by ONEZA TABISH
Sole Mio is one of Muscat’s legendary Italian fine dining restaurants. With classical European interiors, the ambience serves a unique sense of elegance.
I was welcomed by their talented Chef Ajith, who is associated with Sole Mio for over 27 years and has mastered the art of Italian cooking.
On our arrival, a refreshing fruit punch was served along with carpaccio con Parmigiano, a thinly sliced fillet mignon served with arugula and shaved Parmesan. The treat had a tangy, lime dressing with extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top. It was an outright delight. Beautifully presented, the carpaccio is one of the stellar Italian appetisers that shouldn’t be missed at Sole Mio.
A few minutes later, a crisp scent of fresh bread wafted from the kitchen and a basketful of freshly-baked goods was placed on our table, filled with breadsticks, bread rolls and the famous Italian Garlic bread. We enjoyed this warm treat; it complemented the main course and the salad with utmost perfection.
For the main course, we were served grilled salmon in saffron sauce and beef tenderloin cooked in black pepper cream sauce. Both these came with buttered seasonal vegetables.
The salmon was soft and moist, and the saffron sauce lent the fish a glorious look and regal colour. Mild flavour with a melt-in-the-mouth sensation, the grilled salmon is strongly recommended. It’s outstanding and a treat for fish lovers!
The beef tenderloin steak was well-done and gushed with delicate flavours. The black pepper cream sauce gave it a lovely texture and taste. The vegetables served with the fish and steak were lightly sautéed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Loved the fact that the vegetables retained their crunch throughout our meal and were absolutely fresh.
I also sampled the ditalini al argoste pasta, which had ditalini pasta smeared in lobster and tomato cream. This dish featured small bits of lobster meat and was scrumptious.
The kids devoured Sole Mio’s signature penne pasta cooked in chicken cream sauce, as well as an authentic Italian pizza topped with Mozzarella cheese, chicken and mushrooms.
Both these were delicious and the presentation was top notch.
The Sweet endings comprised of Homemade panna cotta served with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, followed by a chocolate soufflé served with vanilla ice cream as well.
The panna cotta was simple and comforting, exuding a homely feel in terms of flavour, texture and taste. The chocolate soufflé had a divine chocolate sauce oozing out of it, which was a lovely sight. And, the combination with vanilla ice cream made it absolutely irresistible.
My experience at Sole Mic was amazing. The staff is on its toes and despite having such an extremely busy kitchen, food was served without any delays and with an eye on presentation. Sole Mio is surely one of Muscat’s signature, fine dining Italian restaurants. I urge you to give it a try.
About the Contributor: Oneza Tabish is a food influencer, blogger, consultant and stylist who has a knack for features writing and food reviews. She is the founder of popular dining Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman’.
