Eataly — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

Visited Eatly In Reem Mall last night for a celebration. On the very outset, I want to say kudos in appreciation of the wonderful staff that is at this restaurant. From the restaurant manager, to the waiter who served us, it was made sure that our experience was the best it could be. Seeking feedback on more than a few occasions by the staff at all levels was refreshing.

It was a busy evening for the restaurant, and we had to wait for about 15 minutes to be seated (expected on a weekend, and especially that we walked in without a reservation). On a side note, want to comment that the proportion of the tabletop space/surface to the seating is off, and one feels cramped, if many dishes have been ordered. There's probably not too much to do about that!

The Burrata Pizza was a disappointment. It was too wet, watery, and uncooked/doughy towards the middle, and practically fell apart with even a fine touch. It was not worth it! (The restaurant understood this, and did not charge for it)

The pasta and risotto dishes were decent, though the cheese ravioli with burrata came out just warm, with cold burrata, and on the al dente side. The sauce was nicely seasoned. The dish was enjoyable, nonetheless, especially with the loads of fresh parmesan grated table-side by our wonderful waiter Seji. The porcini mushroom and parmesan risotto was really flavourful, earthy, and masterfully done. It was one of the best bites of the evening for some of us who enjoy those flavours.

While there was nothing wrong with the traditional lasagna, the portion size was small. The wagyu bolognese ragu, while being tasty, was on a bit chunky and scantly side. Proportionally there was too much pasta to wither the bolognese ragu or the béchamel. However, the lasagna overall was still good, and we finished every last bit of it!

We ordered three mains fro the chicken options, and unfortunately only one of those was truly enjoyable. The roasted half chicken was cooked perfectly--succulent, moist, juicy, and well seasoned. The crispy plates with skin on were a misfit on that plate. It also seemed an incomplete dish without some fresh vegetable element on it--traditionally wither white or green steamed/or roasted asparagus, or artichokes, or green beans. However, the chicken itself was masterfully cooked.

The other too chicken mains were a disappointment! The fried butter and herb chicken main was over cooked, dry, and really not worth having, at all. The portion was small, and the bone in concept did not go with the dish. The potato mash was also pasty(the potatoes used are probably overtly starchy). The mash here and on the other chicken dish also was not creamy and buttery as it ought to be. It was pasty!

The grilled chicken main dish was recommend by the staff. It chicken was overcooked and dry, and had no flavour. Moreover, it had a strong smell of smoke/gas, which was off-putting. This dish was a big disappointment.

The gelato was okay. Unfortunately, there were limited flavours available that late in the evening, but we still enjoyed. The hazenut, vanilla, and dar chocolate flavours were standouts.

Overall, and average experience, with just okay food that could be improved...

I was excited to try this restaurant but ended up a bit disappointed. When my family and I arrived, the waitress stopped us at the door and said, "We can't take any new customers for another 30 minutes because we're having trouble serving our current guests." Even though only 5 out of about 30 tables were occupied, I was understanding since the restaurant had just opened this week and probably didn't have enough staff to handle a full house. What bothered me was that they didn't apologize or suggest I come back later. I asked the waitress if I could return in 30 minutes and she agreed, mentioning there was no need for a waiting list as she would recognize me at the door. The manager was right there, hearing all of this.

I came back after 30 minutes, and the manager, now at the door, repeated that they couldn't take new customers for another 30 minutes. I reminded him I'd been there earlier, and he let me in but warned that any order would take about 45 minutes due to an issue with the gas pressure. I told him it was fine and I was willing to wait.

Surprisingly, once seated, my order was served quickly without any delay. The issue here isn't just the initial miscommunication; it's how the staff and manager handled the situation. They seemed to be discouraging us from staying, likely due to the pressure they were under. I would have appreciated an upfront apology and a clearer explanation at the beginning. Their approach to the situation felt off, although it wasn't the fault of the staff but rather a management decision to open without adequate preparation.

To their credit, the manager did check on us after our meal to see if everything was satisfactory and whether the order was delayed, which it wasn't. Yet, there was still no apology or explanation for the earlier inconvenience.

Now, let's discuss the food:

For a starter, I ordered calamari which was served in a small bowl, although the menu showed it on a plate. This small bowl of fried calamari cost 69 dirhams and was average and greasy.

I also ordered the spaghetti Bolognese for 79 dirhams, which was good.

The Margherita pizza, priced at 70 dirhams, was disappointing. The tomato sauce lacked flavor—it really had none—and there was too little of it on the pizza. The cheese was also unremarkable.

In summary, the food ranged from poor to average to good. The pricing is on par with what you'd expect from an Italian restaurant in a hotel, yet this is just a casual restaurant in a mall, far from fine dining. Comparatively, Vapiano, another Italian place in the mall, offers food that tastes better and costs about 35% less. You can check their menus to see the difference.

I realize they might have been having an off day, which could have affected their service, but this shouldn't excuse the food's taste and...

Let me start by saying that I have been to Eataly in other countries and the experience was generally positive. Unfortunately, my visit to Eataly Reem Mall today did not even come close to meeting my expectations. Let me start with the food, I will attach photos, they will illustrate everything perfectly. Pizza Margherita Double Cheese - for 80 dirhams we got unleavened dough (my wife even felt the aftertaste of iodine), a little Mozzarella and charred pathetic pieces of basil - not even close to what was stated in the Instagram photos. Linguine with seafood - for 139 dirhams we got watery sauce, a minimal set of seafood, no WOW (guys, write to me, I will tell you a couple of places in Abu Dhabi where they cook super pasta with seafood for about 90 AED, maybe you can send your chefs there). Young chicken with fried baby potatoes - the chicken was too charred, but it was completely lacking spices, the potatoes were also tasteless - a very mediocre dish for 90 dirhams. Service: good work by the hostess, she greeted us warmly and showed us to the table, I liked the hostess's attention to the child - she brought a children's menu with coloring. The pizza was brought in 10-12 minutes, but there were no drinks on the table yet, although we ordered 2 bottled colas (they were brought after our reminder). Napkins were also not put on the table, they were brought only after our request. There was no checkback from the waiter/supervisor and no request for feedback on the quality of the dishes - apparently no one is interested in this. In general, the waiters were more interested in hanging out at the counter and discussing some pressing issues among themselves - they never took away the dirty dishes from our table, I even took a photo as a keepsake. Overall conclusion - if I had such an experience in a no-name place in a residential area and it cost 150 AED - maybe I would say ok, but for such a well-known brand - this is a...