Top In Asia | Natalina Italian Kitchen's summer specials: A seasonal sojourn through salmon, saffron and sunshine

A Mediterranean summer unfolds at Natalina Italian Kitchen, where head chef Stefano Maria La Penna leans on his country’s regional traditions for a sun-soaked culinary showcase.

Served solely for this season, Natalina’s summer specials taste of basil crushed near the Ligurian coast, saffron shimmering in the Abruzzese highlands, tomatoes ripening around Rome and ricotta tucked into crisp Sicilian pastry shells.

From red prawn battuto to salmon ravioli, hand-cut pasta to charred lamb, pistachio cannoli to bomboloni with lemon custard, Natalina by the Cinnamon Group leads the way for experiencing Italy’s summer in KL.

Antipasti sketch a lively portrait of summer: Seafood at its sweetest, vegetables touched by flame, saffron and herbs harnessed generously and gorgeously.

Begin with Natalina’s Battuto Di Gamberi Rossi: Fresh red prawn flesh and head butter, finely worked into a supple battuto mince, perfumed with pesto to bring together island-style marine sweetness with a basil herb garden, lined with a Parmesan tuile for saline snap.

For Capesante, Zucchine E Zafferano, Hokkaido scallops with a caramelised surface meet a beautifully bright saffron sauce, harnessing the ‘red gold’ of Abruzzo for floral opulence, finished with grilled zucchini seasoned with parsley and garlic for delightful depth in delicacy.

Persico in Pastella is the most playful of the opening plates: White European fish fillets, tenderly encased in a saffron panure crumb, enriched with smoked red capsicum sauce, caramelised onions and rocket, combining the northern Italian lake country cooking of Lombardy with Mediterranean vegetables.

Natalina’s summer pastas prove perfect for heartwarming leisurely lunches.

Ravioli Di Salmone, Pesto E Pomodori Arrosto represents the season lushly: House-made parcels packed with ricotta and smoked salmon, fragrant with fresh green basil pesto, with sun-dried tomato powder for flashes of ripe acidic allure.

Minestra Di Ceci E Branzino recalls chef Stefano’s Abruzzeze roots, with classic hand-cut pasta combined with chickpeas, mantis shrimp and red snapper in a light fish stock enriched with kitchen-simmered tomato sauce. Rustic produce cooked with flair and finesse, echoing timelessly toward Abruzzo’s mountain and coast.

Pasta Alla Zozzona embraces an exuberant appetite, coating Rome’s rigatoni in tomato sauce with a robust emulsion of egg yolk and cheese, folding in duck breast bacon for cured meat indulgence layered on savoury-smooth glossiness.

For a summertime grill, order Salmone In Crosta Di Patate, plump salmon that’s crisply potato-crusted on creamy green pea purée with briny black olive tapenade and garlic crumble for vibrant flavours and textures, and Costatine Di Agnello, Patata E Mais, returning to central Italy’s pastoral landscape with charred lamb rack, rounded out with grilled corn, mashed potatoes, baby cabbage and lamb jus for a contemporary taste of shepherding traditions.

Sicily and Tuscany’s cherished staples shine for a sweet finish.

Cannoli Di Ricotta E Pistacchio offers handcrafted pastry shells enclosing cool ricotta cream, showered with pistachios for roasted richness, while Bomboloni Alla Crema promises pillowy Italian doughnuts, comforting with lemon custard for citrus lift.