A tale of a brunch with a peach-themed menu.
For a long time, I've been wanting to try Gianni's brunch, and I never really planned it. Mostly because I plan restaurant outings based on what I am craving at the moment and Gianni's brunch seemed a commitment to Italian food on a Sunday morning, which sometimes sounds a little heavy. Once the opportunity through a friend presented I agreed and went for it. I realized I quickly misjudged the food offering because the menu has a lot of things to pick from that are not necessarily pizza and pasta.
After reading it I got the theme even if it was not intentional (which of course, a menu is always intentional), PEACH. They launched this menu starting in October and by coincidence, I got to taste it on its first day.
For those unfamiliar, Gianni's is an Italian restaurant located in Palm Beach, Aruba, right at the heart of the hotel area and it is very famous for dishes like the Spaghetti Al Formaggio Parmigiano mixed in the cheese wheel.
The ambiance is very family-friendly. Not every brunch has to be a party and I appreciate that. Gianni's brunch is NOT for those who are looking for a boozy brunch with dancing people and loud music. It is more for those who are looking to enjoy a Sunday with their family or friends while having tons of food while sipping on some sparkling. All inside a place where is possible to listen to each other. Kids were around and for the most part, seemed like a mature crowd.
Life is all about balance and that's why with the first Bellini I order a coffee, which they are great at making.
They put a bread basket on the table with little brioche knots for all of us.
I planned on having all three breakfast items because I am a person that enjoys sweet breakfasts.
The Cinnamon roll was great. I mean what's not to love? It's about an inch wide, but you can order more!
The Peach and Prosciutto Bruschetta was the winner for me. A thinner slice of bread (unusual for bruschettas that tend to be thicker this was more a toast), wall-to-wall spread with whipped ricotta, on top, a slice of prosciutto, and a peach slice. It really tempted me to order 5 more but I had to control my choices to be able to taste more things.
The Fritella All'arancia was second best. I really like Orange preserve the touch of Cointreau in the whipped cream was *chef's kiss*.
Now into the savory side of the menu. Even though the menu has variety, I missed a classic dish, maybe a Bolognese would have been nice instead of, for example, the salmon bagel. Something heartier for a Sunday lunch.
The Lentil soup was very nice, would have it every brunch. There's something about unpretentious dishes that always win me over.
The Snapper al olio was also nice. Creamy polenta is such an underrated thing! We need more polenta on menus. Only one thing though, the cilantro in my opinion is very strong for the delicate bite of fish and polenta... overpowers the whole thing.
The Gnocchi with mushrooms and sage brown butter was ok. I really loved the idea of the dish but for me, it was missing something to be a true winner, to have a punch.
I gotta say that the next dish did not get a picture and I tried to look for one on Gianni's socials but unfortunately, there was none.
The Fettuccine Alfredo. First, it is made with fresh pasta! Second, it is so creamy and balanced that I was really impressed. I would never ask for it but I gotta admit I underestimated it. The portion is HUGE, so big that we split it in 3 to share. My friends ordered it without the chicken, just the sauce. Trust me it was great. Next time I set foot in Gianni's I am ordering it.
I was gonna leave without dessert but how can I have a complete experience without it?
The peach macaron was the one to end the peachy saga. A delicately sweet bite and a neat presentation.
As an overall experience, Gianni's brunch delivers what it promises to. They are doing a nice job with the breakfast items, appreciated by people like me who like sweets in the morning. As for the mains, the portions are big so go with a big appetite. I would have wanted a touch of tomato sauce or a ragú somewhere but hey! it's not the last of the brunches. I remain hopeful for the next one.
As far as the Bellini, they are not premixed, they go around the table countless times topping up the glasses. You can also drink just the wine if you get tired of the sweetness of the peach juice. However, for the price of around $14 as an add-on for the unlimited Bellinis, you get really average-to-low-quality sparkling wine. I would not mind paying a little extra for a better option if they offer it in the future as an upgrade. I totally understand the price does not allow it for a better one... but just a thought.
The service was impeccable I gotta say. Congratulations to Sandra and her team that really killed it. I never had to raise my hand to ask for a refill or to place the next order.
Let's see what the next theme is! I would suggest LEMON! So many good dishes with lemon in Italian cuisine and a Limoncello mimosa sounds so good!
Full disclosure: This was NOT a sponsored experience.
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