Pepe Cucina review: Bring an appetite – and someone willing to share

Friday night finds Pepe Cucina bustling with life. Families taking a holiday, couples on a date, friends catching up after a long work week, the atmosphere is just as one would expect from an Italian eatery: warm, inviting, and familiar. An Italian restaurant that is not overly formal, yet still maintains a sense of class and refinement, Pepe Cucina in JBR, Dubai is a flexible establishment that meets your expectations each time you dine there.

Upon arrival, the spacious layout ensures that there is ample room for large gatherings and popular Saturday brunches. Booths line the left side of the room, while banquette tables slice through the middle to create intimate social spaces. Through floor-to-ceiling windows, diners are treated to views of the sprawling terrace, complete with fresh seafood and the iconic Bluewaters Island and Ain Dubai.

The menu is straightforward and does not require perusing through a leather-bound book. The passa il piatto section, meaning "pass the plate," is designed for shared plates. We start with truffle arancini, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and served with a delicate truffle sauce for dipping. Our companion is delighted by her salad of yellow and red endive with Gorgonzola, pecan nuts, and figs.

I appreciate the Italian cuisine's flexibility, where plates remain on the table for as long as desired, allowing for mixing, matching, and returning to favorite dishes throughout the meal.

For our pizzas, we choose the classic margherita, featuring a thin, slightly burnt base and melted cheese. Four slices are savored, with a few extras taken home. The traditional fusilloni alla Genovese in a Pecorino sauce is next, a hearty pasta smothered in a rich and generous sauce. It is a comforting dish that I plan to return to for a cozy winter meal.

To contrast the richness, we opt for the sea bass fillet with roasted potatoes, a delicate and modestly portioned dish that complements the meal nicely. The dessert list is a playful assortment of traditional Italian sweets, and we ultimately decide on the chocolate mousse with hazelnut and balsamic cherry, a rich and creamy dessert that lingers on the palate.

A dinner at Pepe Cucina could easily set you back around Dh150, depending on your choices. There are options to suit all budgets, appetites, and preferences, from a simple focaccia starter (Dh20), rigatoni with spicy Gorgonzola sauce and beef ‘nduja (Dh88), to the lobster linguine (Dh355) and grilled lamb chops (Dh215) for those who want to splurge.

Located in Address Beach Resort in JBR, Dubai, Pepe Cucina is open Monday to Thursday from 4 pm to midnight and Friday to Sunday from 1 pm to midnight. To make a reservation, call 04 879 8866.