Café Milano, Brunch del Sabato

Brunch in the city is always a stylish affair and we know no one does style quite like the Italians. Café Milano attracts a young, fashionable and classy crowd. Café Milano is possibly one of the only places where people still dress up to dine, I must admit the grace of it all is quite alluring.

On this beautiful Saturday afternoon we are visiting Café Milano to experience their Brunch del Sabato. Saturday brunch starts from AED 190* for soft beverages and AED 250* for bottomless bubbles, grape and hops and children 12 and under pay AED 60*. The prices are very reasonable, especially considering its Café Milano, however once the dishes start to arrive you will soon realise that this is a very well-priced Saturday brunch.

The courses are themed and served directly to your table. To start, a selection of small plates consisting of, dill marinated salmon with orange and fennel, quinoa salad with vegetable and cashew nuts, burrata with grilled vegetables, beetroot tower with goat cheese and pine nuts, beef prosciutto with pecorino cheese, house-made jam and a selection of croissants and focaccia with fresh rosemary and olive oil. Note, this is just the first course.

Our favourite dishes, the burrata which is extremely fresh, beetroot tower combined with the goat cheese, it offers a rich and creamy texture and the salmon with orange and fennel, which alternatively is zesty to the taste. The croissants are well presented, served on a three tier stand similar to afternoon tea, these are also enjoyable.

In-between courses we take a moment to enjoy the view across Abu Dhabi’s skyline. Café Milano has a large open terrace with spanning views across the water and the city. Designed by acclaimed New York designer Adam Tihany, Café Milano is bright, modern and airy. In the hotter months, the sliding doors can be closed, ensuring guests can still enjoy the view minus the heat.

The next course, roasted scallops with tomato sauce, olives and capers, roasted octopus with peach, green beans and mint, onion and potato frittata, poached egg with parmigiano cheese sauce and potato and sage croquette with tomato sauce.

The roasted octopus is exceptional, by far the best we’ve tasted in the city. A hard act to follow, the scallops also manage to impress. The potato and sage croquette may sound dull but its surprisingly enjoyable.

Finally, our favourite course, the pasta. All the pasta is made fresh in house and served family style. Guests can enjoy two types of pasta. Our favourite is the house-made pici pasta with shrimps and zucchini. Using only a few ingredients it ensures that the taste of the fresh pasta is not lost. The blend of shrimps and zucchini allow for a light pasta dish perfect for this time of year. If you wish you can also choose the type of pasta, just ensure you ask the team beforehand.

For mains we have a choice of three dishes, roasted chicken with potatoes, skewered lamb with bell peppers complimented by veal sausage served with mixed vegetables and roasted red snapper fillet with spinach sauce and vegetables. Dining al fresco, it only seems natural we choose the red snapper.

The presentation is astonishing, the deep green spinach sauce is dashed along the plate making the vibrancy of the red snapper standout. The red snapper perfectly flakes off the fork and has a mildly sweet taste. Overall this dish has been well constructed with each ingredient on the plate working to compliment the next.

To conclude, dessert. Served from a dessert trolley, guests have a choice of a myriad of Italian delicacies. Whilst all beautifully presented we would highly recommend the tiramisu, it is sublime.

To reach Café Milano guests can valet at the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi. As you enter the hotel and walk through the lobby take the escalator at the far end of the corridor. Café Milano is easily signposted.

Overall if you are looking to experience a relaxed and refined Saturday brunch, in a leading Italian restaurant, at a reasonable price, we can’t think of a better place than Café Milano.

Café Milano, Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island, 02 333 2630 

*Prices subject to 10% service charge, 6% tourism fee and 4% municipality fee