DUBAI The UAE’s winter weather is perfect for al fresco dining and it’s the best time of year to sample what Dubai outdoor eateries have to offer. One of the latest restaurants worth visiting is Plaj, a lovely chilled-out restaurant in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on the Palm Jumeirah.
First impressions: Plaj is ideal if you are after an intimate setting that has a casual/formal dining ambience with live entertainment. With sections in the restaurant catering to couples, families and children the venue manages to successfully create an atmosphere for everyone.
It is also perhaps a perfect spot for diners looking for a sophisticated beachfront restaurant which offers simple yet classy food. Newly refurbished, Plaj now comes with an Italian inspired menu providing a good variety of traditional Italian treats like the Plaj Gnocchi made with home-made saffron and Tarragon Gnocchi with lobster, yellow pepper sauce and baby spinach. If you feel like a light starter, I would recommend the delicious Anti Pasti which comes with classic Italian char-grilled red bell peppers served on ciabatta, with grissini and focaccia bread.
Expect everything with the BBQ that Plaj has to offer, especially every Thursday with the BBQ seafood theme. The finest quality of veal, tuna steak, salmon, tiger prawns, calamari, crab and mussels are all prepared at the live cooking station. I opted for the BBQ seafood platter and also tried the BBQ chicken – highly recommended by the Sous Chef, Manish Knot. The seafood was prepared just as I requested it and was complemented with Plaj’s selection of sauces. Try the chilli sauce Tiger prawn combo for a delicious fusion. Along with your meats and seafood, there’s also an enticing variety of healthy vegetables such as rattle potatoes with herbs, corn on the cob and char grilled vegetables.
My colleague went with the safe option and opted for the seafood pizza, Fruti De Mare; a thin crust bread base with plum vine tomato sauce, mixed seafood, chilli oil, buffalo mozzarella, rucola and oregano. Considering this was the first seafood pizza he had tried he was satisfied but we both agreed the BBQ was a definite winner.
Moving on to dessert, there’s a good variety to choose from, but don’t expect a dessert feast on the buffet station – you have to order from the menu at an extra cost. Although I’m not really a big fan of desserts after feasting on a buffet, I gave in and ordered the melt-in-your mouth Tiramisu – made with coffee soaked biscuits, fresh mascarpone cream and sprinkled with cocoa powder. My colleague opted for the traditional Italian dessert, Pannacotta, which he said was deliciously creamy.
Overall I enjoyed the food and the ambience of the restaurant but the one thing I forgot to try was the live lobster! It will be the first thing l order on my next visit.
Naheed Walait Akram is a Copy Editor in Gulf News
DETAILS
Cost: Dh290 per person, drinks, starters and desserts not included in this price.
Location: Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, The Palm Jumeirah
Dinner: 6.30-10pm
Call: 04-453 0455
We recommend: BBQ chicken, Tiger prawns, seafood pizza
