Da Vinci’s in Millennium Airport Hotel, Garhoud, Dubai - Restaurant Reviews

Da Vinci’s

Garhoud restaurant aiming for Italian authenticity 6 Reviews

Meal Deal

Emirates staff discount

Specials change every month, discount for Emirates staff (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2008

As Italian restaurants go, Da Vinci’s is one of few in Dubai that stays true to the European nation’s dishes. The quaint eaterie offers authentic starters and main courses for diners with varied tastes.

Typical pasta fare is offset by tastier cuisine such as breaded chicken breast, which is covered in a light tomato sauce, filled with creamy cheese and served on a bed of tagliatelle. The duck option, combining asparagus, mash and mushrooms all dressed in a delicate, tomato and garlic sauce, is also particularly appetising.

With generous helpings on offer, light eaters should avoid the starters. But those able to withstand two gut-busting courses have several options to choose from. The onion-filled mushrooms are satisfying, while the garlic bread covered in mozzarella cheese is an equally tasty, if unspectacular, appetiser. The setting is suitable for those wishing to sample bona fide Italian cuisine in a serene environment.

Light music drifts through the room, enabling diners to converse without raising voices. A slight criticism concerns the decor, which bears little resemblance to a traditional Italian restaurant. While a few well known prints of Da Vinci paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and Renaissance Man, adorn the walls, there is little else related to the venue’s supposed roots. Service is faultless, with staff scurrying around to ensure guests never wait long.

They also ask whether the food is satisfactory following each course, and recite the specials without a prompt.

By Jeremy Lawrence