I discovered a hidden gem this Friday in the narrow and bustling streets of JBR and the name of this gem is Cucina Mia Restaurant. ‘Cucina Mia’ translates to ‘My Kitchen’ and you can expect home-like Italian food just like how an Italian nonna makes in her kitchen in Italy.
Located on the ground floor of Trident Grand Residence, Cucina Mia is a family friendly restaurant with al fresco dining area. The restaurant has simple and earthy decor with comfortable seating area.
Cucina Mia is fronted by Chef Matteo Bissanti, an experienced and passionate Italian chef who believes in cooking from the freshest of ingredients. I was wowed by the fact that they only cook the dish after the order is placed.
The best thing about eating out often is that you get to meet talented chefs. And I got to meet Chef Matteo and had a conversation with him. And he told me that he prepares traditional Italian cuisine with flavors inspired by memories of his childhood.
According to him, there is more to Italian cuisine than just pizza and pasta, and Italian cuisine combines the health benefits of Mediterranean diet with a wide choice of seasoned produce and regional flavors.
We started our dinner, with freshly made Watermelon Juice. Below is the list of few dishes that we ordered:
Starters
- Bruschetta Al Pomodoro with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil and oregano was a refreshing way to start our meal.
- Fiori Di Zucca or deep fried zucchini in tempura was light and crispy.
- Panzerotto Semplice is a deep fried folded pizza dough with tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella. You can have the option of having it fried or baked, and we went for the baked option. It was good.
Mains
When it comes to pizza, there is a great debate whether the Neapolitan pizza or the Romana pizza is the best. No doubt, Neapolitan pizza is the more popular one, but according to Chef Matteo the Romana pizza with its thin crust which is almost crunchy does not become soggy. And unlike Neapolitan pizza, the Romana pizza contains oil which increases its crispness. Hence it is good for delivery as it stays fresh.
- At Cucina Mia they make Romana Pizza by the meter. We tried two of their pizzas- Vegetariana and Margharita. Both the pizzas were loaded with great flavor and taste. As we couldn’t finish the pizza and boxed it and had it the next day. It was as good as when we ordered it the previous night after microwaving it.
- Penne Alla Siciliana was penne pasta made Sicilian style with tomato sauce and eggplant. This pasta was the main highlight of our dinner at Cucina Mia and a definite must-try.
Dessert
We ended our dinner with the rich, creamy and oh-so-fresh Panna Cotta.
We loved the food at Cucina Mia, I only wish there was a glass of Italian wine to go with our wonderful meal. Nevertheless, Cucina Mia offers great, authentic and delicious Italian food. The good food is complemented by impeccable service and warm hospitality. Have you visited Cucina Mia? Its certainly worth visiting.
Phone: 04 425 9696
Website: http://www.cucinamia.ae
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