Le Meridien Dubai
Al Mijana
I am not a Muslim. I am not fasting. So, what was I doing at an iftar buffet in a five-star restaurant? Eating obviously, enjoying an early — and reasonably healthy — dinner for a change.
All around us were friends and families breaking fast. Talking, eating, laughing, debating the merits of the ouzi over the machbous.
The other way round
Because the queue at the salad counter was long, we decided we'd eat the other way round. That is, start with the main courses. I lifted the lids off the hot dishes for a quick look and then went straight for the chicken frikeh, a wild rice dish layered on top with grilled chicken breasts.
On the side I had a spoonful of grilled eggplants in a tomato-ey sauce, a couple of kebbehs and a helping of artichoke stew.
The chicken-and-rice was lovely, the rice tasty, the chicken pieces plump and juicy. I liked the spiced mince of the kebbeh and enjoyed the two sauce dishes as well.
What a grilling
My companion, meanwhile, had abandoned rice in favour of the mixed grill. He gave top marks to both the lamb and the chicken and insisted I try both. I did. Both were soft, juicy, gently grilled with all the flavours packed in.
We took time out to sip colas and water, letting the meat settle. And still, the ouzi was to come.
The king of the meal
Kept hot on a giant platter, the meat flaking tenderly from the bones, the rice crowded with nuts and fried onions, the ouzi was definitely the king of the meal.
I loved the flavour and texture of the rice. And, while not being a meat person myself, loved the juiciness of the meat.
Both my companion and I went back for seconds.
The fishy angle
Having tasted so much meat, I decided it was time for fish. The machbous, particularly. The fish-and-rice dish was delightful, the hammour very soft and lightly flavoured with saffron.
Then it was time for my second helping of fish, this time from the salad counter.
Barely steamed and served with a garlic sauce, the whole, cold fish was, well, fishy. A little undercooked for my taste, I could still realise it was fresh — and that's why so many people were eating it!
The salads at last
So, I had got around to the salads at last. I took a clean plate and spooned up hummous, moutabbel, fattoush and tabbouleh. Eaten with a fluffy bread hot from the oven, they made up a crisp —and unorthodox — second course.
I enjoyed this so much that I couldn't eat any sweets, except for a slice of chocolate cake and a wedge of watermelon.
The conclusion
The food was very good, the selection reasonable, the service efficient, friendly and courteous. Our plates were cleared promptly, our glasses were never empty and the servers were always willing to explain what went into a dish (seeing we were not Arabs).
We went away when the buffet was being cleared. We left behind several guests settling down with shishas, ready for more conversation. Clearly, Al Mijana is a welcoming restaurant.
