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At Olea, a vibrant taste of Italy immerses the taste buds
Zeid Odeh, Jordan News
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The Italian cuisine market in Amman is pretty
saturated, so I was initially skeptical when I heard about the new Italian
Cuisine Buffet at Olea at the Four Seasons Amman. However, knowing the hotel's
reputation for attention to detail, I decided to give it a try.اضافة اعلان
Buffet services are commonly associated with weddings, birthdays, or Ramadan iftars. The tedious lines, the awkward conversations, and the empty serving plates are all reasons why many restaurants began pushing for a family-style sharing concept. However, the Four Seasons strayed far from these fears.
Italy is a country with a diverse topography and climate, and traditional Italian cuisine is as varied as the land. The Mediterranean diet serves as the foundation of Italian cuisine, which emphasizes the consumption of cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, oils, milk, fish, and meat in moderation. These foods are often prepared for special occasions, making them the main specialty in many parts of Italy.
The recipes for these dishes have been passed down through the generations, ensuring that the culinary traditions of Italy endure.
Despite the breadth of Italian cuisine, pasta is often the first dish that comes to mind when most people discuss Italian food. However, many fail to realize that every shape, sauce, and protein originates from a different region in the country, each with its unique flavor profile and history.
Back to the buffet: with just a brief look, I was impressed. From the live homemade pasta station and the Caprese salad stations to a variety of other visually appealing food items, I was ready to get lost in the sauce.
Cold itemsThe buffet has a wide variety of salads, some pre-portioned in individual bowls while others were build-your-own. It also had the first antipasti station that I personally did not find boring.
The antipasti station featured appetizing presentations of rolled roasted bell peppers, portobello mushrooms, and cold cuts.
Even though I am usually not a fan of antipasti, I thoroughly enjoyed these items as they tasted fresh. The lightly seared tuna with the other components made this a great appetizer to start the journey with.
Hot itemsThe hot items were equally impressive. I was excited to try the chicken Milanese, the arancini, the pasta, and the pizza.
The chicken Milanese was perfectly cooked and well-seasoned, and the portion was reasonable — not too much or too little. The arancini, which had an interesting shape, had a great flavor, and held together well. Often restaurants forget about the seasoning aspect of arancini and depend more on its frying aspect, but that was not the case here.
The pizza was a Neapolitan style, with an earthy flavor, airy crust, and a perfect thickness. (I tried not to eat the crust alone to save on calorie intake, but that plan failed.)
The pasta station had a friendly chef making dishes on demand. Serving three types of pasta, which we learned rotate every week, I went for the cacio e pepe.
Cacio e pepe is a parmesan and black pepper sauce. Some say it was the original alfredo before the Americans added cream and made it what it is today.
One thing I truly appreciated about the pasta station was that it was made in-house, which takes much time and kneading to produce enough pasta to serve all guests on a buffet station.
Best for lastBut it was the dessert station that really blew me away. The tiramisu, made a la minute (can you believe it?), was light, flavorful, and impossible to resist. The coffee is poured on top of the sponge layer between the two cream layers in front of you, bringing out the coffee's presence instead of having it hidden in the sauce.
The homemade cannolis were also filled on the spot and dipped in your favorite toppings: both memorable and mouth-watering. The cannoli shells were also made in-house, again proving the Four Seasons' level of quality.
One thing that impressed me about the buffet was how the hotel's staff thought of every step of the guest's journey. The buffet was arranged to make it easy for guests to serve themselves without any hassle. Lid placement, smaller individual plates, and separate serving stations for different dishes made the entire experience enjoyable and stress-free.
If you are looking for a great Italian cuisine experience in Amman, the Four Seasons Amman's Italian nights are an excellent option. The price is JD35, and the food is of exceptional quality. I highly recommend giving it a try.
Read more Good Food
Jordan News
Buffet services are commonly associated with weddings, birthdays, or Ramadan iftars. The tedious lines, the awkward conversations, and the empty serving plates are all reasons why many restaurants began pushing for a family-style sharing concept. However, the Four Seasons strayed far from these fears.
Italy is a country with a diverse topography and climate, and traditional Italian cuisine is as varied as the land. The Mediterranean diet serves as the foundation of Italian cuisine, which emphasizes the consumption of cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, oils, milk, fish, and meat in moderation. These foods are often prepared for special occasions, making them the main specialty in many parts of Italy.
The recipes for these dishes have been passed down through the generations, ensuring that the culinary traditions of Italy endure.
Despite the breadth of Italian cuisine, pasta is often the first dish that comes to mind when most people discuss Italian food. However, many fail to realize that every shape, sauce, and protein originates from a different region in the country, each with its unique flavor profile and history.
Back to the buffet: with just a brief look, I was impressed. From the live homemade pasta station and the Caprese salad stations to a variety of other visually appealing food items, I was ready to get lost in the sauce.
Cold itemsThe buffet has a wide variety of salads, some pre-portioned in individual bowls while others were build-your-own. It also had the first antipasti station that I personally did not find boring.
The antipasti station featured appetizing presentations of rolled roasted bell peppers, portobello mushrooms, and cold cuts.
Even though I am usually not a fan of antipasti, I thoroughly enjoyed these items as they tasted fresh. The lightly seared tuna with the other components made this a great appetizer to start the journey with.
Hot itemsThe hot items were equally impressive. I was excited to try the chicken Milanese, the arancini, the pasta, and the pizza.
The chicken Milanese was perfectly cooked and well-seasoned, and the portion was reasonable — not too much or too little. The arancini, which had an interesting shape, had a great flavor, and held together well. Often restaurants forget about the seasoning aspect of arancini and depend more on its frying aspect, but that was not the case here.
The pizza was a Neapolitan style, with an earthy flavor, airy crust, and a perfect thickness. (I tried not to eat the crust alone to save on calorie intake, but that plan failed.)
The pasta station had a friendly chef making dishes on demand. Serving three types of pasta, which we learned rotate every week, I went for the cacio e pepe.
Cacio e pepe is a parmesan and black pepper sauce. Some say it was the original alfredo before the Americans added cream and made it what it is today.
One thing I truly appreciated about the pasta station was that it was made in-house, which takes much time and kneading to produce enough pasta to serve all guests on a buffet station.
Best for lastBut it was the dessert station that really blew me away. The tiramisu, made a la minute (can you believe it?), was light, flavorful, and impossible to resist. The coffee is poured on top of the sponge layer between the two cream layers in front of you, bringing out the coffee's presence instead of having it hidden in the sauce.
The homemade cannolis were also filled on the spot and dipped in your favorite toppings: both memorable and mouth-watering. The cannoli shells were also made in-house, again proving the Four Seasons' level of quality.
One thing that impressed me about the buffet was how the hotel's staff thought of every step of the guest's journey. The buffet was arranged to make it easy for guests to serve themselves without any hassle. Lid placement, smaller individual plates, and separate serving stations for different dishes made the entire experience enjoyable and stress-free.
If you are looking for a great Italian cuisine experience in Amman, the Four Seasons Amman's Italian nights are an excellent option. The price is JD35, and the food is of exceptional quality. I highly recommend giving it a try.
Read more Good Food
Jordan News
