Seaside Splendor at Villamoré
Don’t you love it when you discover a place that just gets it?
Villamore is by no means the first or only water side venue that is pitched towards to the premium end of the scene but where others have either come across as too pretentious or not quite on point, Villamore at the Emerald Kempinski strikes just the right balance of understated elegance and beachside luxe.
To get there you will almost certainly encounter the overwhelmingingly ostentatious main lobby and All Day Dining restaurant but don’t let that throw you off course when it come to getting the laid back outdoor vibe of Villamore - which is the perfect foil to all of that crazy over-the-top-ness of inside the hotel. Set right by the canal side of the palm, you get some wonderful views back toward the marina, the use of wood and tiles providing a shabby chic sensibility accentuated by blue and white color palette.
As you make you way through to the outdoor area, you first pass by one of the main highlights of the venue, which is the Room of Temptations, more formally named the Antipasti Room. This is where you’ll get something really quite unique - an all you can eat antipasti selection for 90 Dirhams a person.
This is such a great idea and it provides an excellent opportunity to curate your own plate of goodies and engage within the staff and talk food. There’s a lot on offer here, far too much to list. You’ll just have to check it out for yourself but it is absolutely worth the visit for this alone and it’s great value for money.
The condensed, Mediterranean styled à la carte menu offers a selection of well crafted starters through to Pasta and Risotto, onto the House Specials and of course Meat and Fish. Having gone hard on the Room, we settled for a wonderful version of the Fritto Misto (AED 80) and the Spaghetti Vongole (AED 110). The Misto was a revelation with it’s beautiful and super light batter providing just the right crunch to a selection of perfectly cooked seafood favorites. It was truly superb. The Vongole on the other hand was quite a different approach to this dish with its tomatoey base. It was perfectly enjoyable with its nicely al dente pasta but truth be told a little light on with clams for the price point, which would be the only quibble of the whole experience.
Bottom Line:
Villamore’s approach and style is fantastic, the service bang on point with a perfect tempo and the food excellent. While only a few days into 2019, I’m willing to go out on a limb early and proclaim this to be one of the stellar openings of the year.
It’s luxe vibe is really versatile making it an equally perfect place for an impressive mid week business lunch, or a beautiful weekend spot on the Palm for sun-downers - or wooing some one special.
Viva Villamoré!
