Filini Garden — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

Nestled in the heart of Yas Island, Filini Garden offers not just a meal but an exquisite escape into culinary excellence. Our recent visit to this enchanting establishment left us in awe, from the serene ambiance to the unparalleled flavors that danced across our palates.

The evening commenced with an appetizer that set the bar incredibly high. The calamari was nothing short of spectacular, fried to a golden perfection, with a crisp exterior that gave way to tender, succulent flesh within. Each bite was a harmonious blend of texture and taste, leaving us eagerly anticipating what was to come.

Accompanying the calamari, the burrata with datterino tomatoes was an ode to simplicity done right. The creamy, fresh burrata sat amidst a medley of sweet, vine-ripened datterino tomatoes, each element enhancing the other in a ballet of flavors that was both refreshing and deeply satisfying. The contrast of textures and the purity of flavors in this dish exemplified the culinary prowess of Filini Garden's kitchen.

For our mains, the campagna pizza was a delightful journey through the Italian countryside, with each ingredient telling a story of tradition and taste. The crust, thin and crisp, was a perfect canvas for the rich, vibrant toppings that adorned it.

However, it was the ossobuco with riso alla milanese that truly captured our hearts. Prepared with an evident devotion to authenticity and excellence, Chef Marco's technique of slow-cooking the ossobuco for 20 hours at 80 degrees Celsius transformed this dish into a masterpiece of tenderness and taste. The meat, falling off the bone with the slightest touch, paired with the creamy, saffron-infused riso alla milanese, was an unforgettable symphony of flavors that lingered long after the meal was over.

Our culinary journey concluded on a sweet note with the intriguing canyoning and the perfectly set panna cotta for dessert. The canyoning, with its playful textures and flavors, was a delightful surprise, while the panna cotta, silky and smooth, balanced sweetness and creaminess to perfection. Each dessert was a testament to the art of dessert making, providing a fitting finale to an exceptional dining experience.

In every dish, from appetizers to desserts, Filini Garden demonstrated an impeccable attention to detail, an unwavering commitment to quality, and a passion for delivering an extraordinary dining experience. Chef Marco and his team have curated a journey through the heart of Italian cuisine, crafted with love and presented with pride. Certainly! Here's an addition to your review to include the commendable service provided by Grant:

Adding to the remarkable dining experience was the exceptional service we received, with a special mention to Grant, who went above and beyond in taking care of us. From the moment we were seated, Grant demonstrated an incredible level of attentiveness and care, ensuring that my wife and I had to ask for nothing. His recommendations were spot-on, guiding us through the menu with expert knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for the cuisine.

Grant's presence was discreet yet attentive, a perfect balance that allowed us to enjoy our meal and each other's company without interruption. He anticipated our needs, often before we even recognized them ourselves, ensuring that our water glasses were always filled, and our table was impeccably managed throughout the evening.

His passion for hospitality shone brightly, making us feel not just welcomed, but truly valued as guests. It's rare to encounter someone who not only excels in their role but elevates the entire dining experience through their dedication and warmth. Grant was such a person, and his contribution to our evening was a testament to the exceptional standards of service at Filini Garden.

A visit here is a must for anyone seeking not just to dine, but to savor and celebrate the joy...

Most pathetic experience - Non Veg pizza served for an explicit vegetarian order and no apology from Chef!

The pizza served by appearance could not be distinguished easily and I realised something was wrong only after eating the first slice.

It turned out to be a wrong order served by the Chef to the server. This is only possible being completely negligent and utterly non sensitive to customers religious/ dietary/personal requirements.

It also seemed an issue perhaps of lack of any compliance etc as dare such an issue happens with local population or the ethnic majority in the region- The consequences would have been far reaching I am sure.

Seeing us as Indian guests, the CHEF clearly chose to not apologize or give the matter the due respect. Neither the restaurant management cared to address the matter.

Being a strict practising vegetarian for my entire life (religious and personal reason) this incident has caused irreparable disrespect to my belief & principles and been the cause for undue stress.

Inspite of above, my wife and I tried to maintain our calm that evening & rather asked them to explain why this had happened.

I have mentioned the reason above that was given to us.

The only basic requirement they cared to fulfill was to ofcourse replace my meal. For the lack of any other option at that time since it was already quite late in the night around 11 pm and there out of other 3 restaurants in the hotel - this was the only option that we had managed to get seat/liked menu etc.

I would like to mention that the junior Indian supervisor did try to apologise on personal level and seemed to have understood the gravity of the matter as he mentioned being vegetation due to his faith, he could understand.

We left the restaurant after paying the full bill for the food (except for my meal which they did not charge).

This post is to sensitize people choosing to dine in this restaurant to demand due diligence on their process and for the irresponsible management and the careless Italian chef to own up their mistake and not hide behind junior/ vulnerable staff to atleast show decency in showing up for such instance.

It’s a no brainer, they would NOT have dealt this issue with such laxity had it been with any local guest or ethnic majority population of the region.

This just shows the true nature of the policies they are running this place with.

Very very shameful.

PS: No pictures were taken, as the idea was to just have a quick meal and leave. And when the incident happened the first reaction was not to gather evidence for a social media post later.

We even did not care to collect the paid bill receipt for that matter.

But the bill record and our room number tagged to the bill is the proof which exists in their system, which...

Avoid at all costs.

Visited this restaurant last night. Upon arriving was told about the various deals on for ladies and gents - opted for both.

At no point were we told that ladies were meant to receive a wrist band to prove they had opted for the deal. The restaurant had only 2 other tables when we visited - it was not busy.

Upon ordering a 3rd drink -Praisun, one of the waiters informed us that wine could be obtained on the gents deal, so we ordered another glass of wine each. ( it was not listed that wine could be obtained on the gents deal but he assured us not to worry , he would allow it , so we stayed for another drink instead of going to another bar).

Fast forward to asking for the bill - a ‘ trainee’ called Alok was sent to us with the bill and informed us - actually there was no deals on tonight- no ladies deal and no gent’s deal, at all . This is despite us seeing it on social media , confirming with staff when making reservation and ALSO discussion directly with staff on arrival.

Bear in mind the place was absolutely dead too.

Of course when confronted by his female colleague regarding allowing wine to be ordered on the gents deal- Praisun denied saying he allowed wine to be accepted in the gents deal. Lies.

When we asked for the bill - Alok was deemed to be a ‘ trainee’ - yet he was very confident in telling us there was no deals on despite the fact it is all over social media.

When the three of them were asked to check the bill and fix it - it was Alok, the ‘ trainee’ they sent with it whilst the other two staff members hid in the back room.

The bill was in fact , not rectified. Praisun told us he would allow wine to be ordered on the gents deal but denied this when asked by his female colleague and never rectified the bill.

Appalling service and quite frankly dishonest. Embarrassing as well considering there was no other diners present in the restaurant.

Save your money and go somewhere else.

Don’t be surprised why Filini garden has lost its...