Vote for the 2012 MENA Travel Awards

One of my favorite restaurants here in Jeddah, the fabulous Il Villaggio Restaurant, has been nominated for a prestigious 2012 MENA Travel Award in the Best Fine Dining Restaurant category.

I wrote about the wonderful evening my husband and I spent at Il Villaggio earlier this year in this post.

To cast your vote for Il Villaggio Restaurant, simply click here, cast your vote and fill out a simple form. You can only vote once in this competition, but I urge you to please cast your vote for Il Villaggio!


You can get further information about the competition on the MENA website. Here is an excerpt:
The MENA Travel Awards 2012 “ Champions of Service Quality “ Award will be presented to, once again, recognize top industry organizations who have shown the extra mile of success in the Middle East & North Africa's growing travel industry. This is no self-congratulatory exercise, or ‘best advertiser' award. It is a real opportunity to receive meaningful recognition from the Region’s travelers, guests, and customers while being highly recognized by both regional and international travel, and the hospitality industries.

An Evening at Il Villaggio Restaurant

A few nights ago my husband and I had the privilege of attending a special event at Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant which was celebrating its 5th Annual International Day of Italian Cuisines. About fifty invited guests feasted on this year's official specially selected dish, Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese, made of tender veal shanks and traditionally served with risotto. The evening's menu also included Sprout Salad with fennel, orange, olives, lettuce, and almonds, and for dessert a delicious Grapefruit Sorbet with cinnamon fragrance.

Prior to the meal, Executive Chef Vincenzo Raschella began the evening with a live cooking demonstration on how to prepare the Ossobuco dish and gave tips about the ease of growing your own sprouts. He was assisted by Sous Chef Raffaele Cuomo.

Il Villaggio Restaurant is housed in a beautiful building on Al Andalus Street, in a bustling part of Jeddah which is home to many consulates, businesses, and other restaurants. The ceiling in the main entrance area is a gorgeous stained glass dome.

Inside there is a lovely courtyard open above to the twinkling stars and the deep cerulean sky where we served a choice of luscious fruit juices. There is also a lovely little shop where one can purchase special Italian ingredients.

My husband and I enjoyed meeting many of the invited guests which included dignitaries from the Italian Consulate, representatives from news sources, as well as other expatriates and Saudis.

I would like to thank the management for including us at this very special event and the finely trained service staff at Il Villaggio Restaurant, who were ultra-attentive and ever-present without being obtrusive.


Stay abreast of what's happening at Il Villaggio Restaurant of Jeddah: LIKE their Facebook page.

For an in depth interview with Chef Vincenzo Baschella, including his recipe for Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese, check out this Arab News article written by Amjad Parkar.

Jeddah's Il Villagio Restaurant Celebrates Italy

ATTENTION JEDDAH RESIDENTS: It's that time of year again when Il Villagio Restaurants and Lounges celebrates its 5th annual International Day of Italian Cuisines - with a Gala Dinner on January 17, 2012, featuring this year's official dish, OSSOBUCO IN GREMOLATA ALLA MILANESE. The Gala Dinner promises to be an exciting and tasty event - there will be a special demonstration about the Ossobuco dish by Executive Chef Vincenzo Raschella and Sous Chef Raffaele Cuomo.


The menu for this special evening features:
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2012 Sprout Salad
Fennel, orange, Taggiasche olives, lettuce, almonds and a mix of fresh garden grown sprouts
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Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese
Braised veal shank, sprinkled with chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest on Polenta Incatenata made of corn flour with herbs, cabbage and beans
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Grapefruit Sorbet with cinnamon fragrance
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ACT QUICKLY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A DINNER FOR TWO at Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant. Just LEAVE A COMMENT on this post telling me what your FAVORITE ITALIAN DISH is. Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS. The deadline for entering is 12:00 noon on Tuesday, JANUARY 17. If you are unable to attend the Gala Dinner that evening, the lucky winner will be able to enjoy your free dinner another evening of your choosing through January 31, when the Il Villagio celebration ends.

For more information about International Day of Italian Cuisines online, click HERE.

