Red Tomato Pizza – A restaurant that feels just like home
Few years ago I had shared a video that went viral on my page. It was about an innovative, brand that revolutionized pizza vending in Dubai.
The brand is Red Tomato Pizza. In 2013 they developed a fridge magnet that let customers order pizza in one tap. With a built-in Bluetooth connection the magnet was able to automagically place an order at the RTP delivery counter with full details of the customer including his location.
The campaign was a major success and with a budget of just US$9,000 they were able to boost their sales by 500%, attracting almost 100,000 requests for fridge magnets and generating earned media coverage worth more than US$8 million.
Fast forward a few years and I was there sitting at Red Tomato Pizza in Al Barsha enjoying some of their innovative woodfire pizzas, pasta and delicious juices.
Creativity and innovation runs deep in this brand which has managed to carve a unique niche in the market, ever since it first launched, almost a decade ago. In fact Red Tomato Pizza is one of Dubai’s premier brands to use woodfire ovens to produce their delicious pizzas.
What’s unique about wood fire oven
Cooking in a woodfired oven has been the exclusive privilege of chefs, pizza cooks, bakers, and food connoisseurs for centuries. Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant uses this amalgamation of ancient knowledge and modern technology to bring the joys of having healthy meals from a woodfired oven. Only a wood fired oven gives that unique flavour that can not be reproduced in a normal kitchen oven.
The Ambiance
As you step foot into this rustic Italian restaurant, your olfactory senses experience a wakeup call, thanks to the fine aroma of authentic pizzas emanating from the woodfire oven. The cosy, tranquil and romantic atmosphere will have you thinking you ended up in a quiet little bistro in Sicily or Tuscany.
The atmosphere is intimate, relaxed and largely peaceful, disturbed only occasionally by an impatient motorist, honking at the traffic lights outside. One wall is home to beautiful rustic paintings, a mirror, an old clock, pencil sketching etc.
The embossed whitewashed walls exude an old-world charm. Overall the space relaxes you and makes you feel at home right from the very moment you step through the door.
The Chef
Back in the kitchen - the center of all action and den of Chef Andrea, its not all that quiet. The head Chef and master of the inimitable Italian cuisine of RTP is as skilled with kitchen paraphernalia as he is, with the throttle of his superbike. A passionate biker, Chef Andrea has maintained a leading position in the UAE Sportbike Championship for the past 2 years. His adventurous streak is evident in the dishes too - which are distinct, creative and out of this world!
I spoke to Usman Tariq, the brand's Marketing Manager. A friendly gentleman, he was happy to share many insights about the brand, so we ended up having a prolonged conversation with him.
The food
Generous portions of melt-in-your-mouth delicacies are listed on the menu and its only a matter of choosing your favourite. Red Tomato Pizza has an incredible array of pizzas, pastas, salads and drinks. It took me and my dining partner a good 15 minutes to even decide what to order. The best part was that there were umpteen veggie options on offer, which works well with most vegetarians.
We set the tone with a glass of extremely delectable, fresh and pulpy passion fruit mojito. that oozed passion fruit all over. Every single sip of this delicious mojito was a feast for the palates. Most definitely one of the best fresh passion fruit mojitos I’ve tasted in town and this place is going to be my favourite and sure stopover for mojitos, whenever I pass that way.
Appetizers
For appetizers I went for Gamberoni Arrosto and my dining partner had roasted potatoes.
Gamberoni Arrosto
Crunchy, luscious and delectable giant tiger prawns seared and roasted in olive oil, garlic chili and herbs and served in wooden skewers. I doused it further in some olive oil and an assortment of spicy sauces to fire up the dish. Some lime squeezed on it added a tangy twist and the fiery sauces made it a feast that delighted the gustatory senses with every single bite. This prawns appetizer is a must try when you visit!
The Mains
For the main course I went for Barbeque Chicken Pizza, Pizza Verdure and Fusilli Primevera Pasta.
