When it comes to food, Italy is one of the best places in the world to be. Of course we can’t go to Italy every now and then to have amazing Italian food but there are a lot of good options in Dubai. One such place that has opened its doors in DIFC is The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri.

A quick research about the restaurant and you learn two facts about the restaurant. Firstly, the main restaurant back in Florence, Italy has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide. Secondly, the joint owner Annie Feolde was the first woman outside France to be awarded three Michelin stars for her restaurant. Once you are aware of these facts, you know that the Artisan does not only bring Italian food to Dubai, it brings along prestige and quality as well.

Hence, when I was invited for a review, I did not have any second thoughts about it.

The restaurant opens at around 7 in the evening and we were in for an early dinner by 7.20 p.m. We took a table somewhere around the centre of the restaurant and settled down.

The initial order was of drinks and I opted for Tikki Teaser (non-alcoholic). Before the drinks came in, we were served with Focaccia with Tomato and Focaccia with Fenu. The bread was warm and soft.

While I was cleaning the focaccia off my plate, my drink arrived. The drink called Tiki Teaser, is a pretty refreshing drink and paired well with the food we ordered. I loved the presentation of the drink; especially the purple flowers and the small cute clip.

My friend ordered a whisky based drink which was quite presentable. The highlight being the Ice cube in the drink that had The Artisan written on it; how cool is that?

For light starters we opted for Parmigiano Reggiano 36 Mesi and for starters we went with the Fiorri di Zucchina Friti.

Parmigiano Reggiano is an aged 36-month old Parmesan cheese served with seasoned Balsamic from Modena. This dish is a must for Cheese lovers and for those who love having a glass of wine with Cheese. For those who don’t know, Modena has the finest Balsamic Vinegar you could probably come across. This was quite evident in the taste of the Balsamic.

Our starter was Fiorri di Zucchina Friti, which is fried Zucchini flowers stuffed with a mix of Buffalo Mozzarella and Tuscan Pesto. The dish is fried but does not taste oily or heavy in any way. The dish tasted good but I would prefer a bit more Tuscan Pesto to give it a stronger flavour.

For Pasta, we opted for the home made agnolotti stuffed with Mantova, Pumpkin, Sage, Butter, Roasted Almonds topped with Parmesan fondue. This dish was one of my favourites due to its texture and balance of flavours. The addition of roasted almonds was a good touch to the dish and it added a bit of crunchiness.

Main course was a difficult choice for us with so many good options and little space in our tummies. After discussing about the dish with our server and understanding what each dish was, we opted for Scottadio di Agnello Marinato (Lamb Chops Scottadio) and Spiedini di Gamberi e Calamari con Salsa agli Agrumi (Grilled Prawn and Calamari skewers with a light citrus sauce). The order for our side was stewed Artichoke with Garlic, Parsley and Lemon sauce.

The lamb chops were tender and juicy. I liked the fact that the meat was really succulent.

The grilled Prawns and Calamari skewers looked so amazing. The Prawns and Calamari tastes fresh and were grilled to perfection.

The Artichoke was a pretty interesting pick for a side. To be honest, I usually don’t have artichoke on its own. I have always had them on Pizzas or probably mixed with other veggies in a dish.

After we were done with all that food, I and my friend were pretty full. We therefore wanted to go for something light and let our server decide the desserts for us.

The first dessert we tried was the Sorrento Lemon Meringue Tart. The tart was well baked and the crust was perfect. I really enjoyed the flavour of Tart.

The second dessert was The Artisan Profiterole. The profiteroles were so soft, light and delicious. I could just keep eating them.  Not to forget that the dessert looked so pretty.

The overall experience at The Artisan was a really good one. Of course the food was good but what impressed me the most was the service. I have been to plenty of restaurants around the world but the special attention we got here is worth mentioning.

I would surely return to the Artisan to try the more dishes and the Tiramisu for sure.

Disclosure:

I was invited to try the food at The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri, therefore I have not provided any ratings for the restaurant/cafe. All opinions expressed are solely based on my experience and are not influenced by the restaurant/cafe or its management in any way.

Details:

Restaurant: The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri

Location: Burj Daman, DIFC

Contact No.: +971 4 3388133