WHY GO
Fresh from a makeover that has breathed a touch of modernity into its vast dining area, be spoiled for choice as up to eight food stations offer tempting and unparalleled variety to satisfy any and all appetites.
Perhaps start with the most familiar, the Asian station, which consists of three subsections: The noodles station, the oriental section and an Indian theatre kitchen that serves up everything from roti canai to tandoori chicken. Next, pop over to the Japanese station to sample their fresh sushi and sashimi. Western may well be the most frequented section and features a wide selection of meats cooked in varied ways. From braised chicken, grilled lamb, poached duck, to grilled vegetables, this is the stop to balance out and complete your plate and palate.
Freshly cooked pasta made to order, churned out alongside a constant production of delicious pizza by a wood-fired oven make the pasta and pizza stations another not-to-be-missed food destination.
Save some room for the dessert bar, for it serves up all manner of delectable sweet indulgences to complete the meal, from cakes, pastries to ice cream. The chocolate lava cake, with its gooey, molten chocolate filling is to die for.
This hidden jewel in the suburb of Bangsar offers up artistic flair in its geographically diverse menu, not unlike the famous painter it’s named after.
Fusion is how the restaurant describes its bill of fare, and the range does indeed roam the world. A classic, such as creamy wild mushroom cappuccino, is everything it’s built up to be. Lashings of creaminess and the meatiness of the mushrooms makes it even more telling that they put a (V) for vegetarian next to it on the menu.
A superb main course is the signature grilled New Zealand lamb rack. The degree of cooking is spot on and the mint sauce is enlivened considerably by the gentle heat of chilli. As pork is a veritable raison d’être for this outlet, the Iberico tenderloin is a good alternate choice for mains. It is sensationally matched with a truffle-infused potato mash.
In the dessert side, Leonardo’s takes pride in serving old favourites, generally pepped up with the house ice cream. Even in plain vanilla flavour, the Forty Licks raises the bar considerably.