Manhattan Grill, Grand Hyatt
You can take a gigantic bite out of the Big Apple without having to jet 10,000km across the Atlantic. This is, after all, Dubai. The Manhattan Grill at the Grand Hyatt in Oud Metha has just upped the ante on their classic New York-style menu with some new items and they are delicious.
The casual, yet chic spot is tucked away in an intimate corner of the enormous hotel.
The space is modern and open with dark lighting and even has a small terrace overlooking the hotel's garden. You might want to leave the kids at home for this one. Although the menu offers some kid-friendly fare (c'mon, what child or teen won't happily devour a juicy burger?), but the vibe here is definitely more mature; perfect for an evening away from the rug rats.
I recently had the chance to sample what the chefs have come up with for the restaurant's updated menu, and wow -- my guest and I were not disappointed! We started by indulging in a couple of rounds of liver pate smeared generously on perfectly crunchy Melba toast. My friend, who, (before trying the starter) told the restaurant's Guest Chef Christian Ragano that her mum makes the best liver pate she's ever tasted, later admitted to me that this version was a very close second.
Me? Well, I couldn't get enough of the shrimp cocktail. Really, this dish should be called ‘jumbo prawn cocktail' because the shrimps weren't shrimpy at all; they were epic. No hyperbole here. So succulent, so flavourful and so juicy. My mouth is watering just writing about them. They were perfect with Thousand Island-style dressing and some crunchy greens.
We decided to take a small detour and try some dessert before we started sampling the mains. We couldn't help ourselves; as soon as we smelled the sweet, aroma of bananas foster and we simply couldn't resist. And we were both glad we didn't, they were perfectly sweet and caramely with a rich dollop of creamy vanilla ice cream on top. Perfection.
We veered back on track to try what the restaurant is famed for: New York-style beef and amazing burgers. I like to consider myself a bit of a burger connoisseur, so don't take it lightly when I tell you that these burgers were prime. They were seasoned beautifully and cooked to a perfect medium - not uncommon in New York. But if you prefer your patty well-done just let your server know and I'm sure the chaps in the back will be more than happy to accommodate.
Since this is a New York grill, don't miss the bone-in prime rib-eye steak; perfectly tender and truly delicious. And if you're celebrating something special, it's always nice to splurge on melt-in-your-mouth waygu beef. It's a tad pricey, but worth every morsel of goodness. The cedar wood roasted Atlantic salmon was also delicious. Yes, we sampled the lot; and I just might go back and do it all again!
Opening Hours
Lunch: 12:30pm - 3:00pm (Lunch closed on Fridays and Saturdays)
Dinner: 7:30pm - 11:30pm (Thursdays and Fridays until 12:00am)
- Anna AbouZeid
Waves Pool Lounge, Layia Oak Hotel & Suites
Waves Pool Lounge is a hidden find just a hop from the Media City Metro station. Upon stepping into this first-floor cosy nook I was transported into a totally different world away from the hustle and bustle of the city though I was just several hundreds of metres from Shaikh Zayed Road. The deco was amazing, vibrant orange cushions scattered on wicker sofas and inviting comfy orange sun loungers by the pool giving the place the ambiance of a five-star resort. I settled into a sofa, which afforded me a good view of the pool area, and was immediately given a freshly squeezed meddle of pineapple, banana, mango, orange and carrot - so refreshing and delicious. What more would I have asked for after a hectic week at work and a three-hour long exam? The soothing melodies wafting through the speakers made for perfect background music and helped me relax and unwind with my juice.
Rejuvenated I made my way to the buffet spread. I passed the live cooking area and was drawn to the treats on the grill - not yet first things first. I loaded Arabic and Greek salads, Egyptian bread and Turkish kofta kebabs (prepared from scratch from minced lamb, eggplant and spices) on to my plate. The salads were spot on and the kebabs were grilled to perfection by Chef Fouad Sinou the Arabic chef.
