Touch & Taste

Craving a perfect night out at a classy restaurant? Make a beeline to Jalan Damai where the city's latest Italian establishment has just opened up. Just over two months old, Tatto, meaning “a sense of touch” in Italian, is the labour of love from founders Tabetha, Yenti and Tom. The trio has had decades in the F&B business and are particularly knowledgeable when it comes to Italian restaurants, having spent most (if not all) of their careers working for various Italian establishments around town. Tatto represents the trio's next step forward in their long careers – being their own boss.

Tabetha says that she envisions her restaurant to be a place where guests feel at home; they can stay as long as they want with no pressure from the staff to leave. Well they've definitely got the ambiance right for a long linger over post-dinner coffee! Bathed in tones of red, black and deep browns, Tatto is simple but sophisticated, boasting ample space, warm lighting and friendly service from its crew. The cuisine, as the owners would describe it, is Italian but with a personal touch, harking back to the origins of the restaurant's name. The trio explain that everything in the menu can be customised and fine-tuned exactly to the customer's preference. “If you want cili padi, we'll give you cili padi. If you want your dish to have an Asian influence, we will do it. If you want carbonara (which is not available in the menu), we will make it. As long as if we have the ingredients in the kitchen, we will do what we can do,” Yenti promises.

There are also plans to turn the upstairs of Tatto into a wine lounge, with the possibility of hosting jazz performances and film screenings as well. In a location where they're hard pressed to satisfy many tastes, Tatto wants to be a one-stop wine, dine and lifestyle space where you can alight first for a drink at their bar, followed by a hearty meal and ending the night on a high with some entertainment upstairs. But right now, the focus is on the food as the trio is still working on getting that tuned to perfection. So what should you get if you drop by Tatto? The owners might decline to name their specialty, insisting that each customer is unique and prefers different dishes, we have it on good authority that their crab risotto and grilled Angus tenderloin is fab. But don't take our word for it—try it for yourself at their restaurant located at 19, Jalan Damai, off Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2166 5212. Open: 12pm–3pm, 6pm–late (last kitchen order at 11.45pm). Closed on Mondays.

Text & Photo Sarah Chan