A slice of Naples in Dubai
An invite to the launch of some new entrants to the menu of 800 DEGREES NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA , at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai with a friend ,led me to savor some tasty Neapolitan delights.They have recently added pastas and salads to their menu to cater to market demands and they are open to all ideas and feedback , ready to listen to their customers.
The chain originated in the US by Chef Anthony Carron as a build your own pizza concept . He opened the first restaurant in 2012 and was awarded the title of "true Neapolitan pizza" by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. The decor of the Dubai branch is simple, casual and full of light , something I love at restaurants. Long counters showcasing various fresh toppings, where you can view the making of the dough base for your pizza, lead to the beautiful ovens that are made of Almond wood ,fired to 800 degrees giving you the perfect pizza within minutes.
Black and white themed restaurant with lots of light...
Counters full of fresh ingredients
The tables were neatly set out for bloggers and other invitees to which we were warmly greeted, seated and served the tasting menu that had been set for us.
Beautiful Dome shaped Almond wood fired ovens
Fresh Mozzarella prepared daily
The Master Pizzaiolo
Our Tasting Menu
After choosing our sets , the soups were served. I chose the Tomato and my friend ,the chicken broth . Rich creamy Tomato soup with a dollop of cream and a crisp crouton floating was a great start to this meal. Though it could have been slightly lighter for me to finish the entire bowl but it was very refreshing and I remembered where the tomatoes came from and took delight in each spoonful.
The chicken broth was as clear as it could get with hearty vegetables like carrot and potato and beautiful smoked chicken pieces to balance off.
The Burrata with cherry tomatoes, fresh pesto and Argula came next. This was the star for me . The Burrata was soft and creamy like it should be , and the flavours of the pesto so fresh as I was told they are prepared daily ,freshly in house. Burrata is a soft fresh cheese made from Mozarella cheese and cream . The word Burrata means "buttered " in Italian.
The classic combination of the soft and fresh cheese, the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes with the rawness of the Argula combined with the fresh pesto was a winner for me .
Fresh Fiery feta bread was placed on the table as a side to nibble on while waited for our mains.
The bread was fresh and chewy .
The pesto pasta , without and with smoked chicken was nice and creamy making it very wholesome ,served with golden crusted garlic bread .By introducing pasta on to their menu , they have brought variety to their menu offering more choice.
The Pizza is the main star , light and chewy as a Neapolitan pizza should be . This is where the world got its Pizza from ...it is made from a light dough just comprising of flour, salt , water and yeast, handmade to perfection, customized with the fresh tomato sauce and toppings, fresh mozzarella made in house and fired in an authentic Almond wood fired oven that heats very quickly giving you your pie within no time.The tomatoes comes all the way from Italy and are grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. It's interesting to know that Pizza was created around 200 years ago but only around a 130 years saw it in the form it is today with dollops of mozzarella on it .
It also gives you the option of a gluten free base option which is fast becoming a popular option these days. The pizzas can also be customized by choosing the bases and options of fresh ingredients available .
Could'nt wait !... newly introduced Pizza Campagnola
Last but as they say , the best was saved for the last ....was the tiramisu . Simply served , it was moist as it should be and I could'nt resist to have it all!
I have to commend the staff of the restaurant who are very warm and this is one place where you are sure to get great service.
Now opening many more branches all over Dubai , your true Italian fare will not be far away.
A truly authentic product , 800 degrees pizza , under the leadership of Manish Jeswani, Managing Director of Eaters L.L.C and Master Pizzaiolo, Chef Rosario Accaria , it sure will be a front runner in serving authentic Italian food in Dubai .
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