Taparelle: Abu Dhabi's Best Mediterranean Restaurant? You Be The Judge.

There's a surprise around every corner ...

Wend your way along the winding path to the tree-filled and very green garden, which comes complete with undoubtedly high end, gloriously comfortable seats, a pizza 'kiosk' and a fabulous open, hexagonal bar, then head inside.

'The Street' sports casual chairs, great for a cup of coffee or a student hangout, while the main part of the restaurant encourages lunch dates, a large table perfect for a team meeting, another bar, and an open kitchen with pristine white subway tiles - this is where the magic happens.

Upstairs from the Street lives Coe, the ceramic studio that makes all the serving dishes and plates for the restaurant below. The work is simple and refined, reflecting the offerings at Taparelle.

And finally, the taparelle? These authentic shutters in terra cotta colours are hung in perfect patterns above the dining area, bringing you from olde worlde Spain and Italy into Abu Dhabi 2024: we're so here for this incredible design feature!

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To set the scene, the menu is the brainchild of the beautifully talented Omaka Orubu and the entirely clever and charismatic Imad Obeid, whose triumph with Niri in Mamsha al Saadiyat is one of Abu Dhabi's greatest restaurant stories - they're a match made in heaven. This alongside the work of restaurant genius, Giorgio Cingolani, whose unmatched experience has seen him open many, many incredible restaurants around the world, makes Taparelle another recipe for success.

Taparelle has a clear perspective: simple food done well. I would have to look very hard to find ingredients that are not only fresh, but prepared in such a way that their quality really shines through. It's a blessedly compact menu, but there's going to be something you'll love, that you'll come back to enjoy on repeat.

We start with a kind of Italiano amuse bouche: the baguette is worth its own little mention: arriving on one of the Coe's glorious platters, along with a dish of olives and one of softened capsicums this isn't just bread, this is bread: crusty, soft, light ... it's an excellent start.

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Tapas

When I was a child, we'd have a beach holiday every year, and my older brothers would go out scallopping. We'd finish the day with these scallops cooked to order on the barbeque, with very little adornment. My mouthfuls of Taparelle's scallops brought that memory rushing back: not in all these years have I tasted scallops so fresh and so perfectly prepared, Grenobloise style - seared in brown butter, with a little capers for a tart bite. (AED55)

The wood fired tomato, a dish perfect for vegetarians and anyone looking for a light bite, are soft, flavourful and astoundingly good. Pile them up on grilled bread and enjoy. (AED30)

There's nothing quite as exciting as seabass carpaccio and these slivers completely did the fish justice, done in a light raspberry vinegar with a citrusy finish. (AED46) The warm prawns are quite extraordinary, the common Spanish tapas dish, but on steroids, with a touch of tarragon oil and garlic chips to add texture - simply divine. (AED45)

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Grills

The fillet of seabass is an excellent option for lunch or dinner, comes perfectly charred with a simple tomato salsa. It feels so healthy! (AED125)

Don't overlook the gorgeous corn fed baby chicken, which comes out on the plate practically crying 'hey girl!' and pushing everyone else out of her way! The flavour and texture of this chicken is simplicity itself and it's just a wonderful dish, one I would surprisingly order again. (AED85)

Next time, I'm very keen to try the ribeye - the anchovy herb butter is calling my name!

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Pasta

It's very, very hard not to feel a pasta coming on at Taparelle, and there are some great options.

We'd come back for the pasta alla Norma, a simple, delicious dish, made with some of the best rigatoni available. (AED60), while we're also feeling the oxtail ragu with paccheri and the pasta mollicata with bucatini, tomato and anchovy. (AED80)

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Pizza

And now, the pizza. I'm always somewhat ambivalent about pizza quality but my Italian friend who'd snuck into Taparelle before me, whispered on the quiet that eating the pizza from Taparelle is like eating pizza from Liguria - a big call, you'll agree.

She was partly right and partly wrong: I've had many pizzas in Italy that weren't even nearly as good as this one!

The pizzaiolo, Davide Perniciaro, is beyond talented, the 48 hour dough prove producing an excellent, light dough and the Iberico beef - what a find. This melts in your mouth in an unbelievable way and for purists who only eat pizza with pork ... this is completely, 100% a must-try, and definitely one of the best pizzas in Abu Dhabi. While this one is at the top of the scale at AED125, a margherita will only set you back AED55 - there are more options in between, but this pizza is worth every mouthful.

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Dessert

Yes, you must.

It's really hard to find a creme Catalana, let alone a good one but this one, this brings the noise. With a crispy top and a silky custard underskirt, it's a sweet miracle.

Is it even a menu if it doesn't have chocolate something? This iteration of the common or garden fondant, aptly named warm chocolate tart, is a swoony one. Cut into the dark chocolate sable base and watch the warm filling ooze out - spoon it up with fior di latte gelato and it's mouthful after mouthful of true bliss.

My next dessert move at Taparelle is going to be the feuilletine Tropezienne. This layered dish sounds right up my alley and, based on the outstanding quality of the other dishes, this one is set to wow me.

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Mocktails & Cocktails

Taparelle's mocktail offerings are not only flavour-profile-glorious, but they're well priced. We start with aubin, a beautiful passionfruit concoction, topped with the whitest whip and a smattering of lime - a truly gorgeous drink. You truly feel like you're drinking an adult drink and there were plenty more where that came from.

Cocktails are equally as beautiful to look at and taste sublime. Perch up at one of the bars at aperitivo time and prepare to settle in - they all need to be sampled to choose your favourite!

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It's very clear to me that Taparelle is going to become one of Abu Dhabi's best restaurants.

Wait staff are already completely adept, are genuine and can both recommend and banter.

The garden is a gorgeous place for lunch or dinner and certainly will be good for a later 'just here for drinks' crowd too.

These are key pieces of the puzzle, but the final piece, the piece that arguably matters the most, is the food, which is both excellent and well-priced. Come for a snack, for lunch, for dinner, have mocktails or wine ... it's a win. Taperelle is unpretentious, with a team that is genuinely focused on customer satisfaction on every level first, one that lacks ego and has talent in spades.

This is an exciting space, and one I unreservedly recommend. Welcome to Abu Dhabi Taparelle!

Open: 12PM daily

Booking: 02 657 5832