Life & Style | Food
Steak-out
J. Smith takes a bite out of a mouth-watering steak at The Terrace.
- By J. Smith, Gulf News
- Published: 16:16 May 28, 2008
- Fish salads, mozzarella and cold pastas whet the appetite of diners.
- Image Credit: Devadasan/Gulf News
J. Smith takes a bite out of a mouth-watering steak at The Terrace.
The Terrace
Sheraton Deira
Hidden in the depths of Deira lies the Sheraton, not to be confused with the Sheraton Creek Hotel, which lies next to Dubai Creek itself.
Once confusion over its location has been clarified, the hotel itself is a welcome haven from the busy roads outside.
The hotel's Terrace restaurant is located at the back of the lobby area, and is easy to find from the main entrance.
Tall trees greet diners and the surroundings are comfortable. The restaurant is situated in an indoor courtyard, with balcony windows of the hotel's bedrooms overlooking the evening proceedings. Consequently, the restaurant does echo, but the area is airy and is comfortable for dining.
A weekly affair
Its steak night is held every Tuesday evening and offers a range of dishes.
First concerns over its suitability for those who don't eat beef for religious reasons were quashed, as the selection of lamb, salmon and chicken was more than enough choice.
The system is simple: diners choose a cut of raw meat from the selection on offer, from salmon, chicken breast, lamb cutlets and three types of steak, including sirloin and T-bone cuts.
The waiter retrieves your selection and asks how you'd like the meat cooked, and with what sauce you'd like to eat the cut. While the system worked for me (I ordered a medium-cooked, sirloin steak with pepper sauce) my guest was not asked how she'd like the meat cooked, or which sauce was preferable. Choices include béarnaise and pepper sauces.
While the meat is being prepared for the main meal, there is a wide range of salads, bread and soup from the buffet area for the first course. Fish salads, mozzarella, cold pastas and traditional leaf salads complement the range, and the chickpea dish is particularly tasty.
The steak ordered was cooked to a perfect medium and was well presented; however, the baked potato served in foil with the meat gave the meal something of a school canteen feel.
Main meal accompaniments are available from the buffet area, and include vegetables, Mexican rice, turned potatoes, stuffed jalapeno peppers and Chinese noodles.
There is no limit to the number of accompaniments you can have with the meal, which is served in a buffet style for set prices (see below).
The waiter/waitress service was exceptional, and requests were carried out promptly and politely. Orange juice was freshly squeezed, but soft drinks ordered could have been served without the empty can on the table.
Desserting matters
Although the selection of desserts seemed small at first glances, it was actually a deceptively wide range. The choices were delicious, and included bite-sized lemon cheesecake with a chocolate sponge base, chocolate and walnut cake and carrot cake with a strawberry topping. There was also fresh fruit on offer and champagne-flute strawberry mousses and creme caramel cubes.
The hotel holds theme nights on most days of the week. Monday is Italian, Tuesday is steak night, and Thursday is a seafood theme night.
Steak night buffet prices start at Dh130 with drinks.
Overall, the dining experience was good, although there is some room for improvement.
CHECKLIST
- Getting there: The Sheraton is based in Deira's Al Muteena Street. Garhoud bridge is the nearest crossing.
- Opening times: 7.30pm to 11pm.
- Dress code: Relaxed/Smart-casual.
- Décor: Airy atrium style.
- Must-try: Sirloin steak. Lamb cutlets with pepper sauce. Chickpea salad.\
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