Barbeque Chicken Pizza
A chef special dish on thin crust – the barbeque chicken pizza was an exciting eat topped with chargrilled chicken, beef hot dog bits, Italian mozzarella and onions. Quite simple in terms of ingredients but quite delicious in terms of taste.
Pizza Alle Verdure
A delicious vegetarian pizza topped with tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, mushrooms, red and yellow capsicum, black olives and artichoke.
Fusilli Primavera
A delectable pasta with fusilli immersed in a sauce of sautéed spring vegetables, green beans, carrot, onion, garlic and broccoli florets. This pasta was creamy and rich out of the world and definitely one of the main highlight of our dinner.
Tiramisu Della Casa
A traditional tiramisu dessert made with mascarpone and home-made biscuit. It tasted okay.
Service
The service was probably not the best. The Filipina waitress took down the order wrongly and was least apologetic about it. We'd asked her for a replacement and after quite a long wait, she tells us that the new order was never made. Such a pity that the service is a let down despite the milieu and food being quite good. We decided to give it a pass as the food and the over friendly marketing manager - really made up for it.
Where: 7, Saleh Bin Lahej Building, Al Barsha, Dubai
Hours: 11AM to 12Midnight. 11AM to 1 AM Thurs & Fri
Atmosphere: Dimly lit, rustic decor, bricked faced walls, paintings, wood-glass facade
Parking:
Prices: AED 180 for two people (approx.) with alcohol
Credit cards: Cash, Cards accepted
Sound level: Quiet
Wheelchair access: Accessible
Service: Ok
Recommended: Passion fruit Mojito, Fusilli Primavera
Additional Info: Outdoor Seating; Wifi Available
Reservations: 04 4470497, 800866286
Facebook: Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant
The brand is Red Tomato Pizza. In 2013 they developed a fridge magnet that let customers order pizza in one tap. With a built-in Bluetooth connection the magnet was able to automagically place an order at the RTP delivery counter with full details of the customer including his location.
The campaign was a major success and with a budget of just US$9,000 they were able to boost their sales by 500%, attracting almost 100,000 requests for fridge magnets and generating earned media coverage worth more than US$8 million.
Fast forward a few years and I was there sitting at Red Tomato Pizza in Al Barsha enjoying some of their innovative woodfire pizzas, pasta and delicious juices.
Creativity and innovation runs deep in this brand which has managed to carve a unique niche in the market, ever since it first launched, almost a decade ago. In fact Red Tomato Pizza is one of Dubai’s premier brands to use woodfire ovens to produce their delicious pizzas.
What’s unique about wood fire oven
Cooking in a woodfired oven has been the exclusive privilege of chefs, pizza cooks, bakers, and food connoisseurs for centuries. Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant uses this amalgamation of ancient knowledge and modern technology to bring the joys of having healthy meals from a woodfired oven. Only a wood fired oven gives that unique flavour that can not be reproduced in a normal kitchen oven.
The Ambiance
As you step foot into this rustic Italian restaurant, your olfactory senses experience a wakeup call, thanks to the fine aroma of authentic pizzas emanating from the woodfire oven. The cosy, tranquil and romantic atmosphere will have you thinking you ended up in a quiet little bistro in Sicily or Tuscany.
The atmosphere is intimate, relaxed and largely peaceful, disturbed only occasionally by an impatient motorist, honking at the traffic lights outside. One wall is home to beautiful rustic paintings, a mirror, an old clock, pencil sketching etc.
The embossed whitewashed walls exude an old-world charm. Overall the space relaxes you and makes you feel at home right from the very moment you step through the door.
The Chef
Back in the kitchen - the center of all action and den of Chef Andrea, its not all that quiet. The head Chef and master of the inimitable Italian cuisine of RTP is as skilled with kitchen paraphernalia as he is, with the throttle of his superbike. A passionate biker, Chef Andrea has maintained a leading position in the UAE Sportbike Championship for the past 2 years. His adventurous streak is evident in the dishes too - which are distinct, creative and out of this world!
