What do Jennifer Aniston, Robert De Niro and Frankie Muniz (from Malcolm in the Middle)have in common?
Their faces all adorn the walls of Abu Dhabi Italian eatery Parmigiana. No, we’re not quite sure why either, but we do know that this place does great grub.
The family-friendly venue has a rustic charm, with Italian power ballads, basic furnishings and the smell of fresh bread.
The comfortable vibe is a world away from the hustle and bustle outside and it’s casual enough for a full family to enjoy the homely dishes, too.
We kick things off with the platter of traditional antipasti. Delicious bites of cheeses, cured meats, rocket salad and sundried tomatoes, drizzled in fine balsamic vinegar are the perfect way to start any Italian feast.
With the mains, the menu is short but there’s definitely an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Penne al pesto Siciliano and grilled king prawns catch our eye, but lasagna al forno wins out.
It takes half an hour to prepare but trust us, it’s worth the wait.
A generous slab of cheese-loaded goodness, its layers of pasta filled with mouth-watering beef ragu and béchamel sauce.
For dessert, it doesn’t get much more authentic than tiramisu.
We expect big things from the curtain closer and we aren’t disappointed.
Each and every bite of our dishes is brilliant. The place could do with being a bit livelier, it’s not too important when the food is so good and families with little ones will be so well looked after.
It might not be the most popular Italian restaurant in town, but little gem is well worth a visit.
The bottom line:
Delicious dishes that deserve to be discovered.
