Bayside Restaurant and Terrace, Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay
Overlooking the Dubai Water Canal, the Bayside Restaurant and Terrace at Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay is a great venue to enjoy a relaxed iftar after work. Sleek and comfortable interiors make it a perfect place to chill while savouring its spread of salads, soups, cold and hot meze, main courses and desserts.
With multiple tables and live cooking stations packed with traditional Ramadan favourites and international dishes, Bayside offers a spread that will satisfy every kind of palate. My favourite was the chicken biryani, where the flavourful rice brilliantly supplemented the tender and perfectly seasoned chicken. It was great to sign off with Umm Ali and a platter of cake and Arab pastries.
Verdict One of the best iftars in town at a reasonable price
Details Dh165 per head. Call 04 369 0000 or email bayside.business-bay.dubai@steigenberger.com
Kiyi, Fairmont Ajman
Kiyi’s iftar provides a spread of cuisines from Turkey, the UAE and wider Middle East. The Fairmont Ajman’s Turkish eatery has set up the opulently decorated Al Fairuz Ramadan Tent. The garden-set structure is home to a 14-metre buffet table laden with live cooking stations featuring meats straight out of Sultanahmet, or at least prepared by chefs hailing from Istanbul, as well as a selection of regional sweet staples such as knafeh.
We commence the feast with pide. Emirati fare was represented in the mains with the lamb ouzi. We dove into a heap of well-marinated chops and soft mince kebabs, garnished by mildly spiced slices of onion, as is proper. There’s also a Turkish-style butter chicken dish, which has a thinner consistency, and a sea bass stew.
Verdict Worth the visit to Ajman
Details Dh160++ per person
Call 06 701 5544 or email Ajman.dining@fairmont.com
Lalezar, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
From its hand-painted wall designs to curtains adorned with Arab embroidery, Lalezar at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray offers the perfect setting for a leap into the world of royal Turkish cuisine. For iftar, Lalezar has a curated set menu, comprising a selection of hot and cold appetisers, main course and desserts. I start with a soothing red lentil soup and crunchy Ottoman-style mini meatballs, followed by an elaborate meze platter.
Then I tuck into a perfectly chargrilled sea bream fillet served with rucola salad and red cabbage. Portions were just right for a hearty iftar. Don’t forget to try its revani, a wet sponge cake, served with orange syrup and vanilla ice cream. This was a decadent adventure
in true Ottoman style.
Verdict A venue to impress your guests
Details Dh195. Visit Jumeirahzabeelsaray.com
