Dubai: Coming from Calcutta (now Kolkata), an erstwhile British-India capital and a city where traditions from colonial times live on with aplomb, eating out in old English-style club settings makes a whole lot of sense to me.
So a dinner at the Reform Social & Grill at The Lakes last week looked like a nice trip full of nostalgia. Dimly lit tables by a quiet open-air pool, high wooden ceilings with a certain slant and big wobbly fans stirring a small breeze as you eat – it was a perfect throwback to a Victorian-era club. It didn’t matter if it looked like the one near the old Park Street back home or the one on the south of Pall Mall in central London. Reform, Dubai, inspired by the original one at the Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone, London, is a rarity amidst the hustle and bustle of Dubai.
“This place is sure to take you back to the past. We have tried to give this place a classic gentleman’s club feel and many who come here often tell us it gives them a home away from home kind of feeling,” says Richard Cowling, the general manager from Yorkshire.
His team did everything to make us feel at home. A Long Watermelon Mocktail (Dh30) arrived to start off the proceedings. Made from fresh watermelon slices with a dash of vanilla and lime juice, it was the perfect refresher on a humid evening.
A pair of Scotch Eggs (Dh68), made with a special salmon fillet on request, came along for good measure. The soft, semi-boiled eggs wrapped in a fried coating of oats and soaked in apple sauce tasted divine.
Crab on Toast (Dh64) was next. The warm slice of garlic toast came accompanied by a healthy paste of avocado and chilli under a cold layer of cured white crab meat. A zesty mishmash no doubt, this is only for those who relish seafood.
Reform has special themed weeknights, meaning certain items gain precedence over others on fixed evenings but their ‘Catch of the Day’, ranging from the traditional Fish and Chips (Dh110) to Grilled Salmon (Dh135), is never out of demand.
We settled for ‘Whole Seabass’ (Dh140) with braised fennel and shallots, delightfully grilled in olive oil. The fish – well cooked yet amazingly tender – certainly tasted like it belonged to the freshest catch in Dubai. The subtle garnish of the lemon on top gave it a whole new zing. Not a fish lover by any means, this one caught me by a huge surprise – admittedly the evening’s most pleasant one.
You didn’t really need anything else but two Sides (Dh20) – a stack of classic Hand Cut Chips sprinkled with smoked salt and a House Salad of all herbs and lettuce with apple vinegar dressing – served as perfect accompaniments.
To call it a day we had a choice between typical English Puddings (Dh45) from the standard Sticky Toffee to a Bread and Butter version. We couldn’t quite remove our eyes from The Chocolate Pot on the desserts (Dh45) section though. A dollop of the richest chocolate mousse I have tasted, this exotic creation by Amedei, the chocolate artisans from Tuscany, Italy, blended uniquely with salt caramel for an amazing aftertaste.
Just in case you had just a little appetite left, you could however end this gourmet affair with a scoop of gelato, made completely in-house in the gelato parlour next door. Available from Dh15, it’s yet another experience you wouldn’t get in most places in Dubai.
Details
Meal for Two: Dh 400
Location: the Lakes Club, Emirates Hill, Dubai
Timings: 8am to midnight
Contact: 04-4542638
We recommend:‘Long Watermelon Mocktail’ ‘Scoch Eggs’ ‘Catch of the Day - Whole Seabass’ ‘Chocolate Pot’
