Via Pre Penang

Via Pre Penang (19 October 2016)


Via Pre Penang (GPS: 5.4193, 100.34137) is an Italian restaurant on Penang Street, in George Town, Penang. It is one of two Via Pre restaurants in the country, with another in Kuala Lumpur. Formerly located along Weld Quay, Via Pre Penang moved to this location in July 2016. The restaurant occupies a two-storey shophouse across from Sentral Tower.

My wife and I had the pleasure of dining at Via Pre on 19 October, 2016. Our visit was arranged by its former manager, Mr Maurizio Ranauro, who is now based in Kuala Lumpur. Mr Ranauro arranged with Via Pre Penang's manager Mr Paul Hoong and Chef Luca Nobile to host us.

Our meals at Via Pre Penang

Via Pre Penang (19 October 2016)


Via Pre Penang (19 October 2016)


My wife and I at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


Men In Black: Here I am (right), with Via Pre Penang's Chef Luca Nobile (left) and restaurant manager Paul Hoong (centre). (19 October 2016)


As with our previous visit, a trip to Via Pre is a total immersion in authentic Italian cuisine. As soon as we arrived, we were warmly received and ushered to our table, which has been reserved for us for the evening.

Our meal began with a glass of Aperitivo Spritz each (RM27.00++) This is a beverage that is taken before one starts the meal. The Italian Spritz aperitivo comprises Prosecco white wine, Aperol, soda and orange slice.


The Aperitivo Spritz. (19 October 2016)


Me with the Aperitivo Spritz. (19 October 2016)


Next comes the bread basket. Chef Luca has prepared for us an assortment of various Italian breads. This is complimentary for every customer to the restaurant. Within the bread basket are white rustic bread, wholemeal bread, Focaccia and the Grissini breadsticks. Via Pre makes its own bread in its own oven fresh every morning. The breads are best taken with imported Italian extra virgin olive oil and imported Italian balsamic vinegar.


Assorted Italian breads freshly baked at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


Various types of Italian breads to be taken with imported Italian extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (19 October 2016)


After we have had the breads, only then did we have the starter, which was Salumi e Formaggi, or cold cuts and cheese (RM36.00++). On a sampling plate are various cold cuts including spicy salami, classic salami Napoli, Parma ham, Coppa Nostrana, Speck Tirolo and Porchetta ham. Accompanying the cold cuts are various cheese including Asiago, Gorgonzola (Italian blue cheese), Fontina, Taleggio and Toma bergamasca. These are decorated with Italian olive and semi dried tomato.

Salumi e Formaggi at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


Pasta is next on the menu. For our meal this evening, Via Pre is serving us Pappardelle al rogout di cinghiale (RM27.00++). This is Pappardelle pasta, a flat large band egg pasta with a wild boar ragout, which comprises onions, carrots, celery, wild boar meat, sausages, tomato sauce, red wine, aromatic herbs and mushrooms. The ragout is cooked slowly over a low fire for four hours until the meat is soft.

Pappardelle al rogout di cinghiale at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


About to dig into the Pappardelle al rogout di cinghiale. (19 October 2016)


The next item is pizza. Via Pre prepared for us a Buffalina pizza (RM36.00++), which is baked in an Italian stone oven over a heat of 360°C. Ingredients of this pizza include buffalo mozzarella, Parma ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano, cherry tomatoes and rocket salad, with a drenching of extra virgin olive oil.

The Buffalina pizza at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


By the time we got to the pizza, my wife and I were already starting to fill full, but there's still one more item for our meal, and that's the sausage. it is Salsiccia (RM55++), an Italian imported pork sausage that has been grilled and then served with sautéed garlic, chili, spinach, roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes and their inhouse homemade spicy sauce.

The Salsiccia at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


To go with the Salsiccia, we had a bottle of Merlot "Radaia" La Parrina IGT 2007 (RM350.00++). This is a red wine from Tuscany, Italy. This is a dense, rich and finely flavoured wine that goes well with the meal we were having that evening.

The Merlot "Radaia" La Parrina IGT at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


The dessert that evening was Il Tiramisù classico (RM21.00++), a tiramisu cake with Mascarpone cream (that is, cream made with eggs, mascarpone cheese and sugar), Savoiardi biscuits and Caffe Espresso. To make this cake, the Savoiardi biscuits are soaked inside the Espresso and then added the mascarpone cream. The finished item is then dusted with Valhrona cocoa powder. The ensemble is then topped with a strawberry. This is one of the most popular desserts at Via Pre Penang.

Il Tiramisù classico at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


To further satisfy our sweet tooth, Via Pre served us pralines made with dark chocolate and Grappa Moscato.

Dark chocolate Pralina with Grappa Moscato at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


And to complete our dinner, we each had a glass of Via Pre's homemade Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur that comes from Southern Italy. It is made of pure alcohol, lemon skin, water and sugar. The lemon skin is marinated in the alcohol for forty days, after which, syrup water and sugar are added, and this is left for another ten days before being bottled. Thus the Limoncello takes a total of 50 days to made. It has a sweet taste and a most wonderful aroma of the lemon, and provides a fitting closure to a truly memorable meal.

Overall it was an excellent meal. All the items were delicious. Perhaps my only issue is that I found most of the items rather on the salty side. Other than that, it's delicious.

Lemoncello at Via Pre Penang. (19 October 2016)


Our heartfelt thanks to Via Pre Penang for the wonderful dinner!

Address

Via Pre Penang
20E, Penang Street,
10200 George Town, Penang.
Phone: +60-4-2619 800 and 04 2620 560.

Opening Hours

Mondays to Thursdays, from 11:00am to 11:00pm
Fridays, from 11:00am to late night.
Saturdays, from 12:00 noon to late night.
Sundays, from 12:00 noon to late night.

Via Pre Penang is on the map of Penang Street

List of Italian Restaurants in Penang