Taste Test: Manzoni

Nestled in the Pullman Hotel in JLT Dubai, Manzoni is an authentic Italian restaurant that offers a Friday Italian brunch perfect for families who want to sample a bit of everything from Italy.

The most striking aspect about Manzoni is the level of hospitality and comfort you feel here; from the moment you enter, Mohammed, the restaurant manager Mohammed and his friendly staff are very welcoming.

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With a designated brunch menu, for groups of three or more, everything from their specific brunch menu is presented: the antipasti, the pasta, pizza, the mains, and the desserts. We tucked into freshly baked Foccacia bread with olive tapenade with a mild chili paste followed by antipasti. The Eggplant Parmigiana, one of the best I have ever eaten, was neither overpowering nor pungent but instead, was the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Another starter that really stood out was the meatballs in tomato sauce, which was very flavorful and moist.

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Next, we had a large thin crust veggie pizza, as authentic Italian as they come.  As we were enjoying this, our next course of Italian pastas and risotto arrived. There was a nice variety; the minced beef pasta really stood out and then there was a seafood lover’s dream comes true with the seafood spaghetti. Also, the creamy green pesto and peas risotto is another must-try that was packed with flavor.

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The mains included three different, but all equally delicious dishes. The Groupa fish dish was a filet of fish coated with breadcrumbs and served with steamed vegetables. Then my absolute favorite was the succulent beef stew served with pureed potatoes. The blandness of the potato puree was perfect with the richness of the beef stew gravy. And finally, we sampled the Chicken Cacciatore that had strips of crispy boneless chicken in a light tomato sauce.

There are two desserts we really enjoyed; one was the panna cota, with heavy hints of creamy and sour but my absolute favorite was the tiramisu that emanated a balance of flavors; bitter and sweet with cold and creamy.

The Verdict: Manzoni is the kind of place you can sit all day long. It has a very relaxed vibe, yet still maintains a fine dining feeling. The food is authentically Italian and served up by some of the nicest restaurant staff I have ever come across.

Contact: Manzoni in the Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai; 04–567 1100