Off we drove, back to Jumeirah Golf Estates on Sunday – to review the newly launched Fiorentina Sundays offer. Coincidentally – it was New Zealand’s Father’s Day, and what’s a better offer to take the husband to – than somewhere with not just good steak but the best of the best – Fiorentina T-bone Steak.

Here’s how our afternoon at Bussola JGE went with the kids.

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The Journey

It took us about 15 minutes, to get from the Dubai Marina to Jumeirah Golf Estates. For some reason it felt closer than it used to be. Are the roads quieter? Possibly. Maybe the roadworks in the area are completed? Possibly. It was another 5 minutes or so, from entering this community to getting to Bussola. That’s how big this place is. As you drive through Jumeirah Golf Estates – you get the chance to see all the many (big) houses, and residents playing golf on the course. And just momentarily wish you could afford a house there too.

Don’t worry – you don’t have to be a resident to spend time in this community. You can just drive to the clubhouse for the afternoon – and it’s much cheaper than say, a house. And Bussola – is one of many restaurants there.

The Venue

Having been there quite a few times now, Bussola on a Sunday gives you that ‘home away from home’ feel. Wooden tables, a mix of grey and blue chairs, matching pillows. There was another family with young children there (much to our relief), and groups of adults – having a quiet Sunday afternoon catch-up. We picked a round table at the corner – which was perfect for our family of five. Note to all restaurants : Please add round tables to your dining space!

Let’s start with the kids’ menu.

We weren’t all too sure if the Fiorentina T-bone offer would be enough for the entire family – so we decided to be safe and ordered from the kids’ menu for the three kids.

The usual, y’know – spaghetti bolognaise (42 AED each), and a pepperoni pizza (48 AED). I thought these were quite well-priced, considering the overall setting and vibe. And most importantly – the kids enjoyed it. Well….. most of it – except the 6-year old who initially decided against Margherita but decided to remove all the pepperoni from the pepperoni pizza anyways. Just the usual shenanigans when it comes to dining with kids.

The main show : Fiorentina T-Bone Steak

When our T-bone steak arrived – husband and I both just lit up, smiles all wide in anticipation. The steak was absolutely massive, possibly over a kilogram in weight, and beautifully presented on a black ribbed cast-iron skillet garnished with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a vine of cherry tomatoes.

I know usually people recommend having these sorta steaks rare – but we asked for it to be medium – and it was perfect.

Note to self : Best to have lunch first before working on an article with photos of juicy steak.

The Fiorentina T-bone, or properly called “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” – came with a bowl of salad and a fries, served in a miniature stainless steel wire mesh frying basket. The T-bone itself is hidden underneath the cherry tomatoes in the photo below, but you can see how it perfectly separates the tenderloin on one side, from the sirloin on the other.

I’ll tell you for sure – it was so much meat, that husband and I could not finish it. We tried our best to get the 3 kids to have some (i.e through the art of shoving it into their mouth), but ended up having to take away a portion at the end of the afternoon. It was so tender, so good. Such a simple, yet satisfying dish. And for those who are dubious – here’s a photo of the T-bone itself, ha ha! It’s not often we share photos of bones on this publication but this time, it seemed appropriate.

Overall Thoughts

This one’s definitely for the meat-lovers out here.

Spend an afternoon with family and friends, and work your way through this traditional Florentine dish – one juicy bite, at a time. Come hungry – as you’ll definitely need the appetite to finish off the entire dish. And hey – please don’t be cheeky and invite your vegetarian friends over for this. I mean technically they could still come and have the other dishes in the menu……..

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is available at Bussola in Jumeirah Golf Estates, from 1pm – 4pm every Sunday. This ‘Fiorentina Sunday at Bussola’ offer is priced at 350 AED for an entire Florentine T-Bone Steak, for sharing – with fries and salad. Book via email here, or Call +971 4 586 7760. For more details, and to see other offers happening at Jumeirah Golf Estates, see dubaigolf.com

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