KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — For nearly a decade, Via Pre KL has been serving hearty, pork-free Italian fare from a quiet corner on Lorong Setiabistari in Bukit Damansara.
Nestled along a single row of shops in a residential neighbourhood, it has become a favourite among regulars who return time and again for a little taste of la dolce vita, just minutes from the bustle of Kuala Lumpur.
But for Via Pre’s founding partners, brothers Maurizio and Massimiliano Ranauro, their story in Malaysia began long before the restaurant opened its doors.
Massimiliano first arrived in 2004, starting as a chef at Nero Vivo before becoming a partner, and then went on to open Nero Teca in 2006, before opening Bar Italia on Jalan Berangan in 2009 — all with the same partner.
In 2010, he opened Vineria in Bangsar Shopping Centre, an offshoot of Bar Italia. Around the same time, Maurizio, who hails from Biella, Piedmont, arrived in Malaysia, first visiting in 2007, and then making the move permanently two years later to join his brother.
“I was a vehicle painter. I had a garage with my father, and I started with him when I was 14 years old,” Maurizio recalls.
“But the job was killing my health, so I decided to quit, and I went to culinary school in 2008. During that time, my brother needed some manpower, so I finally decided to move after he called me a few times — I quit my job, sold my house and moved to Malaysia.”
In 2012, the brothers brought their talents to the north, opening the first Via Pre location in Penang.
The restaurant was located on Weld Quay, and its name was a nod to Via di Prè, a narrow lane running parallel to Porto Antico, Genoa’s historic old harbour.
Despite having been based in Kuala Lumpur for so many years, Maurizio says his brother was confident that they would be a hit in Penang — and it paid off.
“Penang is a really good challenge, because the guests in KL and Penang are completely different,” he says. “In Penang, they’re really proud of their local food, so to get them to feel confident to try Via Pre takes a lot of work.”
“I noticed a lot of other European restaurants there, they open but don’t last very long,” Maurizio remarks. “Customers may go and try because they are new, but they might not go back. For us to last from 2012 till now, we’ve lasted a very long time.”
In 2015, the brothers hired Luca Nobile, then a young, fresh-faced chef who had never been outside of Europe, to be their head chef.
A native of Tuscany, Nobile attended culinary school in Florence before spending four years at the renowned La Loggia di Villa San Michele, a fine dining restaurant set in a 16th-century monastery turned luxury hotel.
Two years in Germany followed, until a call from the Ranauro brothers sent him halfway around the world.
“I had never been outside of Europe. Mr Max (Massimiliano) called me on a Friday, and on Sunday, I was already on the flight to Malaysia,” Nobile says.
“I was ready to leave because I already knew I wanted to move away from Italy and have more experience overseas.”
“I was in my car picking him up from Penang airport, and he was so young when he arrived, like 23, a young boy… I was like, ‘Can he handle my outlet?’” Maurizio recalls.
“But slowly, slowly, it was fine, because he had already studied and worked in Florence at a very serious restaurant.”
2016 saw a lot of change for Via Pre. The Penang outlet relocated to Lebuh Penang, and the brothers returned to Kuala Lumpur to open the second Via Pre location.
Maurizio moved back to Kuala Lumpur partly at the request of his wife, and he happened upon the Lorong Setiabistari shop lot by chance.
An acquaintance mentioned that the previous tenant wanted to leave, and he decided to take the lot, though there was no intention of opening a restaurant yet.
“My brother and I used it like a temporary storage place. We were relocating Via Pre from Weld Quay to Lebuh Penang, so there were lots of tables and chairs, so we decided to keep them here first,” he recalls.
“But we looked at it for a bit, considered the area, and my brother suggested turning it into a business. At first, I said, ‘No, no, no, no, no,’ but then my brother said to give it a shot, from August to December. If it works, continue. If not, find another location. You see now? Ten years.”
Nobile laughs. More than a decade later, he has joined the brothers as a partner, and together with Maurizio, often splits his time between Penang and Kuala Lumpur to keep a close eye on operations.
“After a while, I became part of the family too,” he says. “I invested and became a shareholder. It’s nice to settle down after 10 years here. I married my wife, and we have my daughter here as well.”
Unlike in Penang, the Via Pre location in Kuala Lumpur is pork-free. “We’re in Malaysia, right? We have to welcome everyone,” Maurizio says.
“People always say that ‘Italian food without pork is not Italian food,’ but in Italy, it’s not like that. The place we had before in Bangsar Shopping Centre (Vineria) was pork-free. It was very successful. No problem.”
Nobile’s menu exemplifies this philosophy, whether in antipasti like the House Cikketti (RM35) — a creative spelling of cicchetti, essentially Venetian tapas — featuring beef bresaola, spicy fried baby squid, and roasted eggplant, or in pasta dishes like the Mix Seafood Pasta (RM72), with fresh handmade scialatielli tossed in a light tomato sauce with clams, mussels, prawns, fish, and squid.
In addition to these staples, the rest of the menu spans gnocchi, risotto, and pizza, with plans for upcoming lunch specials like a focaccia sandwich with burrata and bresaola.
Larger mains include La Genovese (RM68), a seafood lover’s dream plate with pan-fried tuna steak, prawns, and scallops, served on a bed of baby spinach, baby squid, and purple cabbage.
Tiramisu (RM25) is the natural option for a sweet finish, rich with the flavour of espresso and marsala liquor, which have infused deeply into the savioardi biscuits.
“For me, the most important thing is that my customers feel confident coming here. If they eat this pasta today, and I come six months later, it has to be the same,” Maurizio stresses.
“The consistency of the food is very important. We’ve had some guests come from Singapore, and return three months later, telling us, ‘Your pasta is exactly like it was three months ago, it’s unbelievable.’”
“Especially because we’re not inside a shopping centre, there’s no foot traffic. But the benefit is that there’s plenty of parking where we are — people come directly to us because they are specifically seeking us out,” he continues.
“Because of this, I tell my team that we have to be consistent with our ingredients and our preparation: everything has to be of a certain standard. Without standards, this place will die.
“When customers come, they want to find the same music, the same waiters smiling, the same wine and everything.”
Via Pre KL Italian Restaurant
25, Lorong Setiabistari 2,
Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30am-3.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm. Open till 11pm on Friday and Saturday, and only till 10pm on Sunday.
Tel: 03-2011 2003
Via Pre Penang Italian Restaurant
20e, Lebuh Penang, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Tel: 04-262 0560
Facebook: Via Pre KL
Instagram: @viapre_kl
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