VENUE REVIEW
GO: Visit Carluccio’s at Galleria Mall, the Eastern Mangroves, or Yas Mall. Open Saturday to Wednesday from 9am to 11pm, and Thursday to Friday from 9am to midnight.
I start with Garlic Bread with Cheese, which is completely different from anything I’ve had before. It’s chargrilled garlic focaccia topped with Provolone cheese - can you get any more Italian than this? The bread was fluffy and perfectly paired with the right cheese to create a delicious taste. I go for two dishes from the starters; Bresaola - thinly sliced cured beef served with rocket leaves and Parmesan shavings - and Prawn Marinara prawns sautéed with cherry tomatoes, garlic and chilli, and served with rocket leaves and focaccia bread. The portions are very generous, enough to fill me up and keep me from trying a main. Whilst tucking into the yummy prawns I notice on the menu it says “We’re noisy about food. We taste it, try it, argue about it, until it’s exactly
right. We don’t use mozzarella unless it’s made from Buffalo milk, the taste is never the same. We don’t buy focaccia bread, we make it by hand every day. It’s the Italian way - it’s how we’ve worked since 1999.” It’s no wonder the focaccia tastes like heaven on a plate! For dessert it had to be the tiramisu - spongy, soft, and packed with flavour it’s an absolute must at Carluccio’s. On the way out I have a little nosey around the food shop within the restaurant which houses a delicious selection of fresh food such as cheese, olives and baked goods and an unrivalled range of products imported from Italy. Whether it’s breakfast and morning coffee, a light lunch, or a filling dinner, Carluccio’s is where you’ll find authentic and affordable Italian cuisine that could rival any fine-dining restaurant, any day. fact magazine
85