Mexican. Italian. Vegetarian. Find it all at Quattro Ristorante

Last week we dined at Spice Klub, which if you have read here, you would know, turned out to be an absolutely amazing experience. So it was only fair to try out the next door Mexican Italian fusion restaurant Quattro Ristorante too.

Now before I tell you more about the food and fancies at this place, let me just say this; my Saturday afternoon couldn’t have been any better! For starters, take in this picture of their lovely yellow and blue interiors, accented with while walls and wooden tables, and decked up with a gorgeous tree in the center of the restaurant.

And now let’s move on to the food and drinks we tried there.

Lemon & Mint Mojito

A video would have been great, I know. But for a change, let me leave that melting of candy floss into this minty Mojito to your imagination. And while you’re at it, also imagine the Schweppes soda water tingling the dry ice within the mason jar, to shoot off that mystical smoke which makes this drink quite a theatrical one.

You’ll love this Mojito, especially if you’re a Mojito person, for its presentation is worth a watch (and a video), and it’s classic lemony flavors are perfectly refreshing during these August afternoons.

Passion Fruit Lemongrass Margarita

Here’s one more drink for you. I can’t really help but post pictures of these drinks, because this is all I can think of in this sweltering heat. Summer can make you cranky, even make you want to skip food altogether, but don’t let summer keep you from visiting Quattro Ristorante. Go there and try out their drinks at least, although I promise you’ll fall in love with their food as well. But these drinks will keep you wanting for more.

This Passion Fruit Lemongrass Margarita brought together the best of both: a cooling drink and a chilled ice cream. Which means you could sip on it when you felt like, or simply scoop a spoon of the ice cream. The sweet syrup of passion fruit, blended with the slightly strong lemongrass flavor made quite a fascinating combination. It sort of steps out from the pre-defined Mexican Italian mould of Quattro and adds a little Thai in every sip (or spoon).
But wait, don’t miss that cute cactus-esque glass, that’s brings Mexican back in the mix.

We know passion fruit has always been my first choice in drinks, so there was no way I wanted to share this with either of my 3 guests. But then I couldn’t see them not sharing their drinks with me either, so I eventually gave in.

Chilled Melon & Feta Salad

Let’s keep the drinks aside for a bit and admire this gorgeously plated Chilled Melon & Feta Salad.

We’ve all heard about the contemporary watermelon and feta combination that is getting it’s much deserved fame in salads. But Quattro Ristorante takes it a step further with the addition of melons to the mix. This one too, served over dry ice, comes with colorful skewers of melon spheres coated in roasted pine nuts, then generously topped with crumbled feta for that cheesy bit, and finally dressed with molecular balsamic pearls for a tangy kick.

Would you order this on your visit to Quattro?

Dips & Sauces

Just like the next door Spice Klub, the dips at Quattro Ristorante are, in my opinion, the star of the show.

With a selection of four Mexican inspired and four Italian based dips, I wouldn’t be lying if I say I was spoilt for choice. From habanero sauce and lychee salsa to pesto and olive tepanade, and many more, these dips are sure to accompany literally everything on the menu (drinks too, if you’d like a add a spoonful in there).

Which is your favorite Mexican & Italian dip? Do you like them spicy or sweet?

Taquitos

I dream of that day when these pretty Taquitos will be sold at street corners, or at the movies, or in mall kiosks, or at the park, or umm… basically everywhere. Because one will never be enough. Honestly two won’t either, nor will an entire plate, but well you get the idea.

Quintessentially Mexican, the Taquitos at Quattro Ristorante are mini tortilla cones, but to put it more simply, it is what happens when ice cream meets tacos. Filled from bottom to top with mushy refried beans, jalapenos, tomato salsa and sour cream, the mixture is garnished with grated cheese and topped with a tiny scoop of avocado ice cream. Yes, avocado ice cream, which so beautifully replaces your classic guac.

Just the sight of this little cone makes you want to have more than one. But what makes this craving guilt-free is the fact that the tortillas, although fried, are made from gluten-free ingredients. To think about it, don’t you agree these Taquitos have everything you should eat, packed up so creatively in one miniature serving?

Try, try, try!

Risotto Palle

Risotto or Arancini? This one will have you confused too. But when it comes to flavor, there is absolutely no confusion with the Risotto Palle at Quattro Ristorante.

