An iftar at JW Marriott Marquis’ Arabic Restaurant transports you to an atmosphere of a Thousand and One Nights.
The simple but sophisticated interiors, the food, great service and warm hospitality make dining here a memorable experience. The soft, live lute music and singers belting out old Arabic favourites also adds to the atmosphere.
At the entrance of the hotel, a golden crescent and stars embrace “Ramadan Kareem”. The white curtains behind golden lanterns leading to the restaurant, on the fifth floor, are charming and a rectangular turquoise fountain inside the restaurant which separates the tables, magnificently reflect light on the golden chandeliers.
The buffet is separated into different sections such as appetizers, hot food and desserts to avoid long queues. The lentil soup, roca salad, fresh green thyme salad, grape leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables are must-tries.
In the hot food section, sayadeiyah (cooked rice with fried fish fillets, decorated with fried onion) tastes exactly like how its made at home. Interestingly, the dish is served with the traditional gravy, prepared from stock made from fish bones. There are few places that serve sayadeiyah with gravy, so don’t miss out on this preparation.
The burak (or sambosak), stuffed with spinach and cheeses, is served soon after it’s baked or fried, which ensures the delicacies are crunchy and fresh.
One of the main dishes on any Arabic table is the stuffed lamb, served with a yogurt and cucumber salad. The meat was tender and spices were delicately added to the rice to enhance its taste without being overly spicy.
Some of the other dishes included grilled meat and chicken, daoud basha (meat cooked in tomato sauce), kibbeh cooked in laban and shawarma.
The dessert section had the popular kunafa and umm ali on offer. Some of the other Arabic sweets included kataif and baklava along with other regular cakes and tarts.
- Call: 04-4143000
- Price: Dh190 per person
- Timing: From sunset to 9.30pm
