Brasserie Royale at Jumeirah Royal Saray is this month’s Chic Eats destination, and we’re ecstatic. Here, an ornate marbled hall sees guests indulge in Mediterranean dishes with an Italian twist. And with Chef Claudio Dieli bringing a taste of his native Sicily to the menu, one thing’s for sure: it is not just food, it’s a love affair.
In true Jumeirah Royal Saray fashion, we are luxuriously welcomed by off-white marble floors, Moorish arches, and hand-blown glass chandeliers. The restaurant is an elegant space carved into intimate seating areas, making it ideal for a quiet catch-up with friends. However, no one could have prepared us for the gastronomic delights that we are about to encounter. Chef Claudio opens our feast with delicious grilled tiger prawns on a Mediterranean salad. Here, juicy tomatoes unite with crisp cucumbers, croutons, full-flavoured feta cheese, and a coat of squid ink sauce – the perfect medley of textures.
The Pizza Capricciosa also hit our taste buds with its succulent combination of pepperoni, mushrooms, artichokes, olives and mozzarella cheese, but it is the lobster tagliolini that has us in awe. It pairs homemade pasta with cherry tomatoes, capers, and lobster that is firm, yet soft to the bite, all at once. Slow-cooked, its salty and tangy taste retains the freshness of the sea and adds to the incredible flavour of the sauce. This is when we’re hooked. It’s a feeling that only grows as we happily dive into a saffron and scallops risotto. Sea scallops seared to perfection are served on a bed of rich, creamy risotto with fragrant saffron, making for a hearty main.
Next up is Brasserie Royale’s T-Bone Experience. We tuck into a truly melt-in-your-mouth tender angus T-bone steak, with a savoury brown gravy that makes for the perfect accompaniment. And although it is already official that we have serious feelings for Chef Claudio’s creations, our culinary journey is not over yet. Dessert awaits, after all. We select the black forest cake, but the one at Brasserie Royale is no ordinary version. Not only is it ingeniously designed to resemble a “chocolate stone”, but it tastes even better than it looks – think: moist chocolate sponge cake, lighter-than-air whipped cream, and rich cherry filling. Our sweet tooth is satiated, and that’s way to our hearts. A love affair, indeed.
For more information or reservations,
call 7770 7070
