First thoughts? I love the stylish black interiors. Great play on textures, down to the tablecloths and leather upholstery. As the man in charge, Greg Malouf put it, “I didn’t expect it to be this glam. But that’s Dubai, I guess.”
And in true Dubai form the event didn’t start on time. The staff were still being briefed as guests arrived. I guess the celebrity element didn’t help.
Oh, yeah. There were a few big names. Indeed — one PR person said of the 220 guests at the VIP dinner, 70 were “very important people” — Bollywood actors, writers, directors and other assorted film folk.
And, of course, people famous for being famous. Yes, the Hilton sisters, Khloé Kardashian...
And Akon. And Akon. But he’s always here.
You sound jaded. Well, celeb openings are dimes a dozen in Dubai nowadays.
Hypocrite. Okay, so I took a picture with Hrithik.
Hrithik? Roshan. He asked to pose with me, and who am I to refuse a fan?
Moving swiftly along... Apparently Khloé is a nice person. Her handler says she didn’t even complain after a two-hour delay at the airport.
Interesting. But I guess it’s part of the job. And having big names present is good for publicity. But the food should speak for itself.
Ahh, the food. Well, “This is an important restaurant for Dubai,” as Malouf puts it.
Really? Do we really need another Middle Eastern restaurant in the Middle East? Done like this, yes! Here’s to more contemporary local fare. And Malouf didn’t just put his name on the door — he has a house in the area, and his fingerprint is on the logo.
What’s the most unusual thing you tasted? Salmon tartare. It was rather fishy, but in a good way, with just the slightest hint of a bite tempered by the creme fraiche.
And? I’d never heard of pomegranate mayo. But now I have. And I approve.
Anything else? His grandmother’s spinach and feta pie. It’s so rustic, yet so refined.
That seemed to be a theme... Refreshingly so. Frou-frou dishes are so passé. Malouf serves you hearty fare — family style — that might not always look pretty but sure taste good. The wild sea bass, however, had a more contemporary presentation — topped with the coriander, walnut and chilli mixture it was baked with — but these flavours didn’t add anything to the fish, which was a tad dry for my liking.
Pity that. Well, the haloumi fritters made up for it. Again, its home-style imperfection is an advantage, and the saffron-yeast batter and honey topping makes for a fabulous sweet-savoury combination. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does.
Is that it? Just about. The prize for cutest dish goes to “oasis”, an Amalfi lemon tart that comes with wafers shaped like camels.
