Dubai Restaurant Review: Biella, Times Square - Take 2

In a nutshell: friendly service, good food and reasonably priced.

4/5

My last visit to Biella was a total disaster but as I said in that posting: stick to the Italian basics or the salmon and the experience should be a lot better. On this visit, that is what we did. I had the salmon that I have had countless times before and Simon had the spaghetti bolognese - verdict: lovely lunch.

Our waitress was a trainee but she was clearly getting good training as she understood the menu, was friendly and efficient. In the past the grilled salmon was served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables and I would always substitute those for chips and salad, but the new menu serves the fish only with a fennel salad and a salsa. After requesting the waitress to substitute my usual side dishes, she spoke to a more senior waiter who then got the manager to come and speak to me. I was advised that they would have to charge extra for the chips, which I was fine with but I asked that I only get a small side portion - not a huge plate of chips - and that is what they did, charging me just Dhs 9 for a half portion of chips. It was all handled politely and professionally.

The salmon (Dhs 73) was perfectly grilled and bone free, the fennel salad was mainly just mixed lettuce leaves with some slices of fennel on top but it was very flavoursome - chips or rice was definitely needed though or it wouldn't have been filling enough for lunch. Actually, I had wanted to have the lemon creme brulee for dessert but was too full to face it so maybe skipping the chips would have been better! Creme brulee is dairy though (which I am meant to avoid) so I suppose I was saved from my own temptations. Simon's spaghetti bolognese (Dhs 60) was just the right size; sometimes spaghetti portions can be quite over-facing. He enjoyed it but then, unless poor quality mince is used, it would hard to go wrong with such a basic dish.

This visit redeemed Biella in my eyes, although I will continue to have the salmon every time since I know that this will suit me exactly. Hopefully next time I'll have enough room for that delicious lemon creme brulee...