Italian duo Marianne Rescia and Gianluca Criniti teamed up to bring authentic Piedmontese and Northern Italian cuisine to our sandy shores. MiD reviewer, Praseeda N. gives us the scoop.

Nestled in a quiet cluster in the vibrant Jumeirah Lake Tower district, Náis opened its doors in the early October, catering to the residents of the growing residential community. Under the shade of towering skyscrapers, the restaurant overtakes the pristine green lake around HDS Tower, in Cluster F. We were ushered in by amiable wait-staff who arranged for us to sit by the window. With a view of both the neighbourhood and the restaurant’s eclectic art corner which features “Shades of A” scarves made to represent the mix of traditional Arabic Keffiyeh and modern design, all available for purchase.

Sampling their lunch menu, we tried the Gnocchi Al Ragout Bianco Delicato- landmark potato dumplings tossed in a light white ragout sauce; Fattoria- a sizeable sandwich in Panini bread, with turkey breast, fontina cheese and spinach.
The creameries of the ragout sauce added to the texture of the dumplings, while the sandwich prodded a healthy dose of cushioned protein with a layer of crispy spinach leaves. For a little something dolce, we tried the Torta Náis, an original mamma Náis recipe mingling chocolate cake with a side scoop of after eight mint ice cream. Yes, it was as delicious as it sounds.

No Italian dining experience is complete without a standard dose of caffeine. We ended the night with a frothy cappuccino and a Náis specialty iced coffee Shakerato. The restaurant’s specialty beverage is a perfect fusion between la cucina and our local flavour, with date syrup cutting the bitter aftertaste of coffee. For those keen on sampling original Italian food in picturesque JLT, Náis may be your ideal destination.