I spoke to Usman Tariq, the brand's Marketing Manager. A friendly gentleman, he was happy to share many insights about the brand, so we ended up having a prolonged conversation with him.
The food
Generous portions of melt-in-your-mouth delicacies are listed on the menu and its only a matter of choosing your favourite. Red Tomato Pizza has an incredible array of pizzas, pastas, salads and drinks. It took me and my dining partner a good 15 minutes to even decide what to order. The best part was that there were umpteen veggie options on offer, which works well with most vegetarians.
We set the tone with a glass of extremely delectable, fresh and pulpy passion fruit mojito. that oozed passion fruit all over. Every single sip of this delicious mojito was a feast for the palates. Most definitely one of the best fresh passion fruit mojitos I’ve tasted in town and this place is going to be my favourite and sure stopover for mojitos, whenever I pass that way.
Appetizers
For appetizers I went for Gamberoni Arrosto and my dining partner had roasted potatoes.
Gamberoni Arrosto
Crunchy, luscious and delectable giant tiger prawns seared and roasted in olive oil, garlic chili and herbs and served in wooden skewers. I doused it further in some olive oil and an assortment of spicy sauces to fire up the dish. Some lime squeezed on it added a tangy twist and the fiery sauces made it a feast that delighted the gustatory senses with every single bite. This prawns appetizer is a must try when you visit!
The Mains
For the main course I went for Barbeque Chicken Pizza, Pizza Verdure and Fusilli Primevera Pasta.
Barbeque Chicken Pizza
A chef special dish on thin crust – the barbeque chicken pizza was an exciting eat topped with chargrilled chicken, beef hot dog bits, Italian mozzarella and onions. Quite simple in terms of ingredients but quite delicious in terms of taste.
Pizza Alle Verdure
A delicious vegetarian pizza topped with tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, mushrooms, red and yellow capsicum, black olives and artichoke.
Fusilli Primavera
A delectable pasta with fusilli immersed in a sauce of sautéed spring vegetables, green beans, carrot, onion, garlic and broccoli florets. This pasta was creamy and rich out of the world and definitely one of the main highlight of our dinner.
Tiramisu Della Casa
A traditional tiramisu dessert made with mascarpone and home-made biscuit. It tasted okay.
Service
The service was probably not the best. The Filipina waitress took down the order wrongly and was least apologetic about it. We'd asked her for a replacement and after quite a long wait, she tells us that the new order was never made. Such a pity that the service is a let down despite the milieu and food being quite good. We decided to give it a pass as the food and the over friendly marketing manager - really made up for it.
VerdictRed Tomato Pizza is definitely a pizzeria with a unique warmth, old world charm and personality. The cuisine will surely linger in your memory long after the last bite. Service is probably not the best, but if you are ready to over look it and simply enjoy the milieu and food, then this place is a really good bet.
If You're Going
Need to knowCuisine: Italian, Pizza
Where: 7, Saleh Bin Lahej Building, Al Barsha, Dubai
Hours: 11AM to 12Midnight. 11AM to 1 AM Thurs & Fri
Atmosphere: Dimly lit, rustic decor, bricked faced walls, paintings, wood-glass facade
Parking:
Prices: AED 180 for two people (approx.) with alcohol
Credit cards: Cash, Cards accepted
Sound level: Quiet
Wheelchair access: Accessible
Service: Ok
Recommended: Passion fruit Mojito, Fusilli Primavera
Additional Info: Outdoor Seating; Wifi Available
Reservations: 04 4470497, 800866286
Facebook: Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant
Disclaimer / Voluntary DisclosureThis review was sponsored by Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant. Though the meal was complimentary, all photos, views and opinions are my own, as always. The restaurant had no influence on the content of this article. Neither there is any form of cooperation between us, nor I am obliged to publish anything. I have not received any monetary payment in lieu of this review. All images used are courtesy of Blogliterati.com, unless stated otherwise. The images may not be reproduced without explicit permission/consent from the site owner.
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