Dubai: Located at the foot of the Marina Quays, the casual and contemporary Monte Carlo Stars – overlooking the stunning Dubai Marina – is a vibrant hangout. Add to it an equally fashionable menu with a fair mix of Arabic and continental dishes and it sure does become a star of a place, especially in the evenings when people turn up just for a shisha.
However, if you are headed there hungry and thirsty, start off with their real smooth Kiwi Quencher (Dh28) made of fresh kiwi, orange, pineapple and some passion fruit syrup and one of their fabulous starters.
One of their recommended items is the Seafood Kebbeh (Dh48), a platter of four big fried balls of groats and fish fillet mixture stuffed with calamari, shrimps and hammour in a sea-food mix and orange and lemon zest with hints of saffron, spices and some nuts, served on a bed of mixed green salad garnished with lemon wedges. Another must-try is their interestingly named Etch Salad (Dh28), again made of groats (type of whole grains), tomato, green onion, fresh mint, tomato paste, olive oil and lemon juice, presented in fine style.
They also have a fine range of soups including a French Onion and a Chicken Mushroom Cream variety and an exhaustive list of mezzehs including a very tempting marinated baked potato and moussaka, the Greek favourite.
I, however, couldn’t quite resist ordering their signature MCS Chicken Cordon Bleu (Dh70), a stunning mains comprising five crunchy breaded cutlets of chicken breasts stuffed with cheese and mushrooms and served with sautéed vegetables and potato with cream cheese sauce on the side.
They also have an array of fish and seafood dishes like giant prawns, grilled or fried or a salmon grilled teriyaki and their own versions of thin crust pizzas. For vegans particularly their Vegetarian Pizza (Dh54) topped with sweet peppers, mushroom, olives, zucchini, eggplant and loads of mozzarella is worth a try. If you are a cheesecake lover, the end is even more special with one of their selections.
Details:
Meal for Two: Dh200 (approximately)
Location: Marina Quays Apartments, Promenade level, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina
Timings: 8am to 2am
Bookings: 04-453 3532
Our Recommendation: Kiwi Quencher, Seafood Kebbeh, Etch Salad, MCS Chicken Cordon Bleu