiters made their rounds serving delicious foods to the guests.

In between free-flowing drinks and foods, guests were treated to live flamenco performance at the start of the event followed by two Latino dance routines by beautiful dancers, thus firing up the infusion of Latin-Mediterranean passion among guests in the evening.

Signature dishes aside, there’s also an array of scrumptious pizza – a notable yet atypical Mediterranean dish – baked in stone oven as well as a selection of pastas and pork-free tapas ― best to be enjoyed with glasses of good aged wines from the storied bodegas of the Mediterranean terroir.  

O'Galito Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar is available for private and corporate functions, which seats 100 people comfortably and 180 people standing.

*Photos courtesy of O’Galito

O’Galito – C3-05-00, Connection Level 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Shopping Mall, 55100, Kuala Lumpur.