From Time Out Abu Dhabi Eating Out 2010
A fairly recent addition to Al Wadha Mall, it is a surprise to learn that this chain is actually not from the country of pasta and olive oil, but closer to the land of the rising sun. With a half-dozen branches in Shanghai, Briccocafé is about as Italian as egg foo yung, but it does a fair impersonation of a bustling eatery – although no Italian would ever leave the tails on the prawns in the zucchini penne pasta. The décor might be a tad ‘store bought’, but the service is eager and the food, decent to good. The pizzas contrast paper thin crusts with big, chunky ingredients; the pastas are equally fulsome, while the seemingly endless array of iced ‘atos’, ‘essos’ and ‘chinos’ will have caffeine lovers jittering in anticipation. Sandwiches, salads and a few attempts at the usual European fare come in at reasonable to bargain prices and the overall impression is of a satisfying, if not astonishing, chain restaurant.