Next up were the treats hot off the grill. The menu has no ribs but features kebabs and also dabbles in shawarmas. My grilled chicken, which was marinated in mayonnaise, tomato paste, a blend of spices and oil was excellent so was the shish kebab, which was tender and had a nice smokey taste. The seafood mixed grill - hammour, calamari and shrimp - looked equally appetising. It's a shame I only eat fish so I couldn't sample the other two but I bet my last dirham the calamari and shrimp were as succulent and tasty as the hammour because I saw the other diners eagerly tucking them in. The grilled fare was accompanied by French fries, hummus and an assortment of pickles (beetroot, capsicum and cucumber) - they also had black and green olives, carrot and mixed chillies on offer.
Though I was already full I couldn't leave without sampling their shawarma - grilled lamb with capsicum, onion and a blend of spices wrapped in Arabic bread and grilled until crisp. It turned out to be the best shawarma I've had this side of the Creek.
But it was the Arabic sweets that stole the show. I'd eyed these at Petals restaurant on my way up to Waves. I descended on Petals and took my pick from a wide selection of desserts (This was an exceptional case, ordinarily diners have all their courses in one restaurant). I ended my meal with nutty Arabic sweets including mabrouma and balawa, a rich, sweet and buttery layered dessert made with phyllo, almonds/walnuts, honey and kahta. Indulging my sweet tooth set me back Dh65 (cost of the brunch at Petals) but was worth it. From the decorations, to the food, to the service, everything was just perfect, it's worth another visit.
- Khulekani Madlela
Bice Mare, Souk Al Bahar
At first glance I didn't know which was the most elegant - the restaurant with its crisp, white tableclothes and gleaming glasses, the waitors in their Armani-inspired ensembles and sharp haircuts or the menu with its mouth-watering dishes that sound almost as good as they taste.
Welcome to Bice Mare, the Italian restaurant at Souk Al Bahar, which is so renowned for its seafood brunches that its practically on speed dial for the notoriously fussy Italians living in the UAE.
With an all-Italian team, headed up by Chef Francesco Guarracino, the menu is as sumptious as it is simple. Italian food doesn't need to be fussy - the Mediterranean flavours pack a powerful punch, so the 11 chefs, all hand-picked from the Federezione Italiano Cuochi (an organization representing the World Association of Chef Societies in Italy) let their dishes do the talking for them. And they don't just talk, they converse - in fluent Italian, of course, skipping and dancing across the tongue. But don't just take my word for it. My husband is Italian. Not second generation, I'll-just-go-back-to-the motherland-and-try-Nonna's-spaghetti-pomodoro-once-in-a-while, but right from the heart of Trastevere, Rome, where food is even more important than those other Italian staples, football and fashion.
He scanned the menu, and dived straight in ordering antipasto di pesce, a delicate, deceptively difficult seafood salad to get right. I'm vegetarian, but that didn't phase our waitor. ‘The chef will make something special for you,' he smiled, and I believed him.
My mixed vegetable grill could have been boring but was an opera of delightful flavours, that left me ready for more. My husband was smiling, which told me everything I needed to know.
Now I could relax and enjoy the spectacular view of the Dancing Fountain, which has been choreographed to, quite aptly, Andrea Botticelli, while the next course was prepared.
An elegant linguine astice was greeted with a ‘perfecto' from my husband who whispered that he wanted to mop up the last remaining lobster sauce from his plate with the rustic Italian bread, it was so good. Luckily, he resisted, but we both gasped when his main arrived. Looking more like a sculpture than something to eat, the veritable array of seafood artfully arranged on a bed of ice made me want to reach for a camera rather than a knife and fork. Fresh mussels, vongole, tiger prawns, salmon and cod all jostled for attention. But I was already in love with another - my melanzane alla parmigiana. It's already my favourite, and always on the menu whenever I go to Rome, but this Bice Mare version took it to another delicious level. The food here is just like Mamma (in law) makes, but better, and we've already booked to return. My advice? Reserve a table soon - before me and all the Italians in the know get their first.