Signature cream risotto, beautifully blended with cheese is rolled into balls, crumbed and fried for a crispy bite. I didn’t really ask them, but I am sure these risotto bites are made to look like Arancini for that fusion touch which this restaurant is so famous for. But that’s quite expected of a fusion restaurant, isn’t it? Not really, because Quattro takes the fusion one step further, introducing little pipettes into the picture – all filled with fragrant chilli oil. One tiny squeeze and you get to decide how much chilli oil you want infused in your risotto mix. Being the spicy food lover that I am, I made sure I don’t leave a single drop behind!

Would you like to try these spicy or simple?

Olive & Mushroom Crostini

Have you ever eaten something where one bite leads to another, and another and another. Such is the Olive & Mushroom Crostini at Quattro.

Another molecular marvel, these toasted baguette pieces are topped with diced mushrooms and finished with spherification of green olives. You need to eat this whole piece in one bite, to truly enjoy the creamy slimy flavor of the molecular olive dollops. I’m a big fan of olives and mushrooms, so these felt like home. And if I had to make just one change to this Crostini, I would add a drizzle of truffle oil on top.

What do you think of this combination?

Spiced Watermelon Cooler

It’s time for another drink from Quattro Ristorante. This one being the Spiced Watermelon cooler.

As the name suggests, this mocktail is a spicy version of watermelon juice. It comes all smoked up with dry ice and presented in a pretty cat tail glass. Remember, you need to sip this through the little tail straw to enjoy it without burning yourself with dry ice. How many of you love watermelon based drinks?

Guava Smoothie

This is the last drink from Quattro Ristorante, I promise. But trust me, they get so creative with their mocktails, it’s almost impossible to just stop at one.

This is the Guava smoothie, and honestly I never knew I’d actually like the fruit so much until I tried this creamy blend. Served in a tall glass with a Guava slice garnish, this one has the rim all decked up with a spicy salty tangy masala mix.

Here’s the thing with guava. When served as a fruit, it often gets sprinkled with chaat masala, rock salt and such, so you can enjoy that fusion of sweet and tangy flavors in every bite. And Quattto made sure that was done perfectly well with the masala rim. What are your thoughts on Guava? Love, hate or pass?

Mediterranean Pizza

What’s Italian cuisine without a pizza? And what’s better than an Italian pizza with a little Mediterranean touch. This Mediterranean pizza at Quattro Ristorante comes with the perfect mix of everything you’d want on a pizza.

There’s the classic tomato and mozzarella base. This is built up with pickled sundried tomatoes, spicy capers, South artichokes and tangy olives. Then there’s more cheese in the form of crumbled feta and a fresh finish with a touch of basil leaves. What more could you ask for in a pizza? Vegan pepperoni maybe!

Jalapeno Riso

The next main course was more Mexican inclined – rice, jalapenos, you get what I mean? The Jalapeno Riso presented a generous albeit perfectly cooked portion of spicy orange hued rice topped with grilled cottage cheese. I wondered how it would have been had the paneer been replaced with halloumi. But while the former cheese is more soft and crumbly, and could easily blend in with the rice, the latter would be more stringy. This, I am assuming, led the chefs to make this choice.

The spicy rice was such thanks to the wonderful flavors of jalapeno, but the spice didn’t end there. This one came with additional pepper sauce on the side presented in a chic gravy boat, which to be frank, I found extremely elating. For me it was everything spicy in one plate, and life couldn’t get any better than that.

But it did – with that tiny serving of golden fries on the side. Although I love fries, and would have certainly not refused a larger portion had I been offered more, I think the dish would have been as good even if they were eliminated altogether. Or maybe replaced with roasted baby potatoes for a more rustic feel.

Très Leches

It’s very rare for me to love a dessert so much that I want to eat it entirely till the very last bite. And with this one, if I could have, I would have licked it off the plate too. But you know it wouldn’t have been very civilized of me to do that. If you love creamy, milk and coconut based desserts, this Très Leches from Quattro Ristorante is for you. And by you, I mean just for you. Trust me, you won’t want to share it at all.

I would give up on all the other dishes, just to save space for this dessert. It’s really that good!
Mexican milk cake, paired with milk foam and coconut ice cream, and garnished with a touch of rose petals, makes this deconstructed Très Leches such a beauty. You really need to try this dessert for yourself. And you will love it. Try it.

Quattro Ristorante

Location: Opposite Aster Hospital, Near Sharaf DG, Kuwait Street, Mankhool, Dubai
Contact: 04 2753179