Iftar treats

There are limited places in Dubai that you can call authentic. Manufactured yes, but few can be called the real deal. The One & Only Royal Mirage's Tagine is one of those exceptions.

Specialising in Moroccan cuisine, everything in the restaurant reflects its North African heritage.

From the moment you walk through the heavily ornate wooden door, you're greeted with a plush décor that's especially intimate thanks to generously cushioned private booths that are bathed in the glowing light of Arabic lanterns.
Iftar at Tagine is exactly as the name suggest a sumptuous feast of delicacies cooked in the tagine.

After you've broken the fast with dates, lemons and the hearty Moroccan soup, Harira, and taken your fill of a buffet stuffed with Moroccan salads and breads, your table is presented with tagines of chicken, fish and lamb and couscous.

Each is delicate in flavour, with the meat tenderly falling onto the fork. The staff (who all hail from Morocco) are on hand to explain the subtleties of each dish and Chef Amine changes the ingredients and spice of each tagine daily to ensure report diners are never bored.

Not that boredom will ever be a problem. Tagine was my first Iftar experience in Dubai, and four years later it continues to be magical.

Ambience: Sensually ornate, without being kitsch.
X-Factor: Authenticity. Even the tableware is genuinely made in Morocco.
Must Try: Don't skip the Harira soup — it's best eaten with lemon.
Location: Tagine — One & Only Royal Mirage, Arabian Court.
Phone 04-3999999
Price: Dh160
Ambience: Sensually ornate, without being kitsch.

Sample simple fare

Dubai creek Sheraton's iftar is pefect for a cheap family meal and basic iftar food

If you want a basic family friendly Iftar meal, the Hatta Room at the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers is an excellent choice. Succulent looking dates, olives, humous and baba ghanoush were laid out on the table with pita bread when we arrived. The baba ghanoush was brilliantly smokey and the sharp flavour was even stronger after a day of fasting.
For mains there was the traditional Arabic fare, a pasta station and in the corner a “Pakistani Station'' (available on Monday nights). Since my favourite curries come from Pakistan, I headed straight there and was not disappointed.

The Kashmiri gosht badami korma had just the right amount of spices and the meat fell off the bone. and the Lahori karahi chicken was delectable. My friend had the Palak paneer and Aloo gobi which she declared fantastic.

We decided to try a few of the Arabic dishes and have to say we were disappointed. They were boring and variety was limited.

Desserts were nice, but there was nothing that you could say was a definite must-have. If you are looking for sophisticated dining, this is not it, but if you want something for the whole family, head on down.

Ambience: Bright and loud
X-Factor: Guests can opt to contribute Dh1 on top of their Iftar meal to support street children in Egypt.
Must Try: Lahori karhai chicken and Kashmiri gosht badami korma
Location/contact details: Hatta Room, Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, Baniyas Road
From 6 pm to 8 pm daily during the month of Ramadan
Phone: 04 207 1404 or 1405 for reservations
Price: Dh135 per person

-Georgina Enzer Copy Editor

A sultan's feast

A handful of diners were treated to traditional fare at this hidden away spot.

Trust the media, and you'll be forgiven for expecting big groups of friends and family wherever you go to break the fast. This was not the case at Al Sultan Brahim Beirut, where a mere handful of parties had gathered after sunset. And the crowds are all the poorer for it. Don't be fooled by the rather humble introduction, for the overtly attentive staff are quick to shuffle out dish after dish.

Soup lentil or vegetable is followed by salads, hot and cold mezze. The bread is puffingly fresh, and the dishes are prepared simply, the ingredients allowed to play to their individual strengths. Such as the spicy potatoes; moist yet not oily, with just the tiniest hint of a bite.

The main courses follow the same principle. The ouzi (minced meat with rice and topped with pieces of lamb) was a little dry, the siyadieh (rice with seafood sauce and grilled fish) was standard, but the samkeh harrah (grilled hammour in a special sauce) was the unanimous favourite. The sauce had a tangy twist that made the dish stand out. Then comes dessert, with fruit and sweets that are tasty and not sickeningly sweet. Crowds aren't beating down the door yet, and that's a pity.

Ambience: Relaxed chic.
X-Factor: You can take a break on the deck overlooking the creek for a totally different feel.
Must Try: Samkeh harrah.
Location/contact details: Al Sultan Brahim Beirut, InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Phone 04-7011128
Price: Dh165

-Eduan Maggo, Copy Editor

Turn up the heat

Al Manzil serves delicious Iftar fare in a pretty chilly atmosphere.

An impressive spread and lots of choice made up for a lack of atmosphere at the Al Manzil Hotel.

Nestled in the heart of the city's up-coming Downtown district, I expected more than to be sitting in the hotel lobby while enjoying a wide selection of local and international dishes.
Chicken tagine with olives, breaded hammour and quail in apricot gravy were perfectly presented on the extensive buffet by excellent staff.

Dessert was ample yet not over the top with all the usual local sweets, pastries and cakes set among fresh fruits.

Atmosphere may have been non-existent inside but outside things picked up as people of all nationalities enjoyed shisha, coffee and juices in a private courtyard-style garden area. A good experience overall.

Ambience: A little chilly.
X-Factor: Shisha in the courtyard stars.
Must Try: Breaded hammour in tomato basting.
Location/contact details: Al Manzil District, Downtown, (opposite the Palace Hotel). Phone 04-4285888.
Price: Dh 145

Kelly Crane Staff Reporter