BiCE Mare is open seven days a week from 12:00pm - 3:30pm for lunch and from 7:00pm - 12:00am for dinner. For reservations call +971 (0)4 4230982.
- Karen Pasquali Jones
Fountain restaurant, Mövenpick Hotel, Bur Dubai
Mention the word ‘Friday' to anyone in the UAE and they either think of the award-winning magazine you're reading right now, or brunch. One entertains and informs you, the other fills you up. Well, it does if you go to The Friday Brunch with the Full Monty at the Fountain restaurant in Mövenpick Hotel, Bur Dubai. The very name is nearly as much of a mouthful as the a la carte brunch, but the Mövenpick is a triple-pronged foodie attack. First there's the starter - a giant seafood platter big enough for the whole family to share. Then there's the buffet with various cooking stations serving everything from sushi, sashimi, through to Mexican. And then there is the Full Monty breakfast. I couldn't believe anyone could eat that much, but I hadn't figured on a man's stomach. While I ate salads and vegetarian sushi, my husband tackled the Full Monty.
It's based on the cooked British breakfast - and then some. A steak is joined by black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms, fried bread, fries, grilled tomato and eggs done any way. My husband grinned, then dived in. Ten minutes later he'd polished off the lot. The children were growing restless after eating their brunch (there's a special kids' menu) and rushed off to the supervised kids' club to explore the face painting and games.
All around us families were laughing, talking and eating and we drank in the happy, relaxed atmosphere. Every now and again we'd spot our children, with one of the club's nannies, running up to dip fruit or marshmallows in the chocolate fountain.
"I couldn't eat another thing," my husband groaned. But I still had room for dessert and when I couldn't choose between the trifle or the apple pie and ice cream, I had both! The Full Monty is a monster of a breakfast served in the most elegant surroundings. The children loved it as much as we did - and we can't wait to come back. We just might have to go on a diet first.
need to knowBrunch: 12 noon-4pm for Dh190, inclusive of soft drinks. Visit www.moevenpick-burdubai.com or call 04 3104320.
- Karen Pasquali Jones
Ember Grill and Lounge, The Address Dubai Mall
Meat lovers rejoice; I have found your second home and it's just off the Dubai Mall. Every Friday is Brazilian Churrasco night at the Ember Grill and Lounge, with passadors wandering about the restaurant, carrying skewers of different meats, ready to carve right at your table. The setting is elegant yet relaxed, making it the perfect venue to follow an early movie date or to spend out with a group of friends or family.
After lessons learnt from the Dubai brunch scene, we were careful not to overindulge on the buffet of starters, which included a decent selection of salads and cold meats as well as soup and baked red snapper. The passador concept is a winner as it translates into impeccable but non-intrusive service. There are waiters around continually to cater to any request, but if you turn the disk on your table from green to red, they know you've had enough, or are taking a break.
We chose from cuts including sirloin, rib eye, veal brisket, turkey, beef chorizo and lamb, to name a few. As an occasional red-meat eater this seemed rather intimidating, but the meat fest was diluted by skewers of pineapple as well as servings of polenta, fried manioc root, bean stew with rice and, best of all, banana croquettes, brought to the table after we'd had starters.
All cuts of meat were excellent, some served simple and some enhanced with South American flavours. We particularly enjoyed the rump, which had been marinating for four days in spices and non-alcoholic beer and was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The service was excellent, and the staff remembered how we liked our meat done, carving from a different part of the skewered cuts for my companion and myself. On request, the chef also made us a plate of large prawns with a selection of sauces. The buffet of puddings included banana cheesecake, which was rich and gorgeous, and traditional South American puddings, and a spread of chocolate delights.
Need to know: Churrasco evening costs between Dh180 and Dh245 depending on your choice of beverages. On Friday only, 6.30 to 11.30pm.
- Elizabeth Elphick
