In a city of glitz and gastronomic ambition, where dining can feel like theater and excess often takes center stage, there is one address in Dubai that chooses a different kind of spotlight, one that glows softly, like the embers beneath a cast-iron pan in Tuscany. That address is Chic Nonna, and its story is not just about food. It’s about legacy, passion, and a little bit of culinary rebellion.
Nestled on 2 stories near Index Tower in DIFC, Chic Nonna is the crown jewel of Mine & Yours Group, an ode to Italian craftsmanship that fuses timeless tradition with Dubai’s cosmopolitan pulse. From the moment you enter, the space evokes quiet sophistication. Striking Murano glass chandeliers and glimmering wine displays speak of refined taste, but it’s the open kitchen, the soul of any Italian home that captures your heart. And that is where you’ll find her: L’Assassina.
Not just a dish, but a declaration. Born in the fiery kitchens of Puglia, Spaghetti all’Assassina or “The Assassin’s Spaghetti” earned its name not from its ingredients, but its boldness. This pasta doesn’t simmer passively in water. No, it’s thrown directly into scorching tomato sauce and seared to a caramelized crisp, coaxing out smoky, spicy, passata-laced notes that linger like a good secret.
At Chic Nonna, Chef Francesco Torcasio, a storyteller in his own right has elevated this rebellious classic to something near-mythical. “We don’t tame the flame,” he says with a grin, “we let it speak.” Each bite delivers contrast: the seductive crunch of nearly-burnt pasta edges and the soft, al dente heart. It’s a symphony of intensity and restraint, just like Nonna used to make if Nonna had a Michelin background and a view of the Burj Khalifa.
Yet the Chic Nonna experience goes beyond what’s on the plate. It’s in the slow pour of a Barolo carefully matched to your secondi. It’s in the tableside smile from a server who remembers your favorite grappa. And it’s in the feeling, unmistakable, unforgettable that you’ve stepped not into a restaurant, but into a curated moment. In a world chasing trends, Chic Nonna is quietly rewriting the rules. Not by inventing something new, but by daring to perfect something old. From Tuscany’s backstreets, Puglia Piazze to Dubai’s glittering skyline, L’Assassina is no longer a secret. She’s the center of the attention.
INFO: www.chicnonna.com