IL TERRAZZO MARRIOTT AMMAN – THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN TOWN

I have found my new favorite restaurant in Amman. Heck its also my new favorite Italian restaurant in Amman. This restaurant is absolutely amazing. I do regret that I have not visited this restaurant before. Il Terrazzo is the new definition of Italy in Amman. I suggest you read every single word of this post as saliva is about to fill your mouth my friend. The pictures will leave you dreaming of the most delicious food I have had in a while.

Allow me to introduce you to the restaurant first. Il Terrazzo as some of you might know has been present in the Marriott Resort & Spa Dead Sea for a while now. However, Amman got lucky in November 2014 that Marriott Hotels decided it will open another Il Terrazzo in its Amman Hotel, with a fancier dining experience than the one in the Dead Sea. They also introduced Italian Head Chef Andrea Donazzan who created the wonderful Italian deliciousness in this restaurant.

 

As we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by Restaurant Manager Tariq Shraim, who was extremely friendly and made sure that our experience was flawless from the moment we entered the restaurant till we left. Marica was our waiter for the time, and she too was amazing. She made sure that we got everything on time, served us the food properly, and was kind enough to keep checking on us if we needed anything extra or just needed anything at all!

Let’s start with the menu. It is a very simple, well decorated menu. The menu included a top paper clipper in the shape of an olive branch, which apparently turned out to include real olive cores. The menu included an engraved story of the restaurant on the back wood (see picture below).

 

Marcia started our journey with a fresh basket of bread that is made at Il Terrazzo, accompanied by Olive Oil and Modena Balsamic Vinegar, alongside Olives and Sun-Dried Tomato Puree. The bread truly melts in your mouth, it is so fresh you just want to eat the whole thing and ask for more. We also got to try the Bottega Cabernet Sauvignon which was a perfect match with the bread.

 

Chef Andrea was so kind to come and introduce himself to us, which was also great because he helped me pick out the food, he also explained in details what every plate would taste like and which ones would be better for us to enjoy. So, we picked Burrata Su Riduzione Di Aceto Balsamico Di Modena, Pomodorini E Fave, which basically means Burrata Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes, Fava Beans, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar, alongside Il Classico Vitello Tonnato, which is slow cooked Veal Loin, Tuna Sauce, Capers and Basil Oil.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I am sure the following pictures will satisfy the description of how delicious these plates are.

 

Chef Andrea explained that they import the Burrata cheese from Italy as it is not available here in Amman. It is also so much better as you get to experience the authenticity of the tasteful Italian Food. The Burrata Cheese was so flavorful, and you could taste the rich cherry tomato and basil in it.

The Veal Loin was so tender, it literally melts in your mouth, I could have had that plate all for myself without any problems. The Veal is cooked to perfection, and marinated in the Tuna Sauce that makes it so creamy and mouthwatering.

I knew from this moment further, everything about this restaurant is going to be perfect. So it was time now to order our main dishes, so here comes the goodness!

Chef Andrea also helped us pick our main dishes, and recommended we pick Risotto Misto Bosco (mushroom risotto) and Ravioli Di Magro (homemade ravioli, filled with spinach, ricotta cheese, sage, butter, and topped with mushroom sauce). But before that, he recommended we warm up with a very popular Pumpkin Soup as the weather was gloomy and cold.

 

The soup was so good, I still can taste bits of it in my mouth. It included chunky pieces of pumpkin and truffle that made it so warm and good. We definitely enjoyed every bit of it, as it warmed us up and prepared our bellies for what is coming next. You have to try their Pumpkin Soup once you get there as it is definitely a must.

 

My favorite part about Italian food is the fresh ingredients you get to taste in every bite of food you have. The rich flavors of this Risotto and the creaminess of the rice gave me goosebumps. You can taste a drizzle of basil oil along with authentic Italian Parmesan cheese. Oh god, my mouth is watering just thinking about it again.

 

 

I am truly out of words. Where do I start again on this fresh homemade Ravioli. Chef Andrea explained that they make the ravioli dough fresh from scratch. They then indulge it in a layer of Ricotta cheese and Spinach, along with creamy butter and sage, topped with a light mushroom sauce. This dish is so tasteful, you get to enjoy every bit of it.

You’d thing we got enough of the food? Well we were definitely full, but you can never get enough of this goodness. We decided to take on a Filetto Di Manzo Alla Rossini (120g beef tenderloin, foie gras, and truffle mashed potatoes) and a Sea Bass Dish. We ordered the Filetto cooked to Medium so that we could enjoy the tenderness of the beef.

Boy did we make the right decision. The Filetto was so tender and and cooked to perfection, it came with a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with truffle and foie gras.

 

The Sea Bass Dish was exquisite. It was so soft and juicy, with a dash of lime it was perfect. It came decorated with cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives.

 

Last, but definitely not least, we approached the desserts, I don’t think I need to explain the following pictures. The deliciousness of the three desserts we ordered is divine. It was hard to pick only 3 as the dessert menu is another complete dream. So we ended up picking Ricotta Fresca Agli Agrumi (fresh citrus ricotta cheese, with wild forest fruits), Frittelle Della Nonna Con Zucchero Caramellato (homemade frittelle, custard, caramelized sugar), and of course, the most famous italian dessert, Il Classico Tiramisu. They also introduced to us their homemade Limoncello, made by Chef Andrea; what an amazing authentic Italian Limoncello that was!

 

My favorite was of course the Tiramisu. I cannot compare it to anything else. The other 2 desserts were delicious too, and the fruits were fresh and some of the berries are imported from Holland. The Tiramisu was so good, I could simply go there just for Tiramisu. No, but I want the Frittelle too. I also want to order the Panna Cotta next time. I also want to live there.

It was a true pleasure visiting Il Terrazzo, I honestly enjoyed every dish we had, and the experience was extraordinary. I also got take pictures of Chef Andrea Donazzan and the Crew. I suggest you reserve your table immediately and head to Il Terrazzo, as you do not want to miss out on a wonderful dining experience. Il Terrazzo is also celebrating their 1 year anniversary at the Marriott Amman and are offering 25% discount during the whole month of November. So head there and benefit from that offer.