Summer has officially arrived and I wanted to add a few additional pieces to my ever expanding wardrobe, so off I went to one of my favourite places in Dubai for a leisurely stroll and a bout of shopping – City Walk. But not before I could fuel up with a hearty and heavy breakfast, at the very chic Sapori di Bice.
On entering the restaurant, you are immediately greeted by a host of smiling faces – and then you look around and marvel at how beautiful this restaurant really is.
The spacious layout and classic look of the restaurant allows a relaxed ambiance to come through – I felt at ease immediately. If you look carefully, you will find little pieces of Italy at every nook and corner of the restaurant.
The Italians have a saying “II Buom Goirno si vede dal mattino” (You can tell it’s going to be a good day from the morning) – and I couldn’t agree more. As I was walking around admiring the decor, Predrag the friendly manager decided to offer me a personalised tour – and he was kind enough to introduce me to Luca (Executive Chef) and Manuel (Pastry Chef) – I personally find it gratifying to meet the chefs responsible for preparing the food that I eat. It adds that personal touch, getting to know their history, the ingredients and what makes them tick – in this case, Luca’s and Manuel’s passion for food was so evident as was their hospitality.
Predrag advised that on Fridays and Saturdays they have a breakfast buffet – a choice between a cold station breakfast buffet priced at AED 55, or the full breakfast option (includes hot station dishes) at a reasonable AED 70. I love eggs, so naturally I opted for the full service option and was immensely pleased at how perfectly the organic eggs were cooked. My sunny side up preparation was accompanied with veal bacon, chicken sausage and cherry tomatoes – simple, juicy and hit the right spot.
The light and fluffy croissants were a labour of love, with a nice buttery scent folded into them. Can’t really fault the sweet pastries, but my personal favourite was the banana cake – moist and tasted divine. I couldn’t stop myself from having seconds – for after all, it reminded me of my childhood days when my granny would bake her version of the best banana cake in the world. Aaah, reminiscing good ol’ days over breakfast, good company and a tastefully decorated restaurant – well, you can’t put a price to it.
The attendants do deserve a mention – they struck the right balance between exhibiting care and being attentive without being overbearing. They were always around when I wanted to engage them, and at other times they stood back keeping an attentive eye – ensuring that the dining experience is as organic as it gets.
So if you are just round the corner from City Walk or merely looking for a great breakfast addition to your must try places, drop by Sapori Di Bice and be pleasantly surprised. I for one can’t wait to visit them again albeit this time for dinner. Chef Luca did promise me a very mean Agnello Scottadito (herb marinated lamp chop) – so I may just take up on the offer and report back.
