A unique Italian menu set to conquer gourmets
In a land of diversity, all are gearing up for the festive season. It sets everyone into a mode of celebration and togetherness. For a gourmet, the confluence of various cultures in the Kingdom is a golden opportunity to relish the unique tastes of dishes from countries across the world.
The Ritz Carlton’s Cafe Venissa is one such place where you will be mesmerized by the taste of Italy’s aromatic cuisine of sandwiches and salads. Moreover, delicious desserts and aromatic coffees will also beckon you!
Cafe Venissa has Venetian ambience, consisting of St. Mark’s Square band, which gives the cozy winter nights a spirited-Italian fiesta.
General Manager, Christian Zandonella, says, “During one of my prospecting trips with my team to explore innovative food concepts, I visited a range of cafes and restaurants in Venice. I brought back different menus to finalise with my team, a menu that will represent the food culture of Venice in the best possible way.”
“It was almost like a copy paste of the most popular delights of Italy’s leading cafes. Also our friends, who have lived and worked in some of the best places in Venice, guided on the menu creation,” he adds. Zandonella suggested the Club Sandwich Venissa and speciality coffees like Caffedel Doge and hot chocolate Casonova with mint cream and chocolate, which are just a few choices among the range of delights, catering to Italian breakfast to lunch and dinner, with gelatos, cakes, teas and coffees in between.
Executive Chef, Richard Glaze explains, “We have worked to fetch the tastes and cuisine of Venice in the simplest, yet most delectable way. The ingredients and their combinations are genuine to the origins yet very welcoming by the public here, as the produce is of high quality and cooked well.”
“The cafe has had a very warm response and considering how Italian food is well exported and we don’t have genuine Italian cafe options in Bahrain, Cafe Venissa has been a fine spread and continues to welcome visitors into an Italian experience unlike any other,” comments the chef.
Chef Richard’s favourite picks from the menu are the fresh orange, lemon-mint sorbet, which includes fresh mandarin from China and the Insalata Venissa, which consists of buffalo mozzarella, imported from Italy itself.
The Christmas charm
When it comes to celebrating Christmas in a memorable way, The Ritz Carlton has always managed to surprise and impress visitors, taking it up a notch every year, to make it more uplifting, especially for those who are away from home.
Zandonella, who shall be travelling for the first time in 23 years of service in the industry, to spend Christmas with his second family back home in Italy, says that when it comes to celebrations, Bahrain has always been a warm host. “This country creates a warm
ambience to your celebrations, especially Christmas. For those who might feel homesick, the Ritz family is always here to make your Christmas as merry as possible.”
He reveals that besides having a very French Christmas menu at the Plums restaurant and a very Italian menu at Primavera, there will be breath-taking spread at the most popular Christmas brunch on the island at the Ritz’s Ballroom.
“Obviously, the most important element that we will be looking into is the ‘tree lighting ceremony’ on December 1. Considering how we had around 600 people last year, it became somewhat impossible to have them all accommodated inside, hence it is innovative and exciting to have an 8 metre tree placed in our garden this year,” Zandonella adds.
Soufiane ElAllam, Director of Sales and Marketing, comments: “We wish to bring the festivities cheers to as many visitors as possible, hence having the tree placed outside, it would allow everyone to enjoy the celebration fervour even more.”
He says the hotel is expecting around 700 people this year and besides the exhilarated experience of the tree lighting ceremony in the garden, there will be many more stimulating activities and experiences. “This will include a Gingerbread house, Santa Claus who will be giving good cheers and gifts to children, and most importantly, our teddy bear distribution campaign, which we have taken up as part of our corporate social responsibility.”
“The visitors will be encouraged to donate their teddy bears and these will be collected and distributed among the needy, to help them forget their worries and enjoy Christmas,” El Allam remarks.
Photo Caption: El Allam (left) and Zandonella share a light moment while trying the delights at Cafe Venissa, The Ritz Carlton
The entrance to Cafe Venissa
“Cafe Venissa continues to welcome visitors into an Italian experience unlike any other”
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