Simply Abu Dhabi XIII

7 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I For our mains, Jordana opted for the fillet of baked red snapper in pizza dough crust, served with young potatoes and taggiasca olives. Our server explained to us that the fish is first cooked for a few minutes, then baked "en croute"-style inside a golden pizza dough crust, a traditional way to prepare the dish in Tuscany. Imaginatively presented, and clearly made with respect for tradition, it tasted absolutely fantastic. For my selection, I wanted to try something from the charcoal grill, and ordered the rack of lamb, marinated in fresh rosemary and mint. Once again, the simple beauty of the fresh ingredients spoke for itself – the distinctive fragrance of rosemary mingling with bright taste of mint, all complementing the flavour of the succulent lamb, which was perfectly cooked to order. Meanwhile, we couldn’t help but notice that other diners were enjoying spectacular- looking brick oven pizzas, topped with all manner of fresh vegetables, seafood, or cured meats – and were thrilled to learn Villa Toscano’s pizzas are now available for take- away. We’ll certainly be trying those on our next visit! To end the amazing meal, we shared a trio of desserts – a traditional tiramisu, an intensely flavourful truffle, and to cleanse the palate, a remarkable dark chocolate and orange sorbet – along with the classic Italian cappuccino. As we took our leave of this welcoming Tuscan villa, the host wished us a good evening, presenting us with a complementary box of biscotti. It was emblematic of the attention to detail and exemplary service that makes Villa Toscano feel like a magical night in Italy.