Pizzeria Pulcinella – authentic rustic Italian
It’s not every day you get to try out authentic Italian pizza in a rustic Pizzeria setting. Well, Pizzeria Pulcinella in Barsha, and its other branches, comes quite close. Simple and elegant Italian decor, lines with brick-look walls and a small Italian foods deli in the counter makes this one give off a warm and welcoming vibe.
As you progress to the menu, you can see how they have combined an flavorful variety of appetizers including the classics of Burrata and Arancini along with an equally extensive pasta and pizza selection. There’s also a compact main course offering with seafood and meat favorites and well as lovely Italian Dolce to end your meal with. And don’t miss their special Italian sodas that come packed in retro styled glass bottles.
We started off with this bread basket that exuded that freshly baked fragrance we all have always loved. While the center of the dough was soft like cotton, the crust was too hard to chew. The saving grace was the balsamic and olive oil mix that helped in softening it up a bit.
Since we were there for a review, we unfortunately couldn’t try out any dessert or special drinks. I was a little put off by this restriction, and even more on not being offered some water in this Dubai summer (we did ask for it later though). However, we sampled some Burrata, one of the pizzas from their variety, as well as a pasta dish.
Burrata
Burrata sure gets us all drooling and this very special cheese at Pizzeria Pulcinella is worth all those calories.
Absolutely creamy like it always is, this version of Burrata combines mozzarella and cream, and is served in a little bread bowl made from thin freshly baked dough.
Then there’s the big juicy tomato slices, little cherry tomato halves, fragrant basil and a bunch of rocket at the base.
You cannot miss this one. The Burrata alone will make you want to visit this place over and over again.
Mimosa Pizza
The cornerstone of any Italian experience, Pizzas and Pastas cannot be given a miss. Which is why we opted for the Mimosa Pizza.
Baked with a thin crust, this rich pizza comes with a base of cream sauce topped with lovely tender sliced chicken and mushrooms. There’s more creaminess in the form of mozzarella cheese (a pizza staple), and for that authentic Pizzeria finish, there’s a touch a basil leaves too.
What I liked the most, or rather loved about this pizza was the right amount of toppings. Not too many, not too less. The crust however could have been slightly crispier. And you don’t expect a thin crust to be too doughy anyway.
Penne in Pesto Sauce
Pasta never fails. Because right from the preparation to the serving of this dish – it’s fragrance, its ingredients, the sauces and cheese and everything that goes within, spells comfort.
Such was the comforting pasta we tried at Pizzeria Pulcinella. I chose to go with the penne variety, tossed in my favorite homemade pesto sauce, dotted with tender chicken slices and cooked to well done perfection. The addition of my beloved basil and fresh parmesan just made it all the more perfect.
While Pulcinella started on slightly shaky grounds, the food made up for it. Although I would have certainly made some space for a dessert had it been on offer.
Pizzeria Pulcinella
Location: Behind Barsha Post Office, Opposite Al Madina Supermarket, Barsha 1, Dubai
Contact: 04 2776281 | 80074993742
