Such a scene is unlikely at Sevilo’s, an old-school restaurant oozing old-world authenticity. This is a place where the food, the chefs, and the occasional musicians command attention, diverting diners away from their habitual digital distractions.
Sevilo’s is located within Abu Dhabi’s Millennium Hotel. Not the gargantuan Grand Millennium Hotel resembling a citadel, which casts an ominous shadow over Al Wahda Mall, but rather the older Millennium Hotel on Khalifa Street. This Millennium has a lobby which is almost identical to that of its sister hotel, the Sharjah Millennium. This slightly disorientated me on arrival as I was haunted by surreal feelings of déjà vu until I made the connection between the Sharjah and Abu Dhabi venues.
I would describe Sevilo’s decor as old-world woody homeliness with lots of dark wood, soft lighting and a distinctly European feel. I particularly love the little twisted olive trees dotted around the place.
Sevilo’s is unashamedly Italian. When we visited, there was live Italian music being strummed on a small wooden guitar-like instrument, accompanied by a woman with a glorious soprano voice. Those diners fluent in Italian were mesmerized. All of the lyrics, except ‘amore’, were wasted on me, but live music has an almost unfathomable ability to create an enjoyable ambience.
Thursdays at Sevilo’s is known as “Mamma Mia Serata”. This is Sevilo’s signature night, where their Italian chef masterfully prepares a medley of traditional Italian dishes and guests get to sample everything. This is a nice concept, not quite buffet and definitely not à la carte. Each dish is brought fresh to the table and you can take as much or as little as you like. It’s meant to create a homely dining experience – food like mamma used to make. Mamma’s rules too; you get what you are given and eat it. But there is lots of choice, and Mamma, being the friendly matriarch she is, has made all your favorites.
Nine courses were served on the night we dined. First up was a bruschetta with spicy vegetables and black olives. The olives were amazing, understandable given the Sevilo’s is olives spelt backwards, and they obviously harbor a well placed affection for this versatile veg/fruit. Then came pizza – one topped with dry beef and lobster, the other beautifully be-domed by buffalo mozzarella and roasted eggplant.
Next up, a variety of elegant salads, followed by durum wheat pasta and hammour garnished with a dill sauce. Another pasta dish arrived, tortellini stuffed to bursting with trout and spinach. This dish was followed by risotto with saffron and grilled vegetables, then pan-fried tenderloin steak, and finally roasted hammour fillet. I also counted at least six different types of dessert, among them a powerfully-caffeinated tiramisu.
Gluttony and journalistic integrity forced me to eat a little of everything, and quite a lot of somethings. Of particular note was the pizza. Calling it pizza seems a disservice – this was about as distant from the usual fast-food-joint pizza as a Ferrari is from a Fiat. Similarly, the steak was outstanding, equal to, if not superior to, the steaks served at establishments specializing in steak. Mid-meal, the Chef and his assistant toured the tables on a well-deserved lap of honor. They received authentic, heartfelt appreciation from all the diners.
By the time desserts started to pile upon our table, I was fighting an almost irrepressible urge to do my Don Corleone impression, especially as the music wafting through the restaurant was reminiscent of the famous wedding scene from The Godfather movie. However, before I could muster my best Brando face, one of my dining companions leaned across the table and, in an impossibly husky voice, said:
“Bonasera, Bonasera, what have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you’d come to me in friendship, this scum who ruined your daughter would be suffering this very day.”
The Thursday night ‘Mamma Mia Serata’ experience is priced at just over 100 dirhams per person inclusive of soft drinks, an unbelievably modest tariff for such a first-rate dining experience. Indeed, it is an offer you can’t refuse.
I strongly recommend it, but leave your Blackberry or iPhone at home, and give your undivided attention to the food and your dining companion – they deserve it.
Photo by: Shaikha Al Tunaiji
