How Gabriele Bonci's pan pizza evolved to arrive in Dubai
It's a given that Roman pan pizza, and bread-making in general, owes a great deal to the work of Gabriele Bonci.
This is what Gabriele Bonci did, building his small empire around bread and pan pizza, growing from a small Roman bakery to spreading his name around the world. His style features highly hydrated dough fermented for up to 72 hours; seasonal, locally sourced toppings inspired by gourmet cuisine; and a thick yet airy crust, unlike the classic thin-crust Roman pizza. These are things that seem obvious today, but were anything but just a few years ago.
Today, after the opening in Milan and the recent restyling in Rome at the historic Pizzarium location, Gabriele Bonci brings his pan pizza to the City Center Mirdif Mall in Dubai, where he has just opened his Bonci Restaurant, an extension of his vision of pan pizza “reinterpreted according to Emirati style and tastes”.
What to eat at Bonci Restaurant in Dubai
Of course, we're inside a mall, because that's where Emirati life unfolds (or in the hotels). The format, they explain, has been adapted to local customs: customers choose their pizza at the counter and then sit at tables, where they're served. And so, Bonci's pizza by the slice becomes a "Restaurant," adding table service. But that's not all: alongside the counter-top pizza, featuring traditional pizzas and a few Bonci signature dishes (like the meatball pizza), there's also a menu with a small selection of cooked dishes (Roman meatballs, bruschetta with burrata, anchovies and tomato, salads, and four different tiramisu variations), and a selection of fried foods, including supplì and croquettes.
And then there are pizzas that speak the local language, like the one with baba ganoush or those with hummus, avocado, and cilantro; hummus, egg, and spinach; hummus and fried eggplant; obviously all with halal meat and no pork.
Even the beverages will be strictly alcohol-free in an environment that is, all things considered, a novelty compared to Gabriele Bonci's other venues: here, at City Centre Mirdif, places are made of design, regardless of the type of product, service, or format.
