Madeo, an Italian fine-dining institution from West Hollywood, opened this year to a house full of VIPs and elite food connoisseurs. Football superstar Neymar has dined at the restaurant, which is ensconced in the luxurious venue Via Riyadh, itself home to more than 20 high-end restaurants, cafes, beauty and fashion shops as well as the kingdom's first St Regis Hotel.
At its heart, though, Madeo is a family-run restaurant that serves food influenced by the coastal cuisine of Tuscan seaside town Forte dei Marmi.
What to expect and where to sit
My dining companion and I visited the restaurant at 8pm on a Monday. As we made our way past practically empty cafes and down the escalator to Madeo, we came across a horde of paparazzi crowding the entrance.
“Football celebrities are coming,” a Saudi camerawomen told us. As I swelled with pride at the thought that just a few years ago it was impossible to have women working outdoors with men, let alone as camera personnel filming the international football celebrities who now call Riyadh home, two female hostesses greeted us and escorted us to our table.
The spacious venue is fitted with couches and plush chairs, where one can enjoy a private conversation even if the restaurant is packed. And fully packed it was, positively abuzz with chatter and laughter.
Soaking up the views of Via Riyadh through the see-through glass wall, we browsed through the menu and revelled in warm bread rolls served with fresh butter.
The menu
We started with zuppa di verdure (75 Saudi riyals; $20), a traditional Tuscan vegetable soup including three types of cabbage, a light yet warm and nourishing serving.
Next we tried the bresaola (125 riyals) – cured beef imported from Valtellina – and the carpaccio (145 riyals), with the latter scoring points for its crisp freshness, and served at Madeo with a rocket and Parmigiano Reggiano salad.
The salad of the day was spinach with goat's cheese (95 riyals), a robust mix of fresh flavours that served as a palate refresher.
Madeo's signature meatballs, polpette della nonna (95 riyals) cooked with simmering herbs and tomato sauce, are a must-have dish for children. More adult flavours came through in the penne Madeo (125 riyals), a classic with tomato sauce, basil and Parmigiano Reggiano; and the delicious risotto al porcini (170 riyals), which can easily be shared between two, maybe among three.
Perhaps the most talked-about dish is the sogliola alaa mugnaia (680 riyals), a whole Dover sole fillet meuniere-style, and a great option for seafood lovers.
The fish was tender and moist, with no overwhelming or unnecessary flavours (although servers brought around condiments for those interested). This can easily be shared between a party of four, and underscores Madeo's coastal town inspiration.
Another Saudi favourite from the Italian menu, the pan-fried veal escalope (195 riyals) is served hot here, with lemon sauce, capers and porcini mushroom. We found it satisfyingly crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked yet not at all oily within.
Dessert one of three was millefoglie (65 riyals) – a Madeo best-seller we are told – which is layers of puff pastry stuffed with cool custard cream and whipped cream. Light and tasty, it is an ode to authentic Italian desserts.
The tiramisu with chocolate (80 riyals), meanwhile, was perfect in texture and sweetness and paired well with an espresso.
Madeo is also one of few Italian restaurants in Saudi Arabia that serves sweet cannoli stuffed with hazelnut cream. It was delightful and one we would go back for.
A chat with the chef
Born in Italy, Gianni Vietina says he has worked in more than 10 countries around the world, yet his cooking style remains "a contemporary approach to classic Italian cuisine with a respect for ingredients", and risotto is still his favourite dish to prepare. “Aside from the risotto porcini in the a la carte menu, we will soon start to have a different risotto of the day for dinner,” he says.
Other than the dishes we tried, the chef recommends vegetarians sample the melanzane alla Parmigiana.
Price point and contact information
Starters range from 75 to 150 riyals ($20 to $40), mains cost from 125 to 700 riyals, while desserts are between 60 and 80 riyals a pop.
Madeo is open from 1pm to 12.30am from Sunday to Wednesday, from 1pm to 1.30am on Thursday and Saturday, and from 2pm to 1.30am on Friday. Reservations can be made by calling 00966 136 637 000 or via the Seven Rooms website.
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
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3. Hajj
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS
%3Cp%3E1%20Esha%20Oza%2C%20age%2026%2C%2079%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E2%20Theertha%20Satish%2C%20age%2020%2C%2066%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E3%20Khushi%20Sharma%2C%20age%2021%2C%2065%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E4%20Kavisha%20Kumari%2C%20age%2021%2C%2079%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E5%20Heena%20Hotchandani%2C%20age%2023%2C%2016%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E6%20Rinitha%20Rajith%2C%20age%2018%2C%2034%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E7%20Samaira%20Dharnidharka%2C%20age%2017%2C%2053%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E8%20Vaishnave%20Mahesh%2C%20age%2017%2C%2068%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E9%20Lavanya%20Keny%2C%20age%2017%2C%2033%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E10%20Siya%20Gokhale%2C%20age%2018%2C%2033%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E11%20Indhuja%20Nandakumar%2C%20age%2018%2C%2046%20matches%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
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The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
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Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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