Al Fresco in Crowne Plaza Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai - Restaurant Reviews

Al Fresco

The light and airy Al Fresco is a strangely pleasant hybrid of a Victorian greenhouse and the restaurant carriage in the golden days of the Orient Express. It’s just slightly unfortunate that the long restaurant amplifies the noise from the open kitchen and funnels it towards the entrance at the other end. A nineteenth century ear trumpet would be the perfect accessory here 3 Reviews

We received a well-varied bread basket soon after sitting down, along with a big dollop of black olive tapenade and a roasted whole garlic, which hadn’t been exposed to quite enough heat and was rather raw. Served equally promptly, the funghi trifolati – sautéed wild mushrooms – was a light and tasty starter, rich with garlic and a good chilli bite. Also greatly enjoyed, the insalata tonno e fagioli, was a substantial French bean and tuna salad which was well presented and sprinkled through with a nice light vinaigrette.

The gnocchi gorgonzola was a huge portion of dumplings in a rich, buttery cheese fondue that would have been perfect in a Swiss mountain chalet come midwinter. Sadly, in the climate of the Gulf, the dish was too heavy and bland, and if there was any gorgonzola it was difficult to detect through the dominant cheddar flavour. Big fresh chunks of salmon and very tender squid attempted to compensate for the lack of cheese in the dairy-free frutti di mare pizza, but accordingly it was a poorly melded effort, more like a seafood platter adrift on a pizza base. It was also a little dry – a drizzle of garlic or chilli-infused oil would have improved the dish.

A wonderfully moist and moussey tiramisu, served in a large wineglass, rounded off the meal. It had a strong coffee flavour with a hint of almond, and was dusted with a good layer of cocoa powder. The torta di mele, an apple pie with honey syrup and vanilla gelato, was another good choice. The pastry was on the heavy side but the apple was juicy and tangy, and the gelato was the star of the meal: cool, thick, creamy and loaded with vanilla flavour.

Al Fresco is a pleasant bright restaurant and a good spot for a straightforward, good-value meal, if not the best choice for a romantic tête-à-tête between softly-spoken diners.

By Matthew Lee