Simply Perfect

Amici which roughly translates as “friends” in Italian couldn’t be a more apt name for the intimate and somewhat quaint restaurant at Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi. FACT’s David Tapley visits the beautiful venue for a reminder of what Italian cuisine can be when approached with simplicity.

With a penchant for over-sized restaurants in our capital city, the scaled back approach at Amici is greatly appreciated and allows for the easy creation of atmosphere within the dining room. This simplistic approach is also evident in the food and the decor, which remains modern and unoffensive without fully committing to a theme. An open kitchen offers some meal time theatrics and provides the majority of guests a vantage point to watch their pizzas and pastas being skillfully prepared. Glass wine casings line the back wall close to the bar and act as a showcase for the various wine reserves and bottles available. Amici's defining feature though, is undoubtedly the central light fitting made up of hanging green glass that sets the colour scheme for the restaurant. From the place mats to the etched cutlery and pristine napkins, everything is in sync.

The menu at Amici is actually rather concise but this is by no means a bad thing; broken down into antipasti, zuppe, pasta, second and pizza. While not offering the most expansive selection of Italian dishes, what is available are rustic highlights that offer plenty of appeal. Gravitating towards a more causal dining experience when the majority of the city’s Italian restaurants are geared towards an upmarket and strictly fine dining mantra. In that sense, Amici is refreshing.

From the antipasti we select the Fritto Misto (AED78), a classic Italian dish of lightly breaded calamari, prawns and sardines which is generously portioned and covered in a moreish Tabasco emulsion. The dish requires little more than a squeeze of lemon to really bring out the flavours of the seafood. We also enjoy a large portion of Burrata (AED95) served upon a bed of spinach salad and cherry tomatoes and drizzled with a particularly nice basil dressing which works in perfect conjunction with the creamy cheese.

Of the pastas which include a beef lasagne, duck ragout fettuccine and a seafood risotto, we enjoy the Ravioli (AED85). Beautifully plated and stuffed full of burrata (there’s a pattern developing here) before being sprinkled with a Taggiasca olive crumb for texture. The six parcels of pasta are served with a rich tomato sauce that could be a condiment in itself.

We’re too full to experience the likes of grilled spring chicken, rack of lamb or oven baked sea bass but can’t leave without sampling the pizza. The Burrata E Speck (AED82) offers a thin pizza base topped with tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, burrata cheese and beef speck and makes for a wholesome dish that we would happily order again.

Of the six desserts available at Amici, the Tiramisu (AED40) is not to be missed! The dessert represents everything you would expect from the classic Italian dessert. The coffee isn’t too strong but soaks perfectly into the base of ladyfingers, while lashings of thick

cream is piped heavily on top with immaculate precision before being dusted generously with cocoa. Arriving at the table, the dish is then poured with warm chocolate sauce from a Moka pot and adorned with chocolate covered coffee beans. The indulgent tiramisu is more than enough for two people to share and represents a standout dish that has the potential to attract diners from all over the city.

Amici left us entirely impressed and it’s easy to see why the venue has been gaining traction with Abu Dhabi diners in recent months thanks to their popular Thursday Aperitivo night. The simplistic nature of the restaurant and its focus on classic Italian dishes prepared well makes it a must visit for anyone looking for hearty dining on Yas Island. ✤

GO: CALL (0)2 656 0600 FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION.