Per Te Ristorante – Truly Italian For You + Giveaway (200 dhs Voucher)

Per Te Ristorante E Café, is an Italian restaurant with a modern twist. It has opened its doors in the UAE on January, 14th 2015. Nestled in the by lanes of Jumeirah 1, away from the hustle-bustle of the modern day chaos. It is a quiet and serene corner haven with elegant and welcoming interiors. Per Te is tastefully designed to offer multiple dining experiences consisting of a cozy coffee lounge, an elegant dining section overlooking the open kitchen, alfresco terrace seating for exclusive corporate or private events. It’s serving authentic Italian cuisine made from fresh and carefully sourced ingredients mostly from Italy. While celebrating Italian Cuisine on Mahi Blog we decided to explore the taste at this venue and it’s splendid.

  

Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by Kaye and a very humble and ever smiling host & Manager Anushka, who then gave us a tour of the premises. He also introduced us to Chef Glady, who has an impressive list of credentials on his CV. I noticed him being so well-versed in Italian cooking and found him too involved in, and aware of every aspect/every ingredient in Per Te kitchen. We also noticed lots of coordination and team bonding he had with team of other chefs which is commendable. He has worked for the likes of Sheraton, Urbano Dubai, Carluccios and Ferrari World. Originally from Chennai, India Chef Glady has worked with big names in the Italian food business and his twelve year long career in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens has given him a sixth sense when it comes to Italian flavors. Chef Glady owes his success to Chef Samuele Crestale who helped him realize his true culinary strength.

STARTERs

Antipasto Classico

Tartare di tonno al frutto della passione

Tuna tartare with passion fruit

Fritto Misto

Mixed fried seafood and vegetables with rock salt and pepper served with pesto mayonnaise and lemon wedges

While we waited for chefs team to plump up above starters, we were served the squashy cubes of bread Focaccia stuffed mushrooms with three delectable dips and it was divine; Basil Pesto, Arabiata Sauce, and Sundried Tomato. All three were thoroughly enjoyable but the sundried tomatoes sauce was op notch. We even requested for chili oil and were promptly obliged.

First Starter had arrived  which has Beef bresaola, spicy salami, rocket and parmesan, black sesame tuna fish, grilled vegetables, semi- dried tomatoes, olives, focaccia, prawns wrapped with turkey bacon, sun dried tomato pesto and buffalo mozarella cheese, in short it’s a mini world on antipasti and Per Te does complete justice to it. It is full of taste and every minor details is been well taken care of on this black round slab. The Seafood Fritters were a big attention grabber, served in a stainless steal Colander it consists of Calamari, Shrimps, Broccoli and Fried Potatoes. This was just a regular dish you will find in other places too however it had lots of flavour and is cordially accompanied Tartar sauce. Next up, we received a numinous Tuna tartare placed on a bed of passion fruit and topped with olive tapenade. Hubby was a little undecided about raw fish, but as soon as I had a guarded little nibble, I just dove right into and couldn’t stop munching in anticipation of more passion fruit tangy taste with tuna . It was the such a tropical and invigorating amalgamation between the softness of the fish and the crusty sourness of the fruit. It is indeed a sensational starter ❤

MAIN COURSE

Orecchiette con Polpette

Typical Italian ear shaped pasta with spicy meat balls

Bistecca alla’ Grigilia

Grilled beef rib-eye steak with mashed potato and wild mushrooms

Pollo Piccante Pizza

Marinated chicken, red onion, roasted bell pepper, oregano and chili

Pure di Patate di Tartufo

Mashed Potato with truffle

The next spectacle, Grilled beef rib-eye steak from the main courses arrived, it is well done and the premium quality meat just presented itself very well being tender and juicy along with perfect concotion of spices and herbs. We tasted our main course steak with Mashed Potato with truffle along with that arrived Pollo Piccante Pizza being inspired by Antonnio Carluccio they kept it simple and concentrate more on core elements i-e great crust, fresh sauce and good quality cheese this pizza was very much like an attainable dream. Larger on size but compact on attainability.

