When you enter Piatto in the Etoile Center on King Abdulaziz Road in Jeddah, close your eyes and imagine yourself in an Italian street café — it is not hard to do.
This charming restaurant’s paved flooring, umbrellas and water fountains are the perfect backdrop for casual Italian food. Whether you choose to sit on the ground or first floor, you will find that the large windows flood the entire place with bright sunlight, adding to the ambiance. The restaurant is spacious, so in spite of it being a popular hangout, you will hardly ever have to wait for a table.
My family and I have been going to Piatto for years and not only has it retained its preferential position in our eyes, the quality has always been consistent. The day we set out from our house for Piatto, we can be assured of a flawless meal.
On most occasions, we opt for Piatto’s business lunch deal — at SR49 per person, it is a steal. To take advantage of this deal, make sure you arrive at the restaurant between 1-2 p.m. on weekdays only. Be aware, however, that the deal usually only applies during the school calendar and not during school holidays. If you wish to get up to date information on the various promotions and deals, it is best to give the restaurant a call close to the time of your visit.
As you take a seat, you are presented with a complimentary salad and basket of garlic bread. Hands down, this is my pick for the freshest salad in Jeddah. The salad consists of crispy iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions drizzled generously with a tangy, creamy dressing. I find that a dash of salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar perfects this salad and makes it quite hard to stop eating. Do not forget to mop up the incredible flavors with chunks of the rosemary garlic bread. As if that was not enough, both the complimentary salad and the garlic bread basket are refillable. I could easily head home after filling up on just the salad and garlic bread, the rest of the dishes come as a bonus.
The lunch deal menu is separate from the regular menu and there are just a handful of items diners can order as part of the deal. I highly recommend the pasta alfredo, both the chicken and shrimp. This pasta is smothered in a white sauce and is the creamiest, most flavorful pasta I have ever had. The chicken melts in your mouth and, as an added treat, the ever-helpful server will grate fresh parmesan cheese over the dish at your table.
I would also recommend the pizzas, nearly all of which are good. I tend to skip the grilled chicken and artichoke pizza, which I find a little tasteless, but the pepperoni pizza is always a hit with the children. The pizzas are cooked Italian style, with thin crusts, and are not overloaded with cheese. That means they do not make one feel heavy and too full.
Carbonated drinks and Piatto iced tea are included as part of the lunch deal and these are refillable while sugar syrup can be added to the iced tea according to your preference.
Finally, each order comes with a scoop of ice cream. This is really something worth saving room for. In my opinion, Piatto serves the best ice cream in Jeddah and my absolute favorites are coffee and pistachio. The coffee ice cream is topped with roasted coffee beans which end the meal very satisfactorily. Serving sizes for all the dishes are quite generous and we often end up taking leftovers home to enjoy the next day.
Although not included in the business lunch menu, I love the taster soups. This is a dish consisting of three little pots of lentil, tomato and French onion soup. The French onion soup is delicious and consists of plenty of caramelized onions, as is the refreshingly simple lentil soup.
Another dish I enjoyed thoroughly is Piatto’s risotto. Risotto is a rice dish cooked in a broth to a creamy consistency. It is a hard dish to get right and another famous restaurant in Jeddah served it to me quite proudly, but it was underdone and the rice was raw. Piatto’s risotto is smooth, creamy, oozing with flavor and perfectly cooked.
Credit is also due to the waiters who are always friendly and helpful, in particular Mr. Binsin from Nepal who always makes sure we are comfortable and well looked after.
The indoor play area on the first floor for children is well stocked with arcade games and is free to use. It is a great way to keep kids occupied while waiting for the food to be served.
For us, Piatto is a regular fixture on our calendar. When it comes to quality and value for money, I cannot think of any other restaurant that can top it and this is what makes us such loyal customers. Our children love the food and the atmosphere – what more could you ask for? If you have not already, give it a try. I guarantee, you will not regret it