Number one pick for Italian on week night
DUBAI - Intrigued by Merletto, an Italian restaurant at the Marriott in Al Jaddaf, I looked up the word’s meaning in the car on the way there. Google said it meant “lace”, and I immediately felt terribly underdressed in my t-shirt, skirt and ready-to-retire wedges. I imagined the place being filled with skinny Italian women in elegant black dresses and stilettos, sipping their limoncello or espresso, leisurely chatting away in their beautiful language. I couldn’t help but feel relieved when I got there. Not a single lacy decorative article in sight in this modern, relaxed venue. The chandeliers weren’t excessively sparkly, the seats were cozy, and the entire dining area was dotted with hot pink accent pieces. And because it was a Wednesday night, it was quiet. Just how I liked it. We were welcomed by a friendly gentleman named Marko who eagerly told us about the evening’s offering, Merletto Festa, which is basically an antipasti buffet, followed by a two-course ala carte meal. It sounded like a modest dinner. It was anything but. The basket of freshly baked bread won me over. The focaccia was soft and warm, and the olive and tomato spreads added a much needed subtle sweet-and-salty flavor to it. Moderately sized and easy on the eye, the antipasti spread consisted of two types of bruschetta, some squid and mussels, some salads, and lots of palate-tickling extras such as a few varieties of olives, shallots and pickles.
My husband and I were happy to learn that these nibbles could be washed down with two glasses of Sangiovese for only Dh50, which also included a make-your-own cheese plate.
The list of main course options didn’t give us room to be indecisive. It was short and simple. I ordered the Bistecca di Manzo, or grilled rib eye steak in beef juice. The meat was succulent and tender, causing me to completely forget the generous portion of French fries that came with it. I even ate some of the fatty bits.
My other half was equally pleased with his Parmigiana di Melanzane, which is layered eggplant and mozzarella parmigiana with tomato sauce, basil and parmesan.
In between changing of plates and serving our dishes and refilling our glasses, the servers also threw in a few extras, which didn’t go unappreciated. We got slices of hot margherita pizza, a bowl of perfectly cooked penne arrabbiata, and a small sharing plate of lightly fried calamari, mozzarella sticks and arancini.
Leaving without having dessert, of course, wasn’t a thought I entertained. The medley of sliced fruit topped with a scoop of lemon sorbet refreshed by palate and gave me the sugar kick I needed after an extravaganza of savory treats. This refreshing and healthy delicacy was a complete opposite of the ultra-rich Sicilian cannoli, a crispy pastry shaped like a tube filled with chocolate cream and bits of chocolate, and drizzled with raspberry syrup. I enjoyed both nonetheless, but unfortunately didn’t have room to finish either.
The verdict? It’s a decent weeknight dinner option, perfect for those who want to enjoy fancy Italian fare without having to fuss over what they’re going to wear. The name did deceive me, but the menu didn’t disappoint.
Location: Marriott Al Jaddaf Opening hours: Sunday to Friday, 6pm – 11pm. Closed on Saturday Telephone: 04 317 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