It’s the simple things in an iftar that make it special. Hot, fresh and flavourful food are at the top of that list — something that the chefs at Le Meridian’s Layali Zaman (which translates to ‘the olden days’) are clearly aware of.
Served in a partially-enclosed area at the front of the Falcon Ballroom, the iftar is presented in Majlis-style setting with several live cooking stations. The dimmed, semi-formal room was big enough for children to run around and adults to roam free in between tables; it can fit up to 400 people on any given day. More importantly, the food didn’t taste stale or like it had been waiting around for a while, which can often be the case with buffet dinners. Instead, the dishes — mostly Arabic cuisine with a few twists here and there — tasted as if you had ordered them a la carte, prepared to your tastes.
Highlights included the ravioli on one hand — a solid comfort food, involving just the right amount of self-indulgent cheesy goodness — and the juicy and tender mixed grill on the other, more traditional hand. The shushbarak and the slow-roasted lamb ouzi (a staple of Ramadan iftars for some reason) went particularly well together. There was also a decent spread of salads — from your Greek salads to your tabboulehs — and the usual lentil soup for those who wished to start off their iftar light. And to wash it all down, refreshments were offered from table to table, including water, soda and juices.
Dessert highlights included the baklava, an apt Ramadan sweet, and macaroons. A choice of shisha, coffee and tea afterwards helped the whole digestion process along nicely. All in all, a cozy iftar filled with comfort foods that give you the most bang for your buck.
Where: Layali Zaman, Le Meridien Dubai
Price: Dh149
Timing: Sunset-8.30pm.
Call 04-7022455 or email restaurants.lmd@lemeridien.com
