By Nadeen El Ajou      www.ameinfo.com
Pompeii, a new Italian restaurant due to soft-open at the beginning of March, is about to open its doors to food lovers in Dubai, where customers can sample the rustic recipes of the ‘lost city’ while admiring Jumeirah Lake Tower’s contemporary skyline, from its garden patio.
Just a short walk away from the JLT Metro Dubai Marina station, Pompeii offers a lively Latin experience straight from the Campania region of Italy, which once lay at the heart of the Roman Empire.
Diners will enjoy Pompeii’s true taste of Italy which brings authentic ‘old country’ flavours out in an array of luscious lasagnes, seasonal salads, beautiful bruchettas, resplendent raviolis, wood-fired pizzas, calzones, Italian deli sandwiches as well as grilled steaks and seafood.
Head Chef, Aristeo Batol, who brings over ten years of culinary experience to Pompeii having learned his trade and honed his passion at establishments such as the prestigious Emirates Palace Hotel, said, “Pompeii boasts an impressive array of delectable Italian dishes from risottos to Antipasti’s to wood-burned pizzas, with an al fresco option in the winter.
“The intimate yet vibrant aura created by Pompeii’s distinctive interior, with framed portraits of legendary Roman figures etched on stone tablets and scenic tableaux’s adorning the rustic brick walls, is reminiscent of the atmospheric Roman public eateries of bygone years,” added Batol.
In the restaurant a large spherical stone-clad cooking area sits at the centre of an ‘L-shaped’ interior, with the wood-burning open-fire oven built into the wall on display, providing animation for hungry diners watching their pizza’s being cooked.
Pompeii is also a great place to enjoy a rich Italian coffee, sumptuous homemade doughnuts and freshly made juiceimmos in the morning, a generous portion of eggplant rigatoni in the afternoon, or a melt-in-your-mouth wood-fired pizza in the evening. These all go down perfectly with friends, colleagues or family, making the restaurant an ideal place for dining out and private parties.
Pompeii Italian Restaurant and Café is being launched by Italian cuisine enthusiast Cheryl Vaughn, Director, Pompeii. With over 30 years of hospitality experience, Californian-born Vaughn has created the brand out of her passion for Roman culture and of course specifically its cuisine.
Cheryl said: “Launching the Pompeii brand is a really exciting initiative and one that will provide an authentic Italian dining experience like no other in the region by blending the modern and the traditional.
“With the prominence of the fast-food culture in Dubai, and as people continue to lead busier lives, it’s important to provide good-quality, healthy cuisine that uses fresh ingredients for people on-the-go.
“As well as providing a unique, relaxing and rejuvenating place to enjoy some great food, our perfect location – in the heart of JLT, and less than two minutes walking distance from the JLT Dubai Marina Metro station – makes us a viable option for people looking for some hearty food for a working lunch or even on their way home after work in their social time. Naturally we aim to attract many of JLT’s residents whether for an informal dinner or perhaps a home delivery.” More info
