Dubai: Italy is known for its food and the wide variety of flavours it offers. But if you want to try the classic taste of the renowned cuisine then Matto, in the heart of Dubai, is the place to go – as I found out recently.
Being used to having a refreshing beverage before starting a meal, I tried the bellucci, a combination of fresh blueberries and blackberries along with violet, basil, lime juice in sparkling water. It lived upto my expectation and set me in the right mood to enjoy the rest of the meal.
For starters, my dining partner and I chose the Patatine Al Tartufo and Parmigiana. The Patatine Al Tartufo, hand-cut truffle fries served in a crispy Parmesan basket, was surely the best starter we could ask for. The Parmigiana, an eggplant based dish layered with mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil and Parmesan, was no less. In fact, both starters would impress any cheese lover.
No Italian meal is complete without a flatbread and pasta. We picked the Stracciatella and Tartufo flatbread, topped with Stracciatella cheese, truffle, caramelised red Trapea onion and basil. The soft bread and the right mix of the ingredients worked really well. In fact, it was the best flatbread I have had in long a time.
If you are not too fond of cheese, the pasta you should go for is Melanzane and Burrata. Made of Paccheri, Apulian burrata, fried eggplant and cherry tomato sauce, it was an absolute delight.
One dish which deserves special mention is the Pollo Al Forno - roasted chicken breast cooked with seasonal vegetables, porcini mushrooms and rosemary. The tender chicken was cooked to perfection and melted in the mouth.
For dessert I highly recommend Matto Rock. Praline sphere, covered with a hazelnut crust was the best way to end the meal for a chocolate lover like me.
DETAILS:
Meal for two: Dh350
Location: The Oberoi, Business Bay
Contact: 04-444 1335
Timings: 12pm-12am (Monday-Thursday), 12pm-1am (Friday-Saturday)
Ratings (Out of 5):
Ambience: 5
Food: 5
Price: 5
Overall: 5
We recommend: Bellucci, Stracciatella & Tartufo, Melanzane & Burrata, Matto Rock
