It May Look Short & Square, But It Packs A Puff: Time To Try The 6 Restaurants On Ravioli Day

Yes, Ravioli Day exists—and these 6 restaurants are rolling out handcrafted raviolis you can celebrate with!

Curiously, National Ravioli Day exists. Which means, March 20th is as good an excuse as any to go to town on those pocketful pillows—though, truth be told, a pasta buff like myself hardly needs one. While the source of it is to this day up in the air (it dates back somewhere to the 14th century), ravioli is quite the staple that’s worth its own holiday.

It’s a day to honour the variety, versatility, not to mention diversity, in this singly small parcel. Of course, however you would wish to celebrate it is in your hands—trying homemade ravioli, tweaking the sauce, tossing in some sides, or… you can visit any local Italian restaurant for a full taste of originality. How about one—or several—of the six spots I have sealed for you?

1. Your next Italian deli or dining day

Bottega Mediterranea

Homemade pasta, stock, sauce, and what may be the finest olive oil to be extracted from Italy is what Bottega Mediterranea has lined up—besides quality cheese (in wedges or sliced) and cold cut meats. Deli to some, dining to others, on Ravioli Day, Bottega Mediterranea is the spot to go to.

Beyond the charcuterie as well as cured imports, did you know about their Monthly Specials? A selection rolled fresh to feed appetites as voracious as the owner’s himself. With outlets scattered across Bukit Ceylon, Petaling Jaya, and Penang, you must try their Ravioli Del Plin among the pasta picks. A vegetarian option you won’t regret, not for its velvety ricotta and spinach filling, and certainly not once you forked into that mixed wild mushroom sauce—a smooth taupe finish to Ravioli Day.

Instagram: @bottegakl

2. Make it a Ciccio day: ravioli, ready, go!

Ciccio Restorante Bar Pizzeria

Since 2002, Ciccio has been one of the very first eateries anchoring Changkat, Bukit Bintang. Before your cocktail bars and cacophonous music, Ciccio is that one neighbour always hanging about, a perch whose kindly open-air surroundings and interior are sleek with soft lighting and awash in sylvan Italian charm—plus a fresh egg-and-flour whiff permeating the kitchen air.

That alone tells you plenty about their homemade pastas, before the tongue even weighs in. On Ravioli Day, Ciccio is your pastificio to swing by. Folded into their menu, for example, the Ravioli di Spinaci e Ricotta—stirred in smooth butter-sage is the ricotta and spinach pasta pouch, with a generous grating of parmesan, this is a dish plated up for a true vego.

The Ravioli de Pesce is another tantalising option, where your seafood pasta pockets come swimming in tangy tomato basil velouté with added prawns and a garlicky edge to it. Meanwhile, the Ravioli di Carne ai Funghi presents stringy beef cheek decadently sealed together with a porcini mushroom sauce. Layered gently with parmesan and truffle essence for the final touch, it’s a pocketful of smack and structure.

Instagram: @cicciobarpizzeria

3. Ciao, CICCI!

CICCI

CICCI in TTDI, KL, is where Italian tradition winks at contemporary talent under the kitchen maestro’s steer: Red Mansion Group’s Group Executive Chef Harun. With Spanish and French flair dotted in the picture, CICCI plates up authenticity with a playful twist that’s enough to draw diners back time after time. Never one to miss any festivities, as evidenced by their Valentine’s Day and the Ramadan Kareem course, Ravioli Day is no different.

While there’s no exclusive spread, CICCI’s menu itself serves up a variety that many favour, like the thin trofie to risotto reduced to a succulent bite. For Ravioli Day, it’s only natural to go for the Ravioli Funghi e Tartufo. Stuffed with wild mushrooms, the sage butter sauce heightens the pasta pillows’ earthy bite before a fine parmesan dusting finishes it for the day.

Instagram: @cicci.kl

4. Get your Grano on

Grano Pasta Bar

This Italian specialist at APW has a reputation that stretches about as long as their handcrafted pastas. Charmingly, even with their known chops and craftsmanship, expect a casual ambience unlike the usual Italian suspense. Where etiquette should’ve bidden, Grano Pasta Bar casts an affable scene where diners can delight in handmade egg pastas alongside wine pairings, cutting through the richness, but not the repartee.

The Ravioli de Manzo al Porcini Funghi makes for an excellent forkful to hold on this special day. With its sautéed porcini mushrooms, slightly smoky and stuffed, then tossed with fond de veau cream sauce—it’s a most velvety affair, really. In addition to this, a pizza artisan like Grano Pasta Bar whirls a mean pizza medley for those looking for that kind of cheesy situation, too.

Instagram: @grano_apw

5. A little ravioli, a lot of laughter

La Risata

Who knew ‘the laughter’ has been living on in Ampang and Medan Damansara since 1996? It goes by the name La Risata Bar Pizzeria Ristorante. Far from a trendy upstart, this long-beloved trattoria sets itself apart with blue-washed walls and pickled jars—a look that strays from the familiar red and accompanying Chianti bottles. Here, the menu highlights wood-fired pizzas, seafood stew and soup, grills, and pastas—handcrafted, of course.

On that note, their Ravioli de Pesce—a house specialty—is not to be missed. Freshly folded salmon ravioli, stirred in lush salmon sauce, talk about indulgence packed into every pouch. Needless to say, Ravioli Day must come to a sweet close, and desserts at La Risata are never in short supply.

Instagram: @larisatakl

6. Ravioli, Nero Nero style

Nero Nero

If you’re wondering what Southern Italy tastes like, the third floor of DC Mall is where the answer sits—Nero Nero. Beyond the classy 21st century flair of the restaurant steeps local Puglia secrets, with recipes rooted in regional heritage, and quality produce sourced from Italy.

When their strozzapreti is hand-rolled and the dough is hand-kneaded, then there’s no doubt their raviolis, too, are stuffed and sealed on the spot. The Ravioli Del Pastore is slow-cooked, and with oh-so-supple eggplant pinched into the dough, before swirling in homemade arrabbiata. Finally, a beautiful grating of Grana Padano DOP for a smooth finish.

Instagram: @neronero.kl

Opening image: Jonathan Borba | Pexels