Enjoy a taste of Naples at the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
PARTNER CONTENT: Naples comes to Abu Dhabi as SOLE Ristorante at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers installs its state-of-the art yet traditional wood burning pizza oven straight from Italy.
At the helm is Chef Simone De Vivo who is inviting guests on a journey through the districts of his home city, Naples in south Italy. And the mode of transport is one of the most iconic products of this culturally rich Italian city, Pizza, which thanks to Simone and his culinary team is now reaching new levels of authenticity and luxury in the heart of the UAE capital.
“We are trying to bring the concept of Neapolitan pizza here in Abu Dhabi as it is something that is missing here,” says Simone, who explains how in the Neapolitan dialect ‘la pizza’ becomes ‘A pizz’, hence the name of the newly launched pizza menu.
Neapolitan pizza is all about the ingredients starting with Caputo, a 100 per cent authentic Neapolitan flour that Simone himself sourced from Italy. Taking its name from the only flour mill in Naples established in 1924, Caputo is famed for its culinary heritage and ancient art of flour milling, that has been developed over three generations.
In terms of the menu, Simone says he wants each dish to be rustic and not the usual ingredients that one may associate with pizza. “We wanted to create an experience with a pizza, with each one being named after a district of Napoli. I wanted to have a meaning behind each pizza, providing a chance for guests to interact with the waiter to find out the significance of each name.”
Benvenuti a Napoli, or in English, welcome to Naples, forms the first part of A Pizz menu, firing up such Neapolitan delights as Mergellini, laden with San Marzano Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, 24-month-old Parmesan and basil; Rione Sanità with yellow Pacchetelle tomatoes, and veal sausage crumble, eggplant funghetto style and smoked Scamorza cheese; and, among others, Piazza Plebiscito topped with tender beef cheeks onion ragu’ that has been cooked for no less than six hours and Bocconcini Mozzarella.
The menu continues into Gourmet Corner where pizzas are taken to the next level: Colliaminei topped with Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, taleggio Cheese, roasted walnuts, black seasonal truffle, and 24-month-old Parmesan; Quartieri Spagnoli topped with tomatoes San Marzano, Spanish Nardin anchovies, black Olives, taggiasche, bluFin balfego tuna and dried oregano; and Marechiaro with Corbarino tomatoes, 400 grams of fresh Mediterranean lobster, smoked bottarga, and basil pesto.
If that was not enough, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers recently confirmed that Maestro Pizzaiolo Napoletano Chef Errico Porzio will be heading from Italy all the way to SOLE Ristorante on 15 to 22 May. Famed for the most incredible stunts during the preparation of pizzas, it is an event not to be missed.
Chef Errico, who has been at work from the tender age of 13, dedicates care and expertise to each stage of the pizza making process, using dough that is traditional and made with long and double leavening, as well as alternative dough with whole grains or gluten-free for coeliacs. Away from the kitchen, Errico is also involved in social activities, which he has been doing for years with humility, tenacity and great heart.
With two great Italian chefs firing up the traditional pizza oven at SOLE Ristorante, there has never been a better time to head over to Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
For reservations, call 02 811 5666