DESSERT

Lieto di Cioccolato

At the end the chef himself came along with the manager to ask if we enjoyed our meal and well presented his unique Per te dessert platter. The whole presentation of the dessert was fantastic and it seems indeed prepared with special care and complete dedication.  It is 75% Cocoa smooth and shiny chocolate brick with roasted nuts, orange sweet zest (beautifully crafted and placed), creamy coffee sauce served with passion fruit semi freddo, vanilla semi freddo and mixed berry semi freddo.

Chef gladdy also shared his simple recipe of tuna tarter that we loved. Team Per Te also invited us to visit their newly opened branch in which we are heading to very soon. In actual fact their service was tremendously awesome. Per Te in it’s literal sense means ‘for you’! Kaye, Anushka, Chef Glady and the whole staff do make sure to make us feel that they are there for us by giving exceptional service and notice! The vision of the owners literally speaks in it’s true version by hospitality at Per Te and its presentable & best taste dishes. The portion size was decent and so were the prices. If I had to give some criticism, I’d suggest softening the lights in the Restaurant to strike out more into their wall hangings etc.  Though I love the variety of set-up and you may still choose a corner suiting your mood and gathering actually. Other than that, these guys need to just keep putting that awesome food on our plates and keep up the great service. After visiting Per Te I feel more vicinity Italian restaurants should definitely be introduced in Dubai with same temperament and this is indeed a hail toting up in the Italian cuisine

All in all, a great find and a new favorite for Mahi Blog. Can’t wait to go back and take friends and family with us.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: (1 WINNER)

Mahi Blog and Per Te have teamed up to offer One lucky reader “200 DHS value voucher valid for 2“ to spend at the restaurant.

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog,

2- LIKE & FOLLOW Per Te Dubai Facebook & Twitter pages and mention that @mahiblog has sent you.

2- Share this post using buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc

Tag Mahi Blog on FB, Instagram, Twitter to let us know that you share !!!!

“WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON MAXIMUM SHARES BASIS”

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on October 5th, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Anushka, Per Te’s Management & humble staff for coordination. We were invited however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Please do not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Congratulations – Mahi Blog #EID #Giveaways Winners Announced.

“CONGRATULATIONS”

Thank you for immense participation by all on behalf of Mahi Blog and our Clients, there were many shortlisted on participation basis as so many of you have shared day and night and on different social media pages and have also encouraged and liked our posts respectively.

 “Have a sneak preview of our upcoming Re-Branded website HERE ! “

Unfortunately not everyone can be a winner, however we do notice efforts from many other participants too like Sahar, Marsha, Ayat, Shameela, Shamee Khadija, Arham, Dina, Nabila (just to name few of them), don’t be disappointed as there are many more Prizes coming soon.

Also not to forget 5 beauty hampers are still there to Win.

You may find the Winners chosen for each category in their own post (Click the contest name- linked below)

Find Winners’ names here:

• PIZZA DI ROCCO (2 Winners ) – 200 dhs voucher for each

• PREGO’S @ Media Rotana – (1 Winner) – Meal voucher for 2

• Mahi Blog Thankyou Giveaway – Beauty Hamper – (Still 5 more winners to be announced)

• 60 Min MASSAGE – Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana (1 Winner)
  

THANK YOU 

 

“PREGO’S” at Media Rotana – Petite bit of Italy + Giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS:

Winner is Selma Romola . Please send email with your full name and contact details to mahiblog.ae@gmail.com to claim your voucher within 2 days, incase of failure another winner will be chosen.

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Keeping up with Italian Cuisine celebration on Mahi Blog, we are featuring some of the best Italian restaurants around UAE. Hence decided to explore Prego’s, one of the 5 exquisite dining venues at Media Rotana, offering Italian cuisine. We love this place and planned to return back after we visited last in Ramadan and reviewed Channels.

Media Rotana is a luxury 5-star hotel ideally located in the Heart of Dubai, TECOM area and within easy reach of the Dubai Internet City Metro Station & Major Shopping Malls. Prego’s is known for its authentic spirit, with various award achievements such as the Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards, World’s Best Italian Pizza Competition and the Italian Industry & Commerce Office in the UAE. Prego’s is able to be distinguished as one of the leading Italian restaurants in the city over years.

