If you are looking for a quintessential upscale stalwart on the island of Aruba, then make haste for a sumptuous meal at Gianni’s Ristorante Italiano.
Perfectly located on the main drag in Palm Beach’s high-rise hotel neighborhood, Gianni’s has served its Italian cuisine to well-heeled visitors since 1985.
I visit Aruba every year, and it has been decades since I last dined at Gianni’s.
The Aruban foodie scene has gradually blossomed over the past 20 years, first with supper club-style dining at prix fixe restaurants Carte Blanche (now shuttered) and Two Fools and a Bull (under new management) and then with new restaurants such as Catch Aruba and BLT Steak at the glitzy Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Yet Gianni’s remains one of the original fine dining establishments on the One Happy Island.
*********************************************************************
My friend and I arrived on a Thursday night in mid-November for an 8pm reservation.
Gianni’s is located in a bustling yet romantic square at the Village Mall Aruba. A live violinist playing uplifting classical music set an elegant vibe while vacationers strolled, leisurely chatting and eating gelato.
There was a line to enter the restaurant, but we were seated quickly since we had made a booking in person on the prior evening.
The restaurant was 80% full when we were seated, and you can choose your preferred setting amongst several indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Our table for two was along the outside wall with perfect viewing of the pedestrian traffic along the boulevard (please note that as of November 2024 the road is under construction at the moment, so the view isn’t as spectacular as it normally is).
We began with the garlic sourdough ($2), which was four pieces of thick toasted bread. I was so hungry from doing nothing but sit on the beach all day that I ate the entire basket before my friend could even have one.
For our appetizers, we both had a Ceasar salad ($10.50). I appreciated the thick croutons and creamy dressing.
However, I did wish I had ordered the daily antipasti special, whose inventive presentation offered slices of prosciutto hanging like clothes on a clothesline over a large bulb of burrata and other charcuterie accoutrements. Gianni’s also offers daily fish, gnocchi and risotto entree specials alongside its extensive traditional Italian menu.
I was on a mission to try Gianni’s famous Spaghetti al Formaggio Parmigiano, which is prepared tableside in a stunning 4-minute presentation.
Here is what Gianni's has to say about its signature dish:
Our signature dish? Italian Spaghetti al Formaggio Parmigiano. How it works? They bring out a large wheel of Parmesan cheese, shave out some cheese, pour whisky on it, light it on fire and when the flames die down they pour in the cooked spaghetti and roll it around completely covering the spaghetti with the cheese. You cannot get closer to pasta-heaven.
Apparently, this is what the road to pasta heaven looks like:
Starting at $27, you can add any of the following items to this sophisticated main course for an additional charge:
Chicken - $10.50
Meatball - $13.50
Sausage - $14.50
Shrimp - $26
Frutti Di Mare - $32.50
We each added a meatball, which was thick and juicy, to accompany our spaghetti.
The pasta was coated in parmesan cheese which paired brilliantly with the red tomato sauce. I was a total glutton and asked for even more grated parmesan at the table.
As we dined for two hours, there were at least five birthdays celebrated around the restaurant replete with drums and singing by the staff, proving that Gianni's is worthy of your special occasion.
Gianni’s Aruba is open daily from 11am for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended.
For my brand new Aruba collection Aruba, click here.
For more of my restaurant reviews, click here.
ความคิดเห็น