Nestled on Level 5 of the Burj Daman Building in Dubai’s DIFC is a very unexpected and exciting hotspot called “The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri”. Most of you would have heard of this name before as its reputation precedes it. Coming all the way from Florence, the renowned owner of 3 Michelin stars already had big shoes to fill in our eyes. Little did we know that from the moment we arrived to the very last bite of dessert and the inevitable last sip of the Pinot Grigio, our expectations would not only be met but would be exceeded in every respect.
Looking from the outside in you wouldn’t have a clue that you were about to walk into an incredibly fun, thrilling and sophisticated soiree of what appeared to be the social elite of Dubai. The ambiance oozed with bold fashion statements, brilliant eclectic décor and interesting characters chatting enthusiastically between tables. There was an electricity in the air that enlivened anticipation and creativity within us and we had not felt this type of electricity since we attended New York Fashion week last September. Without limiting guests’ creative freedom by having a particular dress code, there was an evidently unspoken rule that you were to put forward your best efforts in how you dressed. Regardless of what everyone was wearing, there was one thing that they all had in common, an immaculate feast that was about to come their way.
From the moment we were escorted to our table we felt warm, welcomed and comfortable as though we had dined here many times before. We felt readier than ever for a night of great food and lively conversation. We started our dining adventure off with the antipasti selecting first the “Toscano Fried stuffed zucchini flowers with buffalo mozzarella and Tuscan pesto”. With a suggestion from our waiter we also eagerly ordered the “San Marzano slow-cooked octopus in extra virgin olive oil, served with fresh green beans, lemon- flavoured potato cream, Taggiasca olives and San Marzano tomato sauce” and finally pushing our comfort level a little with our last order of “marinated prawn carpaccio with fried capers, sundried cherry tomatoes, burrata, fresh basil”.
When the dishes arrived each one was beautifully presented and each had an individuality which was intriguing to the eye. Once we had a taste of the dishes we realised that they were just as intriguing to the palette as they were to the eye. The zucchini flowers burst with the flavour of soft and ever melting buffalo mozzarella cheese fighting to come out from every crevice of the generously stuffed flower. The contrasting textures were inviting and delightful as the softness of the cheese worked in perfect unison to the crunch of the zucchini exterior. The octopus did not need to feel any envy as it equally matched this deliciousness and had us instantly transported to a sunny afternoon on the Mediterranean coast. The play on ocean flavours in the fresh octopus and the use of lemon was cleverly met by the green beans and the flavoursome olives leaving us satisfied and refreshed.
The last antipasti but definitely not the least, was the prawn carpaccio (which we must admit we had never tried before). Being big fans of tuna and beef carpaccio, we thought it only made sense to brave the prawn for a change. Unsure of what our taste buds would receive we were extremely pleased by the outcome. The mixture of capers, sundried cherry tomatoes and fresh basil made this a very pleasant dish to eat. Having devoured all three of our antipasti we waited with high expectations for our next courses. They had a tough act to follow after a most delicious start to the night.
Tempted by all the pasta on the menu while being mindful that this could equate to a heavy meal, we opted for two pasta dishes and two meat alternatives to be shared amongst the three of us. It was a very good thing that we did this because the pasta dishes were generously served and came with an abundance of sauce. After agonizing over it we finally settled on the “green tortelli filled with basil pesto, buffalo mozzarella cream, Taggiasca olives” and the “Ratte potato ravioli stuffed with Taleggio cheese, walnut pesto and black truffle”. Both tasted divine and were the very definition of treating yourself to a guilty pleasure. If we had to choose one over the other we would have to say that our favourite was the tortelli simply because it had an incredibly fresh basil flavour embodied in every bite while coated in a sinfully seductive cream sauce.
The two dishes that accompanied our pastas were the “Marinated organic salmon “tagliata”, potato leek cream, garlic-flavoured spinach, crispy leeks” and the “Roasted marinated lamb rack, Bronte pistachos, aubergine cream, fresh thyme and Taggiasca olives sauce”. The salmon was skillfully cooked retaining its moisture and melting in our mouths with the potato leek cream. The spinach and leek make you feel like you’re not being too naughty even though it tasted much better than any spinach we’ve tried. The roasted marinated lamb rack was our favourite dish of the entire night, it was the “piece de resistance” in our already exquisite dining experience. The second our knife pierced effortlessly through the tender meat we could see it was cooked exactly to our liking – juicy and perfectly pink in the middle. Each bite of the lamb rack was utter heaven leaving us wanting more no matter how full we felt at that moment.
Just as we thought we could not possibly eat another bite and were ready to throw in our napkins, the dessert menu poked its head out. Placed in front of us and taunting us with its tasty descriptions we decided to give in and order dessert. After all you can’t go to a high dining Italian restaurant and not try the dessert! We selected three very different items from the menu and sat there wondering how we were ever going to find the space in our stomachs for these delicious sounding delicacies.
We went with the “Dark chocolate fondant with salted caramel and vanilla ice-cream”, the “white and milk chocolate cremino, salted crumble and hazelnut ice-cream” and the “Sorrento lemon tarte, Italian meringue”. Before we knew it all three desserts were placed on our table like three beautiful pieces of art almost too pretty to puncture with our forks. The dark chocolate fondant was the standout of the three for us, exuding this ideal consistency of soft, creamy and wonderfully warm chocolate lava. It was quite soothing to watch the melting chocolate flow like a river all over the pearly white plate. If you are a chocolate lover you should not even think about leaving until you’ve tried this incredibly indulgent dessert first!
The Details
Opens daily except for Saturdays from 12 PM till 11:30 PM (kitchen last call)
Business Lunch: Sunday to Thursday from 12 PM till 3:30 PM
www.theartisan.ae
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