Meet Mr. Bachchan’s silicon avatar at Taste of Fame

DUBAI When Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan arrives in the UAE to inaugurate an Indian jewellery chain on December 26, he is most likely to run into himself in the midst of his busy schedule.

The meeting, if all goes well, will happen at a newly-opened celebrity themed restaurant where Big B’s full-scale silicon figure stands tall among a host of celebrities.

Welcome to Taste of Fame.

Located in Jumeirah’s Sunset Mall, complete with a carpet and two life-size chrome Oscar trophies by the entrance, Taste of Fame introduces diners to a world of make-believe. The restaurant’s star-spangled black ceiling overlooks an ecletic mix of silicon celebs – George Clooney, Rihanna, Will Smith and Elton John, among others. Comic book heroes including Batman and Spiderman also watch over diners as they fork through the Asian-Italian fusion menu, which is catered to by Antonio Maroto, a Spanish graduate of The French Culinary Institute.

Iconic attraction

Communications Manager Hibaq Basser told XPRESS that the figures, worth between $30,000 and $80,000 (Dh110,000 to Dh294,000), were imported from the US and the UK. “These aren’t wax sculptures. The silicon allows for more meticulous detailing and isn’t as glossy as wax. The hair is all natural,” she said, adding that efforts were on to get Bachchan to pose with his full-scale silicon model.

“We want to be an iconic attraction in Dubai and the key is the experience we provide,” said Basser.

“People may get bored of the silicon figures themselves, but our aim is to set a family-friendly ambience while offering five-star food at a reasonable price (a meal for two will cost an average of Dh250). A live sushi chef, non-alcoholic cocktail bar and piano player are sure to keep diners entertained.”

Taste of Fame is now open to customers, but its official opening is scheduled for the first week of February.

A second batch of figures is expected to arrive in January and will include Al Pacino, Lionel Messi and Kim Kardashian. “We want to keep it low, but we are hoping to get an A-list celeb for the event,” Hibaq said.