Thursday, September 2, 2010

First of all, an admission - some of my best friends work in public relations. Well, not best friends per se, but people I consider to be close acquaintances, and when they speak to me they converse and make their point with language that is pretty ordinary. Then, like seemingly every other PR, they go to work and forget how to talk, instead preferring to play press-release bingo, randomly picking words and phrases from the office pot pouri of PR parlance.

Carnevale at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, having recently been refurbished, has also been given a lick of PR paint. Via its web site we’re promised ‘an affair to remember’ at ‘the new face of decadence’ and invited to ‘experience the ambience and exquisitely crafted menu, in the superb surroundings of this fabulous restaurant’. What?

Once you get past the naff hype however, the reality actually has much to offer. Experiencing the ambiance is probably not something Carnevale should be shouting about. If it’s shouting you want, the children will do that for you, because if you sit inside near the open-plan entrance you’ll hear the procession of people walking past the restaurant creating an ambiance that is more mall and less amore. It’s best to sit outside on the wooden decking where things take a lovely turn for the better.

A selection of Italian salamis that I started with came with two huge, rough-edged, lumps of parmesan cheese. Sweet melon and fine ham is a staple of Italian starters and here they do them really well.

The breads, oils and dips that were brought out for complimentary accompaniment were spot on, and a side of garlic bread insists you come with a big appetite.

The lobster risotto my companion had was a fine reason to be thankful for Italy having a huge coastline. Seafood is not always associated with Italian restaurants, but they do it well here. My dining partner - a professional conjurer no less - was used to things appearing as if by magic, but even she was impressed at the seemingly endless hunks of lobster that kept appearing from under smooth sauces and puffed Milanese rice.

A fine dish that impressed and although not cheap at dhs150, you can see where the money went, which is all you can ask for.   

Speaking of money, the wine list here is stunning, especially if you have stunning amounts of spare cash to spend on something that (within in a couple of hours) you will have nothing left to show. One Piper-Heidsieck champagne from 1909 costs dhs150,000, which has set a new record for most expensive bottle of drink I’ve seen on a wine list. For dhs280 though, we picked up a great bottle of Bordeaux.  

The gnocchi with four cheeses that I had was nearer a fondue than a pasta dish, and there could well have been more than four cheeses in there. But if you like food that is heavy (in a good way) this was rich and cheesy in a manner that only immensely good gnocchi can get away with.  

We shared a tiramisu for dessert and there are few desserts that are better to share. Presented expertly it thankfully tasted as good as the first visual bite suggested, with a richness and flavour, laced with warming alcohol that reminded you it’s not one for children. Too good for children - let them eat cake.

Downstairs in Latitude restaurant they appear to encourage children by providing a play area with toys, which is like handing children tambourines on transatlantic flights. But I ask, why encourage the noise?

Just upstairs, and outside, at Carnevale it’s a more adult affair. The prices are a bit of a drive-by-shooting to the wallet, but you can’t fault the quality of what you get.

With an Italian chef and 80 per cent of the products sourced directly from Italy, this is the real deal. That said, if you want to spend a lot of money on an outstanding Italian night out then Quatro at The Four Seasons (with the brilliant chef Emiliano Bernasconi) or Mezzanine at The Emirates Palace are currently the best places for doing so.

On food alone though, Carnevale is excellent. And great food doesn’t need over-egged PR speak to shout about its quality.