You can’t call yourself a cheese fan if you’ve never tried burrata. Fresh, fluffy and full of flavour, these beautiful balls of Italian dairy goodness are like mozzarella’s bigger, bolder brother.
Slice through the soft outer mozzarella shell of a burrata and you’ll discover a creamy stracciatella centre that, when served at the right temperature, oozes lazily across the plate.
Burrata is, to many in Abu Dhabi, cheese in art form. You can almost picture the love put into each bundle, handmade in the Puglia region of Italy. But where can you find the best burrata in Abu Dhabi? Well, here’s what our cheese aficionados say…
Cafe Milano
From one capital to another comes this Washington DC export that brings you a taste of Italy’s most fashion-conscious city. And it is certainly no less trendy than the original version, which has been packing the Italian cucina cogniscenti in for nearly 30 years. Set in the Four Seasons Hotel, this Abu Dhabi heavyweight brings chef Franco Sangiacomo’s culinary vision to bear. And we find it a constant thrill to gaze out over the waters off Al Maryah Island while tucking into some of his cracking creations, including his burrata. Chef Franco clearly has an eye for texture combinations as atop the soft but punchy cheese sits a slice of toasted bread. The burrata, which is imported directly from its birthplace, is then surrounded by a moat of herb-marinated, skinned cherry tomatoes that are themselves topped with mustard seeds for an extra bit of bite. The flavours in this one are simply superb.
Dhs130. Open daily noon-5.30pm, 6pm-midnight. Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island (02 333 2630).
Cipriani
We’ve long been fans of this high-end Italian ristorante that has its roots back in 1930s Venice. For its location alone it could win awards, nestled as it is by the waterside in Yas Marina, the yachts and F1 track providing the backdrop. However, it is the top-notch Italian fare that keeps us wanting to drive back to Yas for another night in the most capable of hands. The menu is choc full of classic Mediterranean dishes but when it comes to the starters, the burrata is king. A lesson in supreme simplicity, the Cipriani chefs prefer to the ingredients do the talking with this one. What you will be served up is a perfect ball of that wonderful white cheese alongside some juicy, punchy pink paradise tomatoes and fruity taggiasche olives. The fresh flavours of all three elements work in perfect harmony. Who needs fancy presentation and liquid nitrogen when the ingredients are this perfect?
Dhs167.50. Open daily 6pm-midnight. Yas Marina, Yas Island (02 657 5400).
LPM
The restaurant formerly known as La Petite Maison (rebranded presumably to prevent people putting on horrendous faux French accents when pronouncing its name) has always remained true to its Niçoise heritage. And the city of Nice itself has always had a certain Italian influence to its cuisine, hence why you will find such a marvellous mélange of Franco-Italiano dishes on the menu at LPM. Its burrata is a prime example, with executive chef Raphael Duntoye’s take on the classic Apulian appetiser faithful to the original you will you find in its homeland. Served in a very straightforward manner with baby plum tomato halves, basil leaves and a little seasoning the dish is hugely popular with the LPM faithful. It’s a refreshing way to start any meal at this little house of wonders.
Dhs98. Open Sun-Wed noon-11pm, Thu noon-11.30pm, Fri 12.30pm-11.30pm, Sat 12.30pm-11am. Galleria Mall, Al Maryah Island (02 692 9600).
Sole
When we first heard Sole would be replacing BiCE at the Conrad, one of the office wags tried to convince a rather green newcomer that it had been named after the head chef’s belief they and their team should only cook barefoot, leaving their soles free. This was, of course, complete gibberish as it simply takes its name for the Italian for ‘sun’. And what we certainly found on our first visit was that it totally brightened our day. Good food with a dash of humour that is served with a genuine smile – what more could you really ask for? Well, some of that consummately creamy buratta of course. You can find it as part of Sole’s antipasti selection, as well as during the Thursday cheese, pizza and grape night. However, order up La Bella Pugliese and you will discover a modern take on a timeless classic. A perfect ball of cheese is accompanied by mixed tomatoes and rocket. Then it is elevated even further with grilled courgette, seasonal truffle and olive powder. What it might lack in carbs it certainly doesn’t in taste.
Dhs95. Open Mon 7pm-11pm, Tue-Thu noon-3pm & 6pm-11pm, Fri 12.30pm-11pm, Sat noon-3pm. Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers (02 811 5666).
Villa Toscana
Arguably Abu Dhabi’s fanciest Italian ristorante, Villa Toscana has secured a slew of Time Out awards over the years and continues to amaze. Be it for an intimate date night, a birthday bash or a long-overdue get-together with friends on the terrace, this place has all the bases covered. And with top-notch food and excellent service added into the equation, Villa Toscana is worth pushing the boat out for. We first devoured its beautiful burrata during a Tuscan Brunch several moons ago and it instantly became one of our favourite antipasti on the menu. The chef has given it a Tuscan twist by serving it with that gorgeous, thick and filling bread soup, pappa al pomodoro. It also comes with a delightful basil emulsion and some crunchy focaccia croutons. The presentation is up to the usual house standards, while the sheer quality of the ingredients really shines through.
Dhs105. Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm. The St Regis Abu Dhabi, Nations Towers, Corniche Road (02 694 4553).
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