Opening its doors daily, they serves a wide range of Italian specialties from thin crusted pizzas to freshly baked homemade breads blazed in a wood-fired oven. We completely fell in love with ambiance and interior featuring an exclusive chic and fashionable design with great use of red light. Mosaic tiles at the entrance, wood flooring and open kitchen make it a lively, manageable and welcoming atmosphere. This venue is extremely popular with diners as you get to see a lot of cooking and baking going on in the kitchen. An open front kitchen (Which I must say is very well organized and well divided into sections, in spite of its compact size) showcases their chefs creating the finest in Italian cuisine. Prego’s offer all time culinary favorites and delightful monthly specials. This specially designed menu is known for its noted delicacies, ranging from white asparagus, artichokes, porcini mushroom, white and black truffles.

Pictured below: Linguini Carbonara, Fried Calamari/ shrimps , margarita pizza, breaded veal chop with rucola.

 

Food we tasted;

Oven fresh bread with cheese & white canolini beans sauce welcomed us on the table. From soup options we tried creamy porcini mushroom soup on chef’s recommendation, it was served real hot and we could smell the aroma of white truffle oil coming out of the bowl. It was too rich and creamy though, hence too filling on our stomach.

Burratra di Andria was first antipasti to hit the table and wow what an impression it made. It was good looking and simple yet delicious, Chef stick to the basics and presented the classic Burrata Cheese  in a platter served with semi dried cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and Taggiasca olives with a sprinkle of oregano on top, very fresh and crunchy at the same time.

Our very favorite antipasti amongst all was Eggplant rolls with ricotta cheese, the basil pesto sauce and tomato confir combo was so well balanced that it made the dish mouthwatering. From Carpacci section we tried Tuna Tartare with mango, avocado and aged balsamic vinegar reduction, I loved the sweet sour and tangy taste of it at the same time balsamic jus adds to its flavor.

I still remember the mouthwatering taste of the Grilled lamb chops with vegetable ratatouille and sautéed potatoes in olive oil, lemon zest which gives this extra tang and flavor to sauce with garlic and rosemary. Very well done and perfectly grilled and juicy in taste.

 

Finally, we concluded on desserts, the highlight of the evening. Tiramisu was so moist and delectable, drenched in coffee was so imperious it certainly raised our expectations hence we went on and ordered another star of the evening “Hot Lava Chocolate Cake with lemon sorbet and berry coulis.

With a comfy, convivial ambiance, warm and friendly interiors, this restaurant offered us a delectable journey with the true flavors of Italy. Dress Code is Smart Casual however you can’t show up wearing shorts. Pastas are freshly made on a daily basis, and the pizzas are baked in a traditional wood-fired oven. Prego’s Chefs’ team showed us petite bit of Italy with their selection of authentic dishes for which we rate them 4.5 out of 5.

 

For more details on Media Rotana & Prego’s click HERE

Contact – To Book a table call +971 (4) 4350201

Email – fb.media@rotana.com

VOUCHER GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION:

Mahi Blog and Media Rotana have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Meal Voucher for 2 at Prego’s – Media Rotana“

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog,

2- Share this post using buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc

Tag Mahi Blog on FB, Instagram, Twitter to let us know that you share!!!!

“WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON MAXIMUM SHARES BASIS”

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on September 22nd, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Media Rotana Management, Sahil Gour, our host Marketing team, Chefs, Staff at Prego’s. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You cannot use any pics without prior permission.

 

Real Italian Treat – Pizza Di Rocco with AED 200 meal vouchers for 2 winners.

Winners are Khadija Mustafa & Noora Ashraf . Please send email with your full name and contact details to mahiblog.ae@gmail.com to claim your voucher within 2 days, incase of failure another winner will be chosen.

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Celebrating Italian cuisine this month, we visited Pizza Di Rocco, we were warmly greeted by the Managing Director Mr. Peter.

