No one would enter the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on The Palm, Dubai, without exclaiming how gorgeous it is. And no one would enter Lalezar, the Turkish restaurant in the hotel, without being charmed by its interiors and overwhelmed by the experience. During Ramadan, the delight is magnified.
At the hotel entrance, a series of golden candle stands are placed to welcome guests. The huge chandelier dangling from the dome of the lobby is decorated with stars and crescents. Nice touch.
Lalezar, which means ‘Tulip Garden’ in Turkish, has its own magic to offer. It is decorated with a small marble fountain at the entrance, and at a corner are tea pots — both important elements of a Turkish house. The walls are lined with exquisite paintings of colourful flowers.
Then comes the food: a collection of Turkish appetisers in small plates. By serving food this way, you make sure you taste everything.
The green salad or Gavurdagi Salatasi with walnuts is great; the famous Turkish Boregi (spring rolls) is yummy; the Izgara Sucuk, which is grilled beef sausage with pepper tarator sauce — is one of the best I’ve ever had, while the traditional Manti is a must — it is a homemade mini dumpling stuffed with minced beef and herbed tomato sauce. Dipped in yoghurt, this is one famous Turkish dish you can’t miss.
The main course includes many dishes that will surely satisfy all tastes, including those who like to try dishes with magical combinations, such as Beyti Kebab, which is wrapped minced lamb, with cheese, walnuts, yoghurt and tomato sauce. Again, a favourite.
If you like the simple dishes, then you will enjoy the tender meat of the lamb chops, which is served with grilled vegetables. Try the kuzu Incik and you will taste one of the most tender meats ever. Then there’s Ali Nazik Kebab, which is sauteed cubes of beef tenderloin served with smoky eggplant puree.
While all of this is enough to satisfy you, the desserts are irresistible. So make sure to save some space. The platter mix of Turkish dessert and kunafa, or kunefe, is a winner. It is similar to the regular Kunafa Nabulsieh (a famous dessert named after the West Bank city of Nabuls). The kunefe is prepared with unsalted cheese and cream and it’s so soft that it melts in the mouth immediately.
To put it simply, the iftar at Lalezar is one of the best you could try in Dubai.
