Restaurant review: Piazza Italia

Tucked away at the Dorra Bay in Dubai Marina, Piazza Italia is a far cry from the glitzy venues of Dubai. It's more of an insider's spot, somewhere to go for a quiet dinner far from the madding crowd (and with easy parking!). Good things sometimes come in surprising packages.

Much like chef Massimo, who welcomed us with a broad smile and a warm handshake, the restaurant is not solemn, but light-hearted and playful — imagine an Italian villa decorated with fake vines.

As we sit waiting to sample the fare, the interesting table mats caught my eye. Me and my daughter lapped up the history lessons printed on the mats — facts include: the most famous pizza is pizza margherita; pasta owes its existence to the Etruscans (the first Italians, who conquered Rome in 800BC); and tomatoes came to be used in pizzas only in 1850.

Settled in, we started with insalata caprino (Dh42) — a salad made with lettuce, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, black olives topped with goat cheese — which whetted our appetite for better savoury options to follow. Then came funghi gratinati al gorgonzola con crostini (Dh35), mushrooms with blue cheese cream and parmesan, cheesy and creamy — just the way it should be. Everything was devoured from the plate, and the same happened with salmon carpaccio (Dh47), which was tasty and light.

Next on the table was marinara pizza (Dh38) made with tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Here the thin crust gave it a certain chewiness, but the toppings aren't shy about flavour. I didn't miss the absence of cheese, just a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil did magic. Healthy eaters, take note.

Fusilli alla crudaiola (Dh44) — home-made pasta cooked with tomatoes and ricotta cheese with a fragrant basil sauce, is on the rich side, but worth every calorie.

Easygoing

The menu offered here is both user- and budget-friendly, with hardly a main course jumping the Dh70 mark, and small plates staying well below Dh50. That's a good thing, separating Piazza Italia from pricey special occasion restaurants.

As for the food, it's easygoing Italian cuisine that relies on simplicity. Not exactly earth-shatteringly original, but all in all well-prepared and the choices boast freshly made pastas and pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven.

Did I mention that you can hear yourself talk? There is a soundtrack, but it was playing at low volume. Imagine: conversation. What a distinct pleasure.

Coming back to food, the real standout was tagliata classica (Dh63), a dish consisting of thin strips of beef on a bed of rocca, cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and shaved parmesan. Here all the ingredients are used so discreetly that they give the dish a hint of mystery.

Frittura di paranza (Dh44) — deep fried baby octopus, shrimp, squid and mussels — was straight from the kitchen of the chef's native Pescara. Don't forget to squirt a little lemon over. It's a delight.

For dessert, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm recommending mousse de casa — a mix of dark chocolate and ice cream. It's less sweet than most, and you can really taste the espresso in it. The ice cream in it gets points for its dense creaminess. Finish that off with an espresso and you're all set.

If you are a resident of Bur Dubai, Karama or Deira, don't let Piazza Italia's location stop you from going there. Think of it as a getaway. Go early, stop for a walk on the beach along the way. It will be soul-soothing, just like chef Massimo's food. Me? I'd go back on my own money (rather than the paper's) in a heartbeat.