He explained the origin that Pizza Di Rocco is born from the spirit of Master Pizzaiolo Rocco and it is their passion for creating authentic Italian gourmet pizzas that inspires customers to try classic pizzas: delicious, light, crispy, natural and fresh from the oven. Seeing that giant oven in the centre of the kitchen is treat to the eyes, where he explains that most of the product are coming straight from it to the table of diners and being ready to deliver asap. Venue and seating arrangement is not too big, however it accommodates at around 24 guests at a time and also having a very cozy environment and ambiance that you could almost imagine that you were in some Tuscan pizza street café smelling the cheese and dough aroma, while before going into fantasyland busy traffic lanes in Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street will bring you back in current zone.

Nothing compares to Pizza Di Rocco real Italian pizza, one bite and you’ll know. It’s about the freshness and authenticity of a true Italian pizza, though we had enjoyed our dinner there but I would say the lunch deal is a steal.

It’s about il deliziare, temptation, simplicity and ingredient natural to get that exceptional gusto, taste. And it’s about using a traditional hand-tossed base, and culinary techniques passed down through generations, cooked in their handmade cupola-style oven, topped with Italian herbs, and with the true spirit of Italy.

Staff:

The staff here are incredibly pleasant and friendly, and have made a real effort to turn this tiny unit into as pleasant an environment as possible. Deliveries are prompt and Pizzas delivered hot! The staffs are very friendly and accommodating in a way to make sure that your Pizza comes just the way you like it. A tiny place that seems more geared up for a brisk delivery trade than eat-in

Rocco’s dough.

A real pizza always begins with authentic, hand-tossed dough made from 100% fresh ingredients with no preservatives or artificial additives. Rocco’s dough is prepared up to 48 hours in advance, allowing the fermentation process to complete before cooking, ensuring the pizza base is light, crispy, and easy to digest.

Rocco’s sauce

Our expert pizzaiola’s prepare Rocco’s special sauce in store each morning, according to his own traditional recipe and with passion, care and attention….. Made with premium, perfectly ripe peeled Italian tomatoes, and seasoned with authentic Italian herbs.

Ingredients

Rocco is very conscious about the quality of his product. This comes from the quality of his ingredients, which are mostly imported directly from Italy, as he believes there is no substitute for authenticity! Their passion is their pizza and thus focus of all attention at this restaurant is to ensure that flavor, quality or nutrition value will be perfect and not sacrificed at all.

Wow factor:

• Rocco’s pizzas are available in your choice of original white flour, or whole-wheat flour!
• They guarantee the freshest herbs. Italian herbs are so flavorful, and therein is one of the secrets to a beautifully succulent pizzas at Pizza Di Rocco
• There’s only one size pizza here and it’s pretty large.
• We highly regards their commitment to make good staff even better by reassuring them to their commitment hence they usually conduct their Bi-weekly tastings and value staff involvement in the new menu.
• You are offered a choice of a white or whole-wheat base.

We tasted:

Oven-baked Garlic bread came to our table first, Immediately after I’d ordered, a complimentary appetizer of strips of bread i-e rocco’s classic dough baked with fresh rosemary entrenched in it, served with olive oil & garlic /pesto dip and parmesan cheese. It made our expectation even high with rest of the items. They prepare the same with garlic, olive oil and rosemary. We simply loved the Oil infused in-house.

 

Insalata Caprese was very native Italian salad with Fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced Holland tomato, fresh basil, olive oil. Best quality of cheese you would taste at Pizza Di Rocco.

Di Rocco

It is basically Mixed Italian greens, cherry tomatoes, olives, spring onion, oven baked goat’s cheese, fresh mushrooms, walnuts and pine nuts toss together with sweet balsamic dressing. One of the highlight is the evening and my ultimate favorite salad of all so far I have tasted in any Italian restaurant. The taste of the buffalo cheese and roasted pine amalgamate in such a beautiful way that its gives you this softness along with crunch at the same time in the salad.

Mozzarella Fritta

Thick, creamy slices of mozzarella, breaded and shallow fried. Served with spicy BBQ dip and small green salad – simple but absolutely sensational tasting of back to back antipasti made us full already and by the time our Pizza came we were stuffed.

