A new Italian venue in the heart of the city, GIA Dubai recently opened in Dubai Mall and Tyrone Reid, CEO of the parent company, Alabbar Enterprises tells us about the restaurant.
Can you explain what GIA is?
GIA Dubai is an all-day dining Italian restaurant at the newly opened Fashion Avenue in Dubai Mall. It is inspired by the concept of good living, the Dolce Vita era of the 1950’s in Italy which is represented from design to the food and personal service. The interior is contemporary with bold architectural features designed by Hecker Guthrie and the space flows onto a terrace overlooking the Dubai Fountain.
What is unique about it?
Having all the elements that exceed guest expectations under one roof is what makes GIA unique. It is the perfect blend of location, design and food curation which is further elevated by the predominantly Italian team including our chef.
What challenges have you faced?
We prefer to look at challenges as hidden opportunities, for example, we understand the need for privacy in this region and have catered to that with a private dining room. Another example is recruitment, we accept there are challenges in recruiting in the region and retaining the right people but that only increases our determination to make sure we focus on this.
Have you introduced any Middle East-specific flavours in the menu?
Executive chef Tommaso is very fond of the flavour profile of this region and has taken many common ingredients to incorporate them into some of our recipes. The veal shank Ossobuco is proving to be a favourite as it is paired with a creamy risotto infused with saffron, a local ingredient loved by many.
Tell us about your menu.
The menu offers a wide variety of dishes to ensure there is something to satisfy every taste. Pasta is handmade fresh daily as is the pizza, which is made with specially milled flour brought in from Italy.
