La Petite Maison Brings its Famous Niçoise Flavours to the UAE at DIFC

The French Riviera's celebrated bistro to offer "á la minute' dishes served ";mezze style" from October

Heeding the call of its well-traveled clientele in Nice and London to open a venue in the Middle East, La Petite Maison will launch its new restaurant in the Dubai International Financial Centre's (DIFC) Gate Village in October.  The Waney family, having earned enormous success with La Petite Maison in Mayfair, London as well as in extending the Zuma brand to the Middle East, recognized the potential of bringing Niçoise flavours intended for sharing to the UAE market.

The focus of La Petite Maison Dubai is utterly fresh Mediterannean food cooked á la minute or from scratch, using recipes that taste as if they have been handed down through generations and served with well-matched beverages from the Provence region in an environment reminiscent of the Cote d'Azur. The dining space at La Petite Maison Dubai is flanked by a pewter-edged, lava top bar area for enjoying an aperitif or informal meal.

Suhail Al Maktoum, Head of Community Development at DIFC Authority said: ";La Petite Maison is the latest exciting new addition to DIFC's new food and beverage proposition. As part of our new retail strategy to offer a broader range of eateries and shops, this award-winning restaurant adds a new European fine dining experience to the centre.";

Made for sharing family style among diners, signature dishes from La Petite Maison Nice and London include whole roast leg of milk-fed lamb smoked with herbs and spices, green beans with fois gras, and pain perdu with spiced ice cream, and are set to become favorites in the UAE as well. Under the direction of general manager Cedric Toussaint, formerly of La Petite Maison London, the new restaurant will offer delicious, unfussy food and beverages that combine European freshness and quality with the Middle Eastern tradition of expansive shared dining.

“What we felt the regional market would really embrace is an eating experience that is simple, fresh, a bit cheeky and consistently good - that's what La Petite Maison Dubai offers. Nothing is pre-prepared, and everything on the menu is meant to be shared and enjoyed in a relaxed, convivial setting," said Cedric.

Executive chef Izu Ani, heading an experienced team transposed from the London
kitchen, anticipates that his Salade Niçoise, prepared in view of customers, as well as Pissaladière (fresh onion and anchovy tart), truffle macaroni, salt baked filet of sea bass, and veal chop grilled in a Spanish charcoal oven, followed by Tarte Tatin or chocolate fondant, will become firm favorites at the new venue.

The popular French artist Ben Vautier inscribed the words "tous célèbres ici' or"everyone famous here' for the original La Petite Maison in Nice, and while the London and Nice restaurants are patronised by famous clientele, Cedric, Izu and their team are determined to make the food and ambiance the real star attractions at La Petite Maison Dubai.