U.A.E. Hotels & Restaurants - Searching for Service with Soul.

Italian. It has to be everyone's 'go to' meal. Who does not like pizza or pasta. Abu Dhabi has many Italian restaurants and that list has just gone a bit longer with the addition of Parmigiana at Sofitel on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. So, the question is, how does it stand out from the competition that is already here? 

The restaurant

It is good see another restaurant added to the food and Beverage options at Sofitel. Having seen a  couple restaurants in the same space in the last few years, an  Italian restaurant seems like a good option to bring back guests. While the previous Italian restaurant that was outsourced closed soon after opening, its market was different; it was more upmarket. Parmigiana is more relaxed and laid back. 

Parmigiana has a simplicity about it, with typical Italian table cloths (thankfully not in red) adorning tables. Black and white prints of Italian American movie stars are all around the restaurant; a nice touch. Views of the corniche and in the da…

The table brunch is growing in popularity. Week in and week out guests are subjected to endless amounts of food, most of which gets wasted afterwards. About 6 months ago SushiSan launched its own table brunch but I was largely unimpressed. With the reworking of their concept I was naturally excited to try it because of where it placed itself in the market. Some thoughts emerged from this experience.
Omakase 
That is the underlying idea at this brunch. Omakase, or dishes chosen by the chef, allows the restaurant to offer something different every week. While sushi is obviously what draws people to it, its brunch and omakase concept means that the chef can really innovate and ensure that regular guests do not get bored. 

Service

Key to this concept is staff. There were some noticeable changes. I always say when you have chefs on the floor, it instill confidence in guests and also raises the level of a brunch seeing the men in white. Seeing Holiday Inn's new Executive Sous Chef, David Ma…

Layali Baghdad is bound to catch your eye as it did mine a couple weeks before I tried it. On that occasion, the restaurant was quite full as I drove by. But I loved teh vibe I was getting from a distance thanks to large traditional Iraqi windows. Also, a fire encased in a glass room close to the entrance really grabbed my attention. Thus was born my interest in this restaurant, still in soft opening in Khalifa City. It will open fully in September. 


The restaurant is simple and minimalist, with homely tables and chairs used to convey a sense of exactly that - home.  We start off with lentil soup, prepared Iraqi style. The main difference, as I taste it, is the thicker texture it has compared to what one usually has. Very hearty.




We try some cold starters with piping hot tandoori bread - they have a tandoor in the kitchen. I appreciate the fact that bread is routinely replaced with freshly baked bread. The highlight of the salads and highly recommended is the signature Layali Baghdad sa…