Via Toledo, Italian Restaurant with a Panoramic View

One Saturday afternoon, we hit the streets of The Walk at JBR and made our way to Via Toledo. This Italian restaurant is nestled right in the heart of The Walk, on the lower ground floor of the Address Beach Resort. Upon our arrival, we met with Chiara Maggio, the Marketing and PR Director of the restaurant who also introduced us to Via Toledo’s very own Francesco Calò, the Founder and PizzaChef Master, crowned as the “Best Italian Pizza Chef in the World 2019”. There is no doubt that this place only offers the best standards in Italian cuisine.

We were lucky to be seated at one of the best tables. They graciously seated our group overlooking the Dubai Eye and the JBR seas. The restaurant had a relaxing ambience, with nice, feel-good music, and comfortable seating. It also has a balcony, and in Dubai winter, would be a romantic spot to enjoy Italian food and good wine. The visual aesthetics of this restaurant feels cozy. It feels warm. A replica of British street artist Banksy’s mural, “Madonna with a pistol”, is painted on its wall to give you a Naples feel.

We decided to try their Signature Brunch. After serving the “Intensa”, Chef Francesco’s personal and unique blend of sourdough, together with olive oil, salt, and pepper, the first course was served with a welcome cocktail and the Neapolitan Parmigiana in “Crust” on Coulis of Red Tomatoes. This layered and baked preparation of aubergines gives your mouth a satisfying sensation as you bite into its slight crust. As you begin to reveal the gluttony of layers, the flavors of cheese, basil, and tomato sauce blend perfectly. A wonderful starter. 

Then we were served the next course. The look of this Fritto del Pescatore or the Fisherman’s Fry is interesting! It has red and pink shrimp tails, anchovies, squid, and cuttlefish dipped in a secret batter which made everything on the plate generous and tasty. The breading is just light, has a wonderful flavor and can’t get fresher with the views of the sea.

The third course is the Burrata with red and yellow tomatoes and black truffle, and it is my personal favorite. You can see all that creaminess of the Burrata oozing out. Wow! The creaminess of the cheese with its salty, sweet flavor work so well with the citrus that comes from the cherry tomatoes. There was just a right amount of black truffle on top to add to its flavor, with also some texture to give good bite. 

Then we had the Insalata Di Farro E Tonno Rosso. It is a spelt salad that is full of fresh flavor coming from the red tuna fillet. The grilled artichokes and cheese give it a great sweet taste. Next is the Venere E Gamberi which is a rice salad topped with local prawns, avocado, and cherry tomatoes. A perfect ending to the sweet start of Italian brunch.

Everyone’s favorite course of the brunch was the Bronte. The taste of mozzarella, pistachios, basil, and Evo oil come together with the Margherita Verace. The combination of these ingredients is simple, but it is so good! The highly digestible pizza dough is a mix of 18 different flours, making it very light and aromatic but gives no gluten problem. Because of these two pizza flavors I would like to come back again to try some of their other pizzas. 

And just when we thought it cannot get any better, there comes the risotto with goose speck and truffle Perlage. It was equally delicious with the previous dishes, but richer in flavors.

The seventh course was the Grilled Octopus on Fennel velouté and Almond flakes which has an incredible essence. It is pleasantly chewy but not tough and with beautiful grilled aroma.

I cannot recommend Via Toledo highly enough. Each delight set on the table was so warming to the stomach and fulfilling. Capped with the beautiful Tiramisu and extensive and interesting wine list, it makes this brunch a truly unforgettable one.

The portions are well-balanced, and each dish was so creative and imaginative that we didn’t mind the streaks of sun on our faces toward the afternoon. The lavish plates of Italian classics with a twist did not disappoint. The Maître d’hôtel was excellent and helped steer us each to the right dishes being served during the brunch.

The stunning unusual menu is classy. They have such an impeccable service, ambience, and stylish decor. Had the most wonderful brunch meal here. The service was good, with the staff pleasant and describing each dish to us. The price is reasonable considering the overall experience. Superb and memorable in every way.

Via Toledo, Address Beach Resort, The Walk, JBR, daily 6pm to 2am. Tel: (050) 54 59 278, viatoledo.ae