Fratelli la Bufala is located in a non-foodcourt section of the mall and takes a little bit of searching to find. The decor is rather simple and typical of UAE restaurants, but in the end that is not why you come here. What you will find are numerous Italian dishes featuring water buffalo. Water buffalo essentially tastes like beef that has some of the fat removed, which is essentially what it is being much leaner than ordinary beef.

My first trip there I had the buffalo steak which was quite tasty and enjoyed sampling the other dishes ordered by my party, including dishes that incorporated buffalo mild, cheese, and cream. On my second trip, I enjoyed on of the pizzas on offer with buffalo ham and artichoke hearts. Their pizza was done exactly right and tasted fantastic.

In short, Fratelli la Bufala’s unique take on a unique ingredient earns it a place close to the top of the UAE’s Italian restaurants.

Tip for travelers: avoid your hotel’s Italian fare and make a bee-line for Fratelli la Bufala.