Antica Australis @ Ras Al Khaimah Art 2024 Festival
Cultural Heritage Dining Experience | Italian/Emirati Fusion Food + Storytelling
Bayt 7 Villa Compound
Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah.
Antica Australis presents its unique cultural heritage dining experience as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Art 2024 Festival.
Latin for ‘the ancient south’, Antica Australis has been named one of Australia’s ‘top ten regional restaurants worth travelling for’ by Travel + Luxury Magazine and is bound to captivate the imaginations of curious and sophisticated diners in the UAE.
Run by Italian/Australian husband and wife team Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi, Antica Australis specialises in serving up the ancient flavours of the ‘hidden’ region of Ciociaria in central Italy.
It is renowned throughout Australia for its unique presentation of serving regional Italian dishes using locally sourced produce in a set menu format, combined with a storytelling performance throughout the cultural heritage dining experiences.
The Antica Australis Cultural Heritage Dining Experiences will be presenting three different four course set menus during Ras Al Khaimah Art 2024 Festival over the first three weekends of the festival in February.
The scene will be set against the backdrop of Bayt 7 Villa Compound, located in the heart of the captivating Emirati pearling village of Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village in Ras Al Khaimah. Diners will be seated outside in an open courtyard surrounded by trees, fairylights, candles and bougainvillea for a truly magical experience.
Each set menu has been developed using seasonal produce sourced direct from Al Shawka - the organic winter farm of Ras Al Khaimah’s Royal Palace. Organic dates and local Sidr honey have also been sourced from the Royal summer farm in the mountains at Jebel Jais.
Additionally, specialty products and native ingredients from Italy and Australia feature in dishes to make the Antica Australis festival events a sensational fusion of traditional Ciociarian cuisine, native Australian ingredients and distinct Emirati flavours that need to be explored to be believed.
This includes an ‘ethereal’ tiramisu with fresh pomegranate & Sidr jelly; a pistachio risotto with fried dates; and a medieval milk pudding made with camel milk infused with saffron, served with salted popcorn & organic date molasses.
In addition, Antica Cooking Demonstration & Dinner events will be held on two Friday evenings during the festival, offering the opportunity for guests to learn how to cook a two-course Italian meal (pasta & dessert) and sit down at a Chef’s Table to eat with Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of Antica Australis. Cost is AED 300 per person for cooking demonstration and two-course meal.
