SLIDE 34 FOCUS HOSPITALITY INC
Bene Trattoria
T h i n
r u s t g
r m e t p i z z a s , p a s t a & a n t i p a s t
- “If it had been an Italian who codified the world of cuisine, it would be thought of
as Italian.” – Georges Auguste Escoffier, legandary French chef and culinary writer
C
c e p t
An irresistibly delicious fragrance greets diners even before they set foot in the Italian Trattoria. It is the aroma of basil, tomatoes and pizza crust – unmistakably that of a steaming hot pizza that only a traditional Italian wood-fire oven can achieve. Welcome to Bene Trattoria, an authentic Italian restaurant that eschews over- the-top displays in favor of top quality, expertly-prepared food that follows simple regional family recipes handed down from chef to chef. Here, the freshest of ingredients have a voice and speak for themselves, helped along by chefs skilled to bring out the best in them, at any season. Believing that traditional, home-cooked Italian food needs no re-jigging, Bene Trattoria celebrates, rather than modifies, the art of Cucina Italia. Indeed, the Italians place somewhat of a premium on heritage, preferring traditional ingredients, cooking and serving methods, décor elements and the like, over fusion or overtly modern techniques. While located in the East, there’s no denying that Bene is, at heart, a true Italian
- restaurant. Italian favorites like antipasto, risottos, salads of wild herbs and
greens and freshly hand-made pastas are de rigueur offerings on the menu. The ground floor features a large open terrace overlooking the fishermen’s marina and provides for a casual, fun and relaxed setting with the interior of the restaurant walls lined with retail shelves stocked with Italian provisions such as bottles of olive oil, olives, sardines, grissini sticks, risotto rice and Pugliese sourdough loafs, all for sale for those that wishes to replicate or compliment their cooking at home. True to Italian tradition, fresh herbs, like marjoram, rosemary, basil, thyme, sage and marjoram, bring the dishes to life with their aromatic perfume. At its back sits the main kitchen, where most of the dishes are prepared and served from. A wood-fired oven, on display in the semi-open kitchen, hold the promise of freshly baked gourmet pizza and and tantalizing baked gourmet desserts. An antique red “Berkel” meat slicer sits on top of the servery counter participating in dishing out large carefully arranged antipasto platters. Culinary delights aside, Bene’s first floor features a generously stocked bar which offers the promise of Bene’s signature Bellini cocktail. For wine connoisseurs, the cellar, surrounded by private dining rooms, provides an extensive, well-edited selection of old world Italian wines and Prosecco. While the ground floor with its large outdoor terrace is informal, the first floor seating offers a more intimate setting and menu offer, including degustation menus and a gueridon dessert trolley that brings sweet Italian pastries and cakes to your table.
al bateen wharf abu dhabi
FOCUS HOSPITALITY INC Food Service Concept Statement 22
Design & Style
Modern and contemporary, with a touch of the rustic and eclectic elements of yesteryear, the warm, casual and friendly environment of Bene encourages raucous conversation, and cosy wining and dining. Swathed in red and black, the colors of passion, the trattoria’s décor is as vibrant as the colors of its food. Black glass tiles lend an interesting, modern take to a traditional Italian trattoria, while lively red walls add warmth and intensity to the décor – a reflection of its culinary offerings, perhaps. Solid wood table-tops on the ground floor add a touch of rusticity and compliment the eclectic combination of celadon tableware, deliberately mismatched yet blending together effortlessly, while the first floor features crisp white linen tops. Warmth, without a doubt, is the first impression imprinted on guests when they first arrive at the restaurant. With full-height windows on both levels and a large outdoor terrace and first floor balcony, the views over the marina creates a wonderful place to savour a chilled Italian soda, glass of fine Italian Prosecco or a postprandial drink. And for an after-dinner espresso, as is the tradition of the Italians, lounge seats provide an intimate area for small groups or a cosy nook for solo diners. The raised main dining area – all the better to view the kitchen and bar – features a flexible seating combination, with tables for 2 to 4 which can be joined for bigger parties, and banquet seating along the back wall. For the ultimate in private dining, a number of rooms of various sizes, incorporated in a semi-transparent glassed-in chilled wine cellar, allows the luxury of a personalized meal experience while overlooking the marina from the first floor.
a l b a t e e n w h a r f a b u d h a b i
F O C U S H O S P I T A L I T Y I N C F
S e r v i c e C
c e p t S t a t e m e n t
2 3 al bateen wharf abu dhabi
FOCUS HOSPITALITY INC Food Service Concept Statement 24
AL BATEEN WHARF EXTRACT / CONCEPT STATEMENT / MOOD BOARDS / MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
