La Risata Bar Pizzeria Ristorante (Ampang) — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

Dear Owner,

I came here today with a deep sense of frustration. I’m writing this not just as a customer, but as a fellow F&B industry peer — someone who understands the challenges, and genuinely cares.

I’ve been supporting this shop since 2015 — back when it was one of the rare places that truly captured the essence of authentic Italian flavours. It was my go-to spot whenever I craved quality Italian food. A place I genuinely cherished.

But with the recent change of chef and the arrival of the so-called “new Team For Sure,” everything has changed — and unfortunately, not for the better. The entire menu has been overhauled. All my favourite dishes have disappeared without notice. Even the dish I ordered today, though it carried the same name, was clearly a different recipe.

I understand that some of the new dishes might be better in their own way. But frankly, that’s not what I came here for. I didn’t come to explore new flavours — I came for the familiar dishes that have already proven themselves to be excellent in my eyes (and on my palate).

This isn’t just a menu update — it’s a complete identity shift. The ravioli that used to be my absolute favourite — something my wife and I would always fight over to finish — is now unrecognisable. Overly salty, lacking the subtle salmon hint in the pasta, and completely missing the soul that once made it unforgettable.

Whoever made these changes may not realise it yet, but this is how loyal customers are slowly lost. The impact may not be immediate — but give it a year, and the regulars will quietly stop coming.

This isn’t just a change. It’s slow suicide for the brand. And that, to me, is the saddest part of all.

Please understand ; this isn’t a threat, but heartfelt advice. If Larisatta can bring back what once made it truly special — including the classic favourites — I would gladly take this comment down. Keep the original highlights, and evolve your menu alongside them. That’s how great restaurants grow — not by erasing their roots, but by...

I’ve been a long-time customer of La Risata and have noticed a steady decline over the years—particularly in both food execution and service. While the food is still acceptable, it no longer matches the standards it once held. My recent carbonara, for instance, arrived in a pool of watery sauce—hardly what one would expect from a proper carbonara. At that point, it’s questionable whether it should even bear the name.

What truly stood out, however, was the poor service attitude. As a solo diner, I felt overlooked and unwelcome from the start. The complimentary bread and olive oil—typically a small but appreciated gesture—were forgotten entirely until I asked about them. During my meal, the waitstaff were engaged in loud conversations amongst themselves, which disrupted what should have been a quiet, refined dining environment. Perhaps the empty restaurant gave them a false sense of informality, but it reflected poorly on the atmosphere.

To top it off, when I went to pay at the cashier, the waiter (Gian) handed me the receipt directly without using a check presenter. In an upscale establishment like La Risata, this feels like a breach of basic service etiquette. Small details like this matter, especially in a setting that markets itself as refined.

Overall, my solo dining experience felt rushed and diminished by inattentive and indifferent service. La Risata once held itself to a higher standard—it’s unfortunate to see it slipping and I don’t recommend this restaurant to anyone who is expecting...

I used to come here all the time with my family, it's a very nostalgic place for me and considering the food used to be excellent, we didn't mind coming here often. I recently visited after some years with a friend and was sorely, sorely disappointed.

Our food took at least half an hour to arrive, even later than many of those who had arrived after us. We ordered a pizza, salad and pasta. Nothing spectacular, very standard dishes.

There was absolutely NO SEASONING WHATSOEVER. Someone was clearly sleeping on the job or something, and requesting for salt and pepper was so difficult, and in fact should've been unnecessary in this situation. Why wasn't any of our food seasoned?

We saw the waiter dump the seasoning bottles onto our dirty plates when clearing our table, presumably to take them away and set them aside for other unassuming customers to use? That's really gross!

The food did not justify the bill. It isn't the most expensive restaurant, but definitely isn't worth the money we spent AT ALL! What happened to your service and food?!

Disappointed by the inattentiveness of the waiters, the tardy attitude they showed us, and the quality of food. The least you could've done was offer some sort of compensation, but nothing. Your waiters were so unapologetic. Nothing was good that day, and we left extremely unsatisfied. Went home and just wallowed at the fact that my once-favourite restaurant, has now become a place I wouldn't want to...