This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on September 23, 2015.

Since dining amid the sun-drenched Tuscan vines might only be an idyllic dream for most of us, Azzurro Café and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur has brought “Taste of Tuscany” right into the heart of Kuala Lumpur, offering an authentic gourmet treat that highlights the taste and flavours of this famous Italian region. 

A stylish spot to rest one’s feet — and indulge in authentic Italian cuisine — amid the shopping mall’s abundance of luxury retailers, Azzurro Café invited award-winning chefs Barbara Guadagnoli and Antonella Mercurio to curate a special menu that showcases the real “Cucina Toscana” or Tuscan cuisine experience.

And it is not just empty words, as Pavilion worked with the Italian Trade Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Arezzo Chamber of Commerce and Farmers Association of Tuscany to bring in all original and fresh ingredients directly from Tuscany. A prized item in particular is truffles flown in from the city of Arezzo, east of the region.

At its launch last week, the menu of dishes such as a canape platter of baked ricotta cheese with rosemary, tagliatelle truffles, Tuscan cheese and much more proved a gastronomic delight for guests. Taste of Tuscany: Amazing Arezzo is part of Pavilion’s Journey of Taste campaign, which invites shoppers to a full sensory food adventure.

The special Taste of Tuscany menu is available to the public at Azzurro Café on Level 2, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur until Sept 30. For more information, call (03) 2118 8833 or visit www.pavilion-kl.com.