Diavola is one of their classic range pizza, very basic but full of flavors. It has Tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy Italian salami and oregano. Each bite was melting in mouth with the perfect ratio of cheese and sauce that it concurs our taste buds.

Fattoria pizza has their signature Tomato sauce, mozzarella, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, roast pine nuts and goat cheese. What makes this pizza so special is the taste of the onions as it really balance this pizza with its mild sweetness and is perfect choice for Hawaiian taste pizza lovers. Caramelized onion is the star ingredient of this dish.

In desserts we tried Chef’s special Tiramisu and Gluten free cheese cake and they were to drool fo, fuss free and very delicious.

It was indeed a happy journey and a treat for a true Italian food lover. We are basically glad to discover this unpretentious Italian eatery and moreover delivery point for selling the best pizzas in the emirate.

Have eaten at this small restaurant a couple of times and had a few takeaways at home and work and love their prompt and oven fresh delivery. The pizzas and salads are persistently lip-smacking! All in all for their fresh ingredients, taste quality and made Mahi Blog will rank them 4.6 / 5 on our blog-o-meter.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: (2 WINNERS)

Mahi Blog and Pizza Di Rocco have teamed up to offer TWO lucky readers “200 DHS value voucher“ to spend at the restaurant.

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog,

2- Share this post using buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc

Tag Mahi Blog on FB, Instagram, Twitter to let us know that you share !!!!

“WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON MAXIMUM SHARES BASIS”

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on September 22nd, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Peter, Pizza Di Rocco’s humble staff & Brandon for coordination. We were invited however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Felicia Pasta in UAE – Product review – #ItalianCuisineCelebrationonMahiBlog

“I am on an happy diet.

I only eat things that

makes me happy and healthy”

While we are celebrating the Italian Cuisine theme on Mahi Blog, we brought in the introduction for the kind of Italian food i-e Pasta, we talk about our new found worthy product I-e Felicia.

Look what has just arrived in a surprise box !

Felicia Bio -this tasty gluten-free pasta is the product of company “Molino Andriani” Srl was established in 2004. They are the only European company with a pasta factory and a mill dedicated exclusively to gluten-free food production serving in 16 nations around the world, their key export market includes USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, Israel

Certifications: Italian Celiac Association (Spike Crossed) – Certified gluten-free product SGS(Gluten content less than 10 ppm) – International Food Standard – British Retail Consortium – Aut.min. ai sensi del d.p.r. 111/92 e Reg. ce n°41 del 2009 – Ecogruppo Italia Certification – NOP (Organic) Certification – GFCO USA – Multiutility Green.

This Italian Organic/Gluten Free product line, started with Felicia Pasta which inspires creative chefs in preparing new plates & sauces.

Felicia pasta is world known brand, sold through various pharmaceutical organizations across the world as dieting main ingredient and has shown excellent results in loss weight plans and is my favorite pasta, They have offered us sample box for mentioned four kinds of pasta and we have prepared penne so far and found it very delicious, and remarkably non-sticky while I strain them after boiling and mix into my sauce. Felicia has grown tremendously around the world with Gluten Free & Organic ingredients Felicia takes a leading position.

You will find them in 4 categories here in UAE,

Multigrain pasta – Tasty:

With cereals such as corn, rice, buckwheat and quinoa and it features a mix of flours for a unique and tasty recipe. Quinoa is nutritious, it contains minerals and is high in proteins

Brown rice pasta – Digestible:

It is ideal for those who love to eat and taste the whole grain cereals as it features Brown rice which is highly digestible and naturally contains minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Buckwheat pasta – Ancient Flavor

For those who love ancient flavors like Buckwheat, hence it is rich in protein and minerals such as manganese and magnesium. It is suitable when there is need of healthy energy and a general remineralization.

