Saizeriya at Aeon Mall Taman Maluri
The best part of dining out is rarely when you’re paying. But when you can order a full-course Italian meal with an entree, two mains, a round of drinks, and a dessert to share, for a bill of around RM20 per person, it may not seem so bad after all.
It’s probably why the queues have been long and consistent at the first Saizeriya in Malaysia. With over 50 Japanese-Italian foods on the menu priced from RM8.90, the restaurant offers some of the cheapest Western meals to get in Kuala Lumpur.
So you can order strategically on your own visit, we headed to the restaurant on an RM100 budget to see what we could get and what are the most worth-it orders:
How to get to Saizeriya
Saizeriya is located on the second floor of AEON Mall Taman Maluri, in the suburb of Maluri. The mall is accessible by the Maluri MRT Station, which is just a short 7-minute walk away.
– What to order at Saizeriya –
1. Garden Salad
Salads are usually an afterthought, or a dish you order only if you’re trying to be more conscious about eating healthy and carb-free. But don’t skip Saizeriya’s Garden Salad (RM8.90), which stands out enough to be a main dish.
The salad featured the usual lettuce, cucumbers, carrot slivers, and cherry tomatoes, along with a creamy dressing and a dusting of paprika that came together to form a filling yet light salad. Despite its low price, the dish did not skimp on the smoked beef bacon – we plucked out around four of them with our fork – or the generous snowfall of Parmesan cheese.
2. Baked Rice with Chicken Rendang
One of Saizeriya’s specialities is baked rice casseroles (RM9.90 each), also known as doria in Japan. These have been brought to Malaysia, in three variations: the classic beef bolognese, and the Malaysian special chicken and beef rendang.
The Baked Rice with Chicken Rendang was served to us piping hot in a shallow dish. The dish consisted of fluffy white rice buried by around four chunks of chicken rendang pieces, a slightly sweetened bechamel sauce, and melted cheese.
3. Salmon Steak
Saizeriya’s most expensive item, the Salmon Steak (RM14.90), features a salmon fillet, sweet corn, broccoli, and potato wedges, along with a sweet bechamel sauce.
The salmon was seasoned well and cooked to perfection, flaking apart with just a nudge of our fork. However, the other ingredients on the plate weren’t anything to shout at, and the bechamel sauce was slightly sweetened, kind of like when condensed milk is mixed with butter.
4. Margherita Pizza
If there’s one dish you must try at Saizeriya, make it the Margherita Pizza (RM8.90).
The 9-inch thin-crust pie comes topped with the classic trio of tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. Beneath its unassuming appearance, the herbaceous tomato sauce and generous blobs of mozzarella meld beautifully with the wafer-thin crust, resulting in a slice that is at once unctuous and surprisingly light, not jelak.
5. Aglio Olio with Clams
Saizeriya’s Aglio Olio with Clams (RM8.90) is a solid order.
The pasta carried a satisfying brininess from the clams and punchy, garlicky sauce. The portion of pasta noodles and clams was generous, too. Every clam was fully opened, a reassuring sign that they’ve been thoroughly cleaned.
There was plenty of that briny, garlicky sauce pooling at the bottom of the plate, which made the dish feel more like vongole than typically sauceless aglio olio.
6. Beef Bolognese
The Beef Bolognese (RM8.90) came with a generous heap of minced beef – the pasta was basically blanketed in a glossy maroon sheen.
The beef had a stronger presence in the bolognese sauce than the tart tomato, and was a tad bit too salty for our liking. But, overall, it’s a solid dish, given how generous the minced beef in the sauce was.
7. Squid & Cod Roe Sauce Spaghetti
Next up is one of the more adventurous options on the menu, the Squid and Cod Roe Sauce Spaghetti (RM13.90). The sauce was noticeably thicker, with the noodles generously studded with cod roe that delivered a satisfying textural pop with every bite.
The squid that came with the spaghetti was cooked just right, not rubbery or tough.
Flavour-wise, the dish carried a briny depth that most likely came from the cod roe sauce. Of the three spaghetti dishes we tried, this one was the most pronounced and unique flavour profile.
8. Coffee Jelly with Ice Cream & Mochi Cubes
Served in a petite cup, the Coffee Jelly with Ice Cream & Mochi Cubes (RM9.90) is best described as an affogato turned into jelly form.
The contrast between the bitter espresso jelly and the sweet vanilla ice cream makes for a well-balanced taste that’s light yet indulgent. The ice cream also has actual specks of vanilla bean scattered throughout, so you know it’s not just vanilla flavouring.
The chewy mochi cubes, despite bearing no flavour or sweetness, add a playful textural contrast to the otherwise soft jelly and velvety ice cream.
9. Tiramisu
No Italian restaurant would be complete without Tiramisu, and Saizeriya’s version for RM9.90 was lighter and less indulgent than most would expect.
The restaurant swaps mascarpone for cream cheese and forgoes any liquor, keeping all the staple elements of the classic dessert while paring back the richness. This tiramisu will definitely earn the ultimate Asian stamp of approval for desserts: not too sweet.
Bonus: Free-flow drinks
If you’re thirsty, there are free-flow drinks for only RM6.90. You have cold options such as Coca-Cola and Lipton iced lemon tea, and hot drinks like teh tarik and Milo, available at a drinks station.
Budget Italian meals at Saizeriya
The total we spent on food at Saizeriya came up to roughly RM94, and it was more than enough to feed three very hungry people after a queue. Some dishes stood out more than others, but overall, the restaurant is a solid option if you’re craving Italian food without the fat check.
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Brooklyn.