Ramadan Nights by Dish is a pop-up restaurant in Al Quoz’s Warehouse Four. The catering and events brand are showcasing a new menu every day during the month of Ramadan featuring dishes inspired by flavours of the Middle East.
Warehouse Four, is just off the Al Manara exit and does actually require you to follow Google Maps to find it. While I waited for my party in the parking lot, I was even flagged down by a lost woman in her car trying to find the venue. There isn’t much signage leading you to the place. But once you park, you need to look for the bushes and head in that direction. You will then walk down the long pathway until you find a large white “IFTAR” sign made of lights. You’ve arrived.
Once you step inside, you will feel like you’ve been transported to a modern Moroccan lounge with both table seating and low Moroccan camel poofs. We chose the normal seating. The chairs were made with wicker material, like the ones you might lounge on if you were sitting outdoors in a cafe in Marrakesh. The overall ambiance of the iftar has been further enhanced with the addition of decor elements such as candlelights and hanging fairy lights from the ceiling.
As we sit down, we are given a three course sharing menu with several options per course. We started our meal off with a roasted butternut squash and red lentil soup, topped with toasted almonds, chilli and argan oil. The soup was then followed by a unique green olive infused hummus topped with fresh olive oil, pistachios and white sesame seeds, accompanied with a basket of thick bread and toasted Arabic flatbread. We scooped up every bit of hummus on the plate.
The next course included a torn falafel salad with cauliflower, which was brilliantly flavoured and pulled together nicely with the sweet tahini sauce. We then got to try my favourite dish, which was a tarator-style salmon, with coriander, fennel, walnut and radish. It had a great smoky flavour and the zesty fennel balanced the whole dish out.
Other dishes on the table included a charcoal grilled chicken, marinated in rose and pomegranate water and served with rose petals. The perfect side dish for the chicken was the salt-baked beetroot with zaatar, sesame, mint, and harissa labneh. We saved the best for last which was the signature slow braised shoulder of lamb in Middle-Eastern spices — it was the star of the iftar.
One of our favourite side dishes was a grilled peach and green bean salad, with rocket and an orange blossom dressing. Peaches are quite the underrated fruit, in my opinion, and therefore they were a pleasant addition, paired together with the green beans.
The meal ended with a light selection of desserts. One was the more sour pink grapefruit curd, citrus mousse, caramelised pink grapefruit and shredded pomelo or for those with a sweeter tooth, there was the option of a milk chocolate and coconut cremeux with chocolate soil, passion fruit and vanilla compote.
This alternative iftar experience is one for the books. I loved how easy-going and perfectly portioned the dishes were and the flavours in all dishes worked well together.
The details
What: Ramadan Nights by Dish
Where: Warehouse Four
Price: Dh195 per person
Timings: From sunset until 9.30pm.
FIVE OTHER IFTARS TO TRY
LeTen, The Dubai Mall
What: Give your iftar an Asian twist with a special menu at this restaurant, featuring some of the hottest and classic dishes selected especially for this time of the year.
Price: Dh69 per person.
Timings: Every evening until restaurant closing time.
Abyat, Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
What: Kick back, relax and watch the sun set at this Lebanese-focused Levantine restaurant while its ‘At your service iftar’ serves up daily cooked specials and some Ramadan classics. No buffet rushes here, food is brought to your table.
Price: Dh149 per person and Dh189 per person (includes shisha)
Timings: Sunset until 8pm.
Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel
What: This one’s for those into lavish iftars. Featuring eye-popping displays, the focus here is on authentic Arabic delicacies, including Emirati dishes, as well as a bit of international flair.
Price: Dh139 per person.
Timings: Sunset until 9pm.
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, Abu Dhabi
What: This luxury getaway location along a stretch of The National Mangrove Park will give you an iftar to remember, with an indulgent spread to boot. Enjoy traditional dishes as well as live music into the evening.
Price: Dh185 per person
Timings: Sunset until 10pm.
Amiri Tent, The Address Montgomerie, Dubai
What: Want to experience what a true Dubai-style iftar tent is like? The Amiri tent located on the stunning 18-hole golf course in Emirates Hills is the one. This is the perfect setting for a quiet, yet luxurious, iftar, with the food to match.
Price: Dh200 per person (Dh100 for children between 6 to 11).
Timings: Sunset until 9pm.
