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Over the years, the Italians have romanced us with their culinary expertise, such as freshly-made pasta, perfectly-prepared pizza and luscious lasagne.
These simple, yet superb cuisine appeals to food lovers from around the world, myself included, who have a craving for hearty flavours and quality ingredients.
Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa’s Italian restaurant, Rialto, aims to quell that hankering for good-ol’ fashion Italian with its bountiful offerings, inviting atmosphere and friendly servers.
Upon entering Rialto, the sounds of soulful arias playing in the background and savoury scents wafting through the air will whisk guests away on a culinary journey of Italian indulgence.
The two-storey restaurant’s décor can best be described as retro-chic. Its Vespa’s are flown in all the way from Italy for authenticity, as well as its marble designs which add a touch of elegance.
Ferrari red is also a major design element at Rialto. The romance factor is increased by the red roses and lighting used as centrepieces on every table.
Adding to the ambience are large murals depicting some of Italy’s most famous sights including Rome’s famous Colosseum and Venice’s popular Ponte di Rialto bridge, which Peter Kamau, Rialto’s senior supervisor, says the restaurant’s name is based on.
He said: “The bridge is a symbol of bringing people together, allowing them to move from one place to another. At Rialto, we aim to bring people together over good food and hope to please people from one experience to another.
“We want diners to feel at home here and enjoy themselves.”
Diners can choose to sit on the main floor near the large antipasti buffet and live kitchen or upstairs on the mezzanine floor, which also acts as an indoor terrace.
For a burst of fresh air, guests will love the outdoor patio area overlooking Seef Mall.
The kitchen team is headed by newly-appointed Italian chef Mario Storti and New Zealand Executive Chef Jason Lynn, who both believe that Rialto’s recipe for success stems from its warm ambiance, attentive team and wholesome meals.
Chef Lynn said: “Our guests are important to us and we love hearing their feedback. The only way we can improve is when people tell us what they want. We aim to please.”
While Rialto is known for its Italian fare, the restaurant also features themed nights that caters to all diners.
It is no secret that my husband Sam loves food, but Italian is not at the top of his list. I was curious to see how Rialto was going to win his heart. When the chef informed me about their BBQ night every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 11pm featuring BD15++ of unlimited platters of grills and a free-flow of selected beverages, I knew he would be hooked.
A singer serenaded us while we took our seats outside on the patio to feast on a medley of grilled seafood, steaks and chicken. The smoky smells from the BBQ grill had me salivating in anticipation.
Peter brought over Focaccia bread, which is flat oven-baked Italian bread similar in style and texture to pizza, carisa salad and a large plate of mixed antipasti including grilled vegetables and prosciutto.
To my surprise, Sam devoured his greens, a rarity as he usually avoids veggies to keep room for the meats. Soon after, two large plates of grilled salmon, hammour, mussels, lamb chops, chicken and steak appeared and our smiles broadened.
Being true carnivores, we immediately tucked into our portions of meat barely saying a word to one another aside from the occasional grunt. Although Sam felt the lamb chops lacked spice, I loved them. I enjoyed how the chef would incorporate Italian herbs and flavours to his grills.
It wasn’t long before we both were unbearably full but Peter, who became a dear friend and confidante advising us every step of the way, enticed us with one more dish that we are happy we didn’t miss. He brought over a plate of freshly cut fruit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is made in-house, topped with warm espresso coffee on a hazelnut biscuit. I thought I died and went to heaven.
The entire evening was beautiful and it was made even more memorable by the Rialto team.
There’s a well known Italian saying – L’appetito vien mangiando – which means ‘the appetite comes while you’re eating’, believe me, you’ll never be without your appetite at Rialto. Until next time, Buon appetito.
For details, visit www.rameegrandbahrain.com
Head down to the Royal Golf Club’s family-friendly Prego restaurant and try out the exciting new Mediterranean-style menu. Tantalise your taste buds with main courses such as lamb kleftico, braised oxtail ravioli or spicy tiger prawns served with saffron rice and peri-peri sauce.
Pasta lovers will adore the crab spaghetti or wild mushroom tagliatelle while those watching their waistline are spoilt for choice with a great salad selection including caprese salad and grilled chicken and quinoa Greek salad. A slice of baked cheesecake or chocolate torte with chantilly cream will round off a fabulous meal in Prego.
Open to the public, Prego boasts bright contemporary décor and fabulous views across the pool and landscaped gardens of the Royal Country Club. A large wooden terrace area means that diners can choose to dine inside or out and families with young children are very welcome.
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Celebrate Eid Al Fitr at the Royal Golf Club where the award-winning Friday Brunch resumes this Friday. There’s a huge range of starters, live cooking stations, traditional carved meats with all the trimmings, mouthwatering desserts and much more. There’s also a special section for kids including a ‘create your own cup cake’ station.
The Links Friday Carvery Brunch is available from noon to 4pm and all are welcome. The cost is BD18 net for adults including unlimited selected soft drinks, BD27 net for adults with unlimited selected house beverages and BD9.500 net for children under 12. Children aged four and under can eat for free. To book a table, call 17751262.
