If you're looking for the obligatory red-and-black striped tents, the air thick with shisha smoke and Arabic conversation, then think twice about going to Iftar at the Courtyard Marriott.
While the food was tasty and widely varied, Iftar at the Pine Grill did lack that particular atmosphere.
The Marriott describes the Pine Grill as "all-day dining at its best" - which is probably true for the best part of the year. But unfortunately it is also true during Ramadan - it could quite literally be any day of the year.
Service
But then who's to say that's not what you're looking for. If you fancy a low-key dinner to break the fast for the day and you're more concerned about service and variety than with ambience then the Pine Grill is certainly worth a visit.
Staff from the outset were attentive and efficient. We were greeted immediately and shown directly to our custom-reserved table - complete with name card and welcome dates.
Glasses were topped up with water by a practical waiter and the juices on offer were the first thing to be explained. Date juice, grape juice and almost every other kind of juice you could ask for.
OK, so put the atmosphere (or lack of it) aside for a moment, and the dining experience really only got better and better.
Starters included fish cocktail, smoked salmon, tandoori prawns, bean variety salads, potato salad, houmus, a full bread selection, as well as Arabic lentil soup and falafel.
Service again was impeccable with staff at hand to explain what was on offer and how it was cooked.
No 'wow factor'
So you select your first course and all is going well but for me, and I know we said we weren't going to mention it again, but the restaurant is very ordinary.
Situated just off to one side of a long corridor, which clearly leads to the dinning outlets which do possess the "wow-factor", the Pine Grill almost looks like it was a bit of an afterthought.
It does have a lovely view of a lake but it's across the corridor, past the people walking to other outlets, through some rather tinted doors, across a terrace, past the pool and in the distance.
Saying that, dining on the terrace is an option which could be considered in order to set more of a romantic or atmospheric tone to the evening.
Wait for it
Back to the food. Dinner was worth waiting for. The mansaf was the first thing to catch my eye - lamb seasoned with aromatic herbs and mild spices and cooked in yoghurt and served on a bed of Arabic bread and rice, garnished with nuts.
It was delicious and had almost definitely been cooked the Arabic way, all day on a slow fire.
The lamb just fell from the bone and it was simply delicious.
Variety was excellent with potatoes, fish, kebabs, chicken, fresh vegetables and a shawarma station (just in case you have any gaps to fill).
Dessert was equally as pleasing to the eye as to the palette with colour bursting from the server.
Tiramisu, cheesecake, chocolate mousse and profiteroles were my obvious choices (while the fresh fruit did look appealing it didn't have the same draw!) and the Arabic options were also in abundance.
A special dessert served only during Ramadan is qatayef, a cinnamon flavoured pancake stuffed with walnuts and sugar and eaten with honey syrup - and it seemed to be going down well.
Ramadan is a time for fasting and spiritual introspection. It is also a time for renewing bonds with family and friends by getting together.
So if you fancy doing that in a modest setting where the kids have some fun (because there aren't many people around) or if you fancy just getting away from the din of the usual city hotspots, then the Courtyard Marriott certainly won't let you down when it comes to the grub.
