Rib tickler

Forgive me for not being the most dedicated advocate of the women's liberation movement, but in my head the chef at a steakhouse is a guy.

It's a big, strong alpha male who takes the slab of meat, fires up an angry grill and cooks my food to perfection in a kind of "me man, me make fire" kind of way.

But apparently it's time for me to wise up and accept that anything a man can do a woman can do better (wink).

Jumeirah Emirates Towers has re-launched The Rib Room, its steakhouse restaurant, this time with Venezuelan lady Ana Maria Gasperi at the helm. Lovers of Al Qasr's MJ Steakhouse may want to give The Rib Room a second glance as Gasperi joins from Jumeirah's sister restaurant down the road. Quite cleverly, the hotel's Agency bar has also relocated right next door, which provides a pleasant buzz around the area as well as pulling in the punters.

As you'd expect, ribs, steaks and all things beef make up the majority of the menu but that said, the menu also tempts with a diverse and interesting selection of fish and shellfish, chicken, lamb, soups, salads and