Begin Your Evening The Italian Way: Let Apéritif Inflame Your Palate

It is the end of your rigorous week and you’re looking forward to celebrate the weekends with an elixir of life swirling in the interiors of your crystal glass. Indulge every sip and revel in the fragrant whiffs of the rhubarb-flavoured amaro as you seize the dramatic views of Kuala Lumpur city from Malaysia’s highest rooftop bar, premium lounge and contemporary Italian restaurant.

Drinks with frills after work, better known as apéritif, is a distinguished culture well-practiced in Europe since the classical period. It is more than just a pre-dinner drink, but a moment to share with colleagues, friends and family, savouring light and refroidissant (cooling) spirits while awaiting a delicious meal being prepared by the hardworking chefs in the kitchen. The idea behind the apéritif is to whet your appetite, an opportunity to build up momentum to a meal by unwinding over tipples and good conversation.

The apéritif is a classic ritual that is enjoyed by many in Europe but is fast becoming culture in Asia. Unlike the Happy Hour culture, the journey of the aperitif is a daily affair that always ends with dinner. Let us take you on a journey to the past to see how apéritifs began, and has stayed in vogue after centuries of war and plague.

The Art of Apéritif: Where It All Started

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The origins of apéritifs still appears to be hazy but general consensus say the practice dates back to biblical days of ancient Egypt. Apéritifs as we are familiar with today, were once created using an infusion of liquor with a blend of bitter herbs and fruity wines, where these spirits were born out of medicinal purposes.

During the early days, these spirits were unbearably bitter and was difficult for daily consumption, so the early producers of apéritifs diluted the taste with sweet ingredients.

As time went by, people developed a liking for the new and acceptable flavour of these medicinal spirits. Apéritif culture was developed when it was popularly served as the perfect appetite enhancer before a huge dinner, as this was believed to highly enhance the diner’s palate and appetite.

While many bars around the world have established themselves by offering apéritifs, nevertheless, each country carries a different kind of apéritivo culture. The practice took root as a popular tradition in social gatherings, especially in Italy, the land of art and earthly pleasures.

The Bloom Of Italy’s Apéritif And Digestif

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The ritual of apéritif, or aperitivo in Italian, encompasses people from all walks of life—whether it’s a weekday night out or a fancy get-together with friends. Drinks with an assortment of canapés served buffet style, is the perfect approach of stimulating the appetite. The key is moderation in the choice of beverage as it can quickly turn from aperitivo to happy hour.

Below is a narrowed down list of some of the most classic choices as an ‘apéritif’:

• Vermouth, a family of aromatic wines – white, rosé and red comprising of spices, herbs, flowers and roots. A favourite among the Savoy court, it is served chilled, neat or splashed with sparkling water and lemon.
• Campari, the bitter and red – first invented in 1860 in Turin, made from fresh herbs and sweet fruits. Normally served with sparkling water, zesty orange juice or fragrant white wine.
• Aperol, less bitter then its Campari cousin, and containing half the percentage of alcohol; its origins can be traced back to 1919, where the drink was popularly served with sparkling water.

Conversely, the practice of digestifs are poles apart from the apéritif—they are meant to be savoured when a good meal comes to an end. Digestifs are drunk to enhance and help with your digestion, especially after a huge dinner.

Among digestifs, the popular choices are grappa—a distillate liqueur made from the pressings of grapes during wine-making season. The grappa can be flavoured in many different ways with the use of other fruits such as apple, peach, and prunes. Some renowned digestifs are Fernet Branca, a menthol flavoured beverage, Ramazzotti with a hint of ginger, and Amaro Averna, made with an herb base from Sicily.

Though it is mostly ubiquitous in the northern and central parts of Italy, you can now find an apéritif and digestif throughout most major cities. So whether you are in Milan, Florence or Rome, apéritif and digestifs of vast varieties are offered as you step into restaurants and hotels.

The popularity of apéritif culture paved its way out of Europe and have ingrained its powerful influence throughout the globe, including Kuala Lumpur city. Walk into the sought-after contemporary Italian restaurant and rooftop bar, Marini’s on 57, where you will be greeted with an array of appetising apéritifs in an avant-garde atmosphere. It’s time you experience the true Italian way of igniting your evening in the heart of KL.

Start Your Elegant Night At Marini’s On 57

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Take advantage of the heavenly sunset views from the high grounds, where you will be immersed in indulging moments at Marini’s on 57’s Sunset Hours which doubles as their Aperitivo hours, from 5pm to 8pm daily. The next best prelude to a classy dinner, Aperitivo Hours offer a rich selection of wines and bubblies from their impressive menu.

Be captivated with sumptuous dishes often refined to keep your palate surprised with fresh, transcendent and explosive flavours. Enjoy the apéritifs served at the luxe premise to a great extent — vermouth like Martini and Punt e Mes, the famous Fernet Branca and Branca Menta, the lively Campari and Aperol, and many more. The first and only destination for a divine culinary experience with outstanding views that will leave you speechless.

The night feels incomplete without a stop at Marini’s on 57, for an episode of the most authentic Italian apéritif in Malaysia. Satisfy your curiosity of our invigorating list of apéritifs here.

Italian drinking culture does not only revolve around alcoholic drinks but also around the most consumed beverage in the world — coffee. Explore about lavishing the Italian brew of passion in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.