Corn-rice pasta – classic

For someone like me who love the simplicity of corn and rice as these ingredients ensures naturalness and authenticity. It’s so digestible, thanks to the lightness of rice

Felicia Pasta is available in retail in UAE at following locations :

– Eataly Dubai Mall

– Jones the Grocer (All locations)

– The Farm (Al Barari)

Served in:

– Hilton Double Tree

– Armani Hotel

– Hilton JBR

– Gluten Free Kitchen

A little birdie gave us some inside info that the company is soon to be introducing more variety and range of pasta too including

– Red lentil pasta (attached photo)

– Low protein pasta ( attached photo)

– Diabetic pasta

You may follow them on below social media pages.

–          Twitter @FeliciaPasta

–          Instagram feliciapasta_glutenfree

–          Facebook www.facebook.com/FeliciaglutenfreeME

Life is a combination of Magic and Pasta.

 

Carluccio’s at YAS Mall – Win Meal Voucher worth 200 dhs #ItalianCuisineCelebrationonMahiBlog

Congratulations, And the winner is:

1) OMAR SAMI

– Thanks for sharing a lot – Please send us your full name and contact details on mahiblog.ae@gmail.com within 2 days to claim your prize. Incase of failure another winner will be chose.

Carluccio’s at Yas Mall:

Those who are following my blog are already aware of my love for this brand. I once read an interview of Founder “ANTONIO CARLUCCIO” where he has mentioned that Olive oil, flour, tomatoes and basil are the ingredients you can’t live without; yes we are talking about 78-year-old Italian chef and restaurateur himself who was in Abu Dhabi last year to open Carluccio’s in Yas Mall – his third restaurant in the capital. Having about 100 restaurants around the world, he shows no signs of slowing down, and his great concept of love for Italian Cuisine is beautifully cascaded to the recipes at Carluccio’s restaurant menu.

Super Gorgeous and our Ultimate Favorite Antipasti Mixed Board, it has each element of our liking ranging from home-baked Focaccia bread to roasted bell pepper with basil pesto.

 

Well, apart from covering their FESTA DELLA PIZZA offerings and tasting from the best pizza festival in town, we did taste their main menu items too, and this time in a different location i-e @ YAS Mall. It is quite a big and spacious venue. In the evening, Carluccio’s welcomes those who are looking for a more relaxed dining experience. Carluccio’s deli here is unrivalled – offering a scrumptious selection of fresh meats, cheese, salads, olives, tarts and baked food items, in addition to a range of take-away dishes, they even sell these handy gadget so you can make similar dishes at home! In short YAS Mall Carluccio’s is not just a food outlet but it is a food shop that offers a range of specially imported products from Italy to give it the authentic taste of Italy to this region.

I must say we had found our spot for comfort food that goes to our very heart. Our visit was memorable; we have been well greeted by the branch supervisor. Kids were well entertained with a customized kid’s pack they offer having a number of fun activities for kids aside from coloring too, I found myself well engross while they were solving the puzzle mysteries.

 

Starters were best to name few were Tomato, Pesto & Garlic Breads. We tried on our host’s recommendation their Ravioli and it is just divine, so full of flavors and the tiny pouches will do the magic mix in your mouth where sauce is so carefully coordinated with soft home-made ravioli which is filled with tender spinach and cheese giving the classic breakdown of each ingredients, it’s just absolute harmony. Being served in a traditional way with butter it kept it’s true essence.

LAGAGNA is also up there in this same category, baked at its perfection simply must-try item on the menu. My kids have thoroughly enjoyed the dish.

Hubby ordered Lamb Shank which is basically slowly braised lamb shank with herbs and vegetable, served with rosemary and mashed potatoes. Meat was well done and juicy at the same time the aroma of braised lamp just satisfies your taste buds and you will fall in love with this dish.  Uncomplicated ingredients, basic taste! It can even cater to my craving for lamb roast incase I am up for big challenges next time.

Kids enjoyed the very simple and basic Penne Pasta with pink sauce, which is too good and accurate to the taste and liking for the kids. The fact that the staff gave extra attention while taking your order you can actually customize your dish by requesting to add on or reduce the selected ingredients.

As for the Desserts, they have a lovely selection. We tried 3 in total, 2 from the new range and one regular.

