Lost in time

The Greek Taverna: Carlton Tower Hotel, Dubai

It can't be easy starting a new restaurant in a place like Dubai where you could dine somewhere different every night for a year and still have more to discover. The current new kid on the block is The Greek Taverna, at Carlton Tower Hotel in Deira. Having been open a mere three months, it is not surprising few people know about it.

We arrive on a Thursday evening, slightly earlier than planned thanks to the traffic over the Maktoum Bridge having been kind to us. It is just before 8pm that we are seated among a row of booths set out with "sofa" seats, designed for the long limbed.

As the first diners of the evening, we are eagerly waited on by friendly staff.

The menu and the décor remind me of a local Greek taverna I used to frequent in a London suburb. In honour of Greece, prop-style ionic columns serve as focal points while even the coving nods to the elaborate architecture of the ancient civilisation.

Flashing lights

I try to concentrate on making my selection but perpetually flashing lights around the empty dance floor and ever-changing colours at the bar compete for my attention.

So too does the incongruent presence of a flat-screen television tuned into Dubai Sports channel which, in itself, was annoyingly audible against the traditional Greek music playing in the background.

Adorning the white-washed walls are colourful images of sun-drenched vistas from the Mediterranean country.

However, the chilly air conditioning reminds us we are in the depths of a city hotel and far from the warmth of the outdoors.

Focusing on the food, we start with a selection of appetisers which fill the plate they arrive on. Greek yoghurt with garlic and spices, olives, feta cheese, spicy meatballs and a smoked eggplant dip provide an interesting range of flavours for Dh60. The homemade filo pastry "pie" with spinach, feta and traditional Greek herbs is one of the highlights of the platter, which is just as well as we also ordered it as a separate side dish (Dh25) not knowing, or having been told, it would be present in the selection.

Meaty

The mussels baked with garlic, dill, lemon, feta and tomatoes, priced at Dh60, are pleasing to the senses as the fresh flavours complement each other on the palate.

For the main course, I select the grilled hammour, which costs Dh60 and comes with a moulded mound of rice and some basic steamed vegetables.

The fish is the best part - meaty and flavoursome - and the rice is surprisingly tasty with plenty of garlic, mushrooms, dill and tomatoes hidden within.

But the salt content is high and halfway through I know I will wake up in the middle of the night with a raging thirst, which I do. Also, the dated salad garnish and lack of visible porcelain on presentation make it feel as if time has stood still for Greek cuisine.

My dining companion opted for moussaka, for Dh35, believing it to be a good test of a Greek restaurant. It arrives steaming and certainly smells the part from across the table. But on slicing through, it lacks form and the excessive béchamel sauce makes it collapse into a creamy mess. Taste-wise, it is average and nothing special to write home about.

Dry

I had hoped to try out the homemade baklava next but our waiter surprises us with a complimentary dessert of coconut cake and ice-cream. Alas, the cake is dry and hard.

Needing a coffee to wash it down, my heart sinks when I see a kettle in use at the bar. True enough, its contents are destined for me. A pot of boiled water, an empty cup, a jug of hot milk and a bowl of Nescafé sachets prove to be the least satisfactory conclusion to a meal I have ever encountered.

It is time to go.

On the revelation that I am writing a review, the staff express their disappointment I have not witnessed the live band which performs at 10.30pm nightly. I am also told the stacks of plates in the corner are indeed for smashing, with up to 400 shattered on weekend nights.

It is hard to imagine this restaurant in a state of lively revelry after having been among just four lots of diners during our visit. However, while The Greek Taverna may have a few creases to iron out, a little tweaking here and there might be all it needs to bring in the crowds.

Checklist
GETTING THERE: Carlton Tower Hotel, Baniyas Street, Deira, on Dubai Creek.
OPEN: 7pm to 3am daily.
DÉCOR: Traditional Greek influences.
SEATING: 120
DRESS CODE: Casual
RECOMMENDED: Filo pastry "pie" filled with spinach and feta, baked mussels and grilled hammour fillet.