Il Villaggio Restaurant & Lounges, Al Andalus Street, Jeddah - Telephone 02-668-8233

Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant Presents Its Mediterranean Festival

WIN a FABULOUS DINNER FOR TWO in Jeddah at Il Villaggio Restaurant! (transportation not included)

Il Villaggio Restaurant celebrates the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy with a Mediterranean Festival featuring the iconic ingredients used in traditional Italian dishes. The festival takes place March 14th through March 17th in Jeddah.

"Sample a menu with ingredients which have been used for a very long time in traditional recipes and are still among the all time favorites today. Taste heritage by indulging in authentic dishes which have their origin in different parts of Italy. Experience a true Italian Menu. Learn through food the history and events what created Italy 150 years ago and made Italy what it is today!

This menu will be served from 14th March to 17th March in the Luigi Restaurant at Il Villaggio Restaurants & Lounges. In addition we also offer cooking lessons with insights about the history of Italian food during the same period.

If you like to reserve a table or want to inquire and receive more details, please contact us by email: agm@ilvillaggio-complex.net or telephone 02-668-8233.

We will be happy to welcome you and your family, friends or colleagues during this special week at the restaurant or any time."

From the Management of Il Villaggio Restaurant & Lounges, Al Andalus Street, Jeddah - Telephone 02-668-8233

For a chance to WIN A DINNER FOR TWO at Il Villaggio Restaurant, LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST telling me what your FAVORITE ITALIAN DISH is. Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS. ACT QUICKLY! The deadline for entering is MARCH 13. Two lucky winners will be announced very soon.

Go to Il Villaggio's Facebook page.

To RSVP to the Mediterranean Festival Event, or to view the Sample Menu, CLICK HERE.

For more info, check out their website at www.mediterraneans.me

Here is a quick video tour of the restaurant interior by the MadTraveller:

One of my Favorite Dishes

Although I'm not a huge eggplant fan, one of my favorite dishes features eggplant. I never ate eggplant when I was a kid. It was never offered to me and I probably wouldn't have even tried it if it had been. The first time Adnan (who is a wonderful cook) made eggplant for me, I was skeptical. But from that first bite, I was in love with this dish. The flavors all work so well together and it's unbelievably delicious. Try it for yourself!

EGGPLANT WITH GROUND BEEF AND YOGURT SAUCE


INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch round slices
1-2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
Onion, Garlic, Parsley, Salt, Pepper, and other spices and herbs to your liking
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
Mint, Dill, Italian Seasoning, Cilantro, or other spices and herbs to your liking

GROUND BEEF MIXTURE: We like to keep an already-made amount of this versatile mixture available. That's why you can use a larger amount of ground beef if you want, so you can save some to use in other recipes later. It freezes well and is quick to thaw. It's great to use in many Middle Eastern or Italian dishes, and when there's just a little bit left, we just throw it into scrambled eggs in the morning and it's delicious.

Start with a little olive oil warmed in a frying pan.
SAUTE in some chopped onion and some fresh garlic over medium heat.
ADD in your ground beef and cook thoroughly.
You can also ADD in your favorite spices and herbs, like Italian Seasoning, Fresh Cilantro, Parsley, a little Salt and Pepper, etc.
Set this mixture aside.

YOGURT SAUCE:

In a small bowl, MIX the Yogurt with your favorite Herb and Spices, like Mint, Dill, or Cilantro.
ADD a little Italian Seasoning if you like.
My personal favorites with this dish are Mint and Dill.
Set this mixture aside too.

EGGPLANT: My hubby used to fry the eggplant slices in a little Olive oil on top of the stove, but they tend to absorb a lot of grease that way. The method he has been using lately is to bake them in a 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes on each side.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
First, lightly DIP the eggplant slices in olive oil.
Place them in a baking pan.
BAKE for about 10-15 minutes, until they appear a nice golden brown color.
TURN the slices over and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
REMOVE when they are tender and a nice golden brown color.

Some people don't like the texture of the eggplant skin when it's fried or baked this way, so they peel the skin off first. The skin becomes a little tough and chewy, but I personally really like it when it's that texture.

SERVE 2-3 slices of eggplant per person.
TOP with the Ground Beef mixture, and then the Yogurt Sauce.
SERVES 3-4 People.