CASSATA which is Semifreddo Sicilian Dessert with Chocolate pieces (I hardly felt any in mine), pistaccio ice-cream and candied fruits (as it’s comparatively hard to chew dint give me much of my dreamtime while enjoying this dessert.)

 

CHERRY SUNDAE: Being a die-hard fan of cherries I had no reasons not to fall in love with this awesome treat, very well proportionate dessert made by simple amalgamation of Italian Amarena Cherries and Vanilla Ice-cream and the syrup was there to balance the sweet ratio too. Love it!

Last but not the least Chocolate Fondente a warm chocolate pudding served with Ice cream. It was a chocolate lovers dream. Thick, chocolaty goodness all over with a layer of ice-cream. If you want a drinking chocolate version, try the Ciccoletta fiorentina.

WOW Factor:

• On weekend they are serving new Nutella e Banana so go for it!
• If you looking for real taste of Italy at home their colorful cornucopia of fantastic fresh food, Keep sake & store cupboard items and gifts you should definitely pass by their deli.
• Their fondants are mind blowing – pure choco lovers, welcome.

Buon Appetito!

I loved the romantic ambiance and an extended space where you can enjoy with your loved ones or close group of friends for a special dine-outs. There is even possibility to get variety without giving up on your Italian cravings. Categorically worth next visit, maybe even after to try some more Gnocchi next time 😉 I would rate my overall liking for Carluccio’s 4.6 on 5. And it can take mouth-watering 5 for just deli itself as it’s too good to ignore.

Find more info on their FB page here or go to their Website.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: 

Mahi Blog and Carluccio’s have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Gift meal Voucher worth AED 200” to be used at any Carluccio’s outlet across UAE

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the PIZZA offering at Carluccio’s during FESTA DELLA PIZZA?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on September 10th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to CARLUCCIO’S Management, Andjelka Pavlovic and our host staff at restaurant. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Pictures are owned by Mahi Blog. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

“Festa Della Pizza” Celebration at Eastern Mangroves Carluccio’s – Reviewed

Carluccio’s is the highly praised Italian cafe renowned for bringing authentic and conventional Italian cooking and ingredients to families in a comforting and friendly environment. Carluccio’s open kitchens are operated by qualified chefs who create all the food in-house including pastas and breads. It offers great worth for cash with the whole lot from scrumptious morning breakfasts and exclusive blends of coffees through to light meals and lunches. Carluccio’s deli is the food shop offers a range of specially imported products from Italy to give the authentic taste of Italy to this region. It is well-known for its pastas, pizzas, classic Italian desserts, fresh salads, and antipasti to name a few.

Festa Della Pizza Celebration at Carluccio’s

Festa Della Pizza Festival 

Nothing says Italy quite like its food, and nothing says Italian food like pizza. Sharing its passion and expertise for the Italian speciality; Carluccio’s is hosting a two-month long celebration of all things pizza. Started from 26th July and it will go till end of September, Festa Della Pizza will showcase an array of limited edition sweet and savory pizzas alongside interactive kids’ pizza making classes. In addition, Carluccio’s food shops will feature a special display of chilli oils and chilli based products, the ideal accompaniment for pizza at home. You can choose from Sweet or Savoury Choices.

Coverage of Festa Della Pizza at Eatern Mangroves Carluccio’s

To cover the grand festival we have been invited via PRCo and been warmly hosted and greeted by the generous staff at Eastern Mangroves Outlet of Carluccio’s. Venue is cozy and has an amazing view of mangroves and stretched out sea full of boats, Eastern Mangroves is also home to other water sports activities hence attract a lot of goers and Italian food lovers which simple can’t miss this branch of Carluccio’s due to aroma of baked pasta and pizza & smell coming from their kitchen. Restaurant has fining area covered inside and outside on terrace as well, in good weather you can sit outside and enjoy the breezy atmosphere, however we preferred inside in the prevailing temperatures in Capital and were guided via staff to a warm corner with a glass window for an outside view.

Bowl of Olives

I am a big fan of Carluccio’s and have visited so many branches by now and a big lover of their bread and Olives hence it was must to try the same before we roll on to festival tasting and we enjoyed BOWL OF OLIVES this time. Being a thin crust pizza lover, it’s a treat to find they are serving authentic Roman-style pizzas with perfectly charred crusts, We tried Anatra e Fichi, Calzone Ortolana and Granchio e Gamberi.

Anatra e Fici

First one consist of tomato, mozzarella, shredded duck confit (You may ask staff to replace with chicken), fresh figs, rocket salad, parmesan shavings and aged balsamic vinegar which has very empowering taste in a good way and the figs added that extra citrus taste to this highly recommended pizza from the festival offerings.

Granchio e Gamberi was a treat for seafood lover

The second one Calzone Ortolana was basically a folded pizza will balsamic roasted vegetables, goats’ cheese, mozzarella and black olives and has this incredible softness of combination cheese they topped it with and the balsamic roasted veggies give you a great crunch and taste at the same time.

Meanwhile, seafood fans will appreciate the Granchio e Gamberi, topped with crab meat, shrimps, mozzarella, grated zucchini, red chilli, basil and lemon oil, though we are not huge fan of seafood but this pizza is very flavoursome and did gain few interest point on our tastemeter.

Porcini e Tartufo is one unique in range too

It you have Sweet tooth you may indulge in one of the unique dessert pizzas been offered at FESTA DELLA PIZZA Treat; served on a crispy golden base, they are the perfect way to finish a meal. You can try the fruity Passione e Amarena topped with mascarpone passion fruit cream and Italian Amarena “Fabbri” cherries or the classic Nutella e Banana with Italian Nutella and sliced banana. My kids thoroughly enjoyed their nutella banana edition and it actually made them charged to even run for a small walk around mangroves.

 

Apart from Festival Offerings we even tried our all time favorite antipasti mixed board. There is nothing to complaint about this extra gorgeous complete board which has each element of our liking ranging from home-baked Focaccia bread to roasted bell pepper with basil pesto.

I also ordered Beef Gnocchi, which truly impressed us this time with slowly cooked pulled beef and potatoes dumpling, rosemary flavor added to its taste.

I tried Cheese cake with Latte Coffee and finished off my meal in a delightful way.

 

Oils and other products range at Deli:

Well if you would love to carry what you tasted in the offerings for number of months, here is a charm, as this festival is running for a certain time however you may purchase the hot stuff which goes into taste over these pizza.

 

Yes we are talking about sauces and special infused oils. If you are looking to add a little heat to your menu can head to Carluccio’s famous deli, which will be showcasing a selection of chilli oils and chilli based products throughout the festival. Made from quality Italian olives and infused with chillies dried under the Calabrian sun, chilli oil is endlessly useful in the kitchen and perfectly complements pizza as well as pasta, salads and any other dishes that require a kick. Choose between the traditional chilli oil and chilli and garlic oil, whilst the Tre Oli set makes a lovely gift for any keen cook. In keeping with the fiery theme, a selection of chilli salsa, pesto and pasta will also be available for rustling up impressive suppers for friends and family at home. They are also been offered at much reasonable price and in some cases bundle offer.

Pizza Master Classes for Kids

In case If you have mini chefs in the making like mine 2, Carluccio’s also offers fun and hands-on pizza master classes for kids, I can recall the memories when my kids had attended the same few months back and guess what they have same been offered throughput the festival; Led by an expert chef, little ones can get messy whilst kneading, baking and decorating before sitting down to enjoy their creations. You may contact your nearest Carluccio’s for dates and timings.

Follow Carluccio’s on Facebook and Twitter for more information on Festa Della Pizza.

Indeed it’s a great chance where pizza lovers will discover a range of inspired flavor combinations throughout the festival, visit with friends to enjoy a variety in the menu without managing to dilute the running italian theme too.  This festival is available at restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Mahi Blog loved exploring the festival at Carluccio’s and rate the Fiesta offering 4.5 out of 5 on our tastemeter.

KEEP CALM AND EAT ITALIAN – ITALIAN TO GO…