We eat out with Mr. L&M’s younger sister quite a bit. And, I’ve never seen her actually finish off a complete meal. She’s the type to side step vegetables. She doesn’t cook. And she’ll order meals containing ingredients she’s never eaten before, yet you know she’ll never like. Who orders anchovies on a whim? It gets slightly annoying, especially when she doesn’t like hers and aims her fork stealthily towards your plate.
Perhaps I need to: get better at sharing; become less selfish; order 2 of everything I eat; or just bring her to La Piazza at Al Bidda Hotel, Souq Waqif.
I’m going to stick to the latter, because that means we also get to enjoy the food as well… even if our plates do keep playing host to that wayward fork. I guess some people want a taste of everything. And, here food sharing should be actively encouraged, because everything is delicious. It would be a crime not to get to dip into everything on offer.
What we ate:
Timballo di melanzane (aubergine and mozzarrella with a parmesan crisp)
We ordered this starter to share (yes share. I didn’t have my usual appetite). It’s a dish both the Mr and I love. This was so nicely presented. The roasted vine tomatoes added a little moisture to the baked cheesy aubergine layers and the Parmesan crisp brought a nice crunch to the plate (I do like a plate full of textures). The Mr and I had to eat quickly as we’ve never seen the little sister’s fork move so fast. This dish was a hit with her. Perhaps the solution is to order two next time.
Tortelloni di ricotta, spinaci e taleggio (apologies for the lack of photo)
I need to try a whole bowl of this stuff, as I tried a very small amount, as it was quickly eaten up. It was topped with some fresh rocket to add some peppery bite to the rich and creamy filling. It’s a tried and tested favourite, and my only suggestion would be to add some toasted pine nuts.
Pennette all puttanesca
Big, bold and tangy, this pasta dish hit your tastebuds with a flavourful punch. This was my chosen dish and I really enjoyed the sweet and sour combination: tomatoes meet olives, capers and garlic to create a salty and addictive sauce. The veal tenderloins were indeed tender and there was lots of it too. I actually had to invite forks to join me in this plate party. It was very good value, which isn’t what you expect at hotel restaurant.
Pizza con verdure grigliate (grilled vegetables and goat’s cheese)
Thin and crispy and topped with lots of lovely looking vegetables, this pizza was well seasoned. However, our only complaint would be: where was the goat’s cheese? I’m used to a bolder hit. Yet it was very moreish and it was quickly snaffled up.
The service was impeccable: our waiter asked us if we needed any help and advice with the menu. The chef (Mohamed Zakhama) was also extremely friendly and knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job: he happily posed for photos and shared a pizza recipe, which we’ll also be featuring on here soon. Mohamed also had a great idea to turn the pizza making station towards the patrons, to add a little ambience and theatre to your dining experience. We’d definitely like to see that happen.
Spinning Dervish?
The damage: Thanks to an Entertainer voucher the bill was very reasonable: 1 bottle of water, 1 starter and 3 mains was just 192 QR.
What we learned the hard way: Come hungry, those pasta portions almost defeated us.
Lemon and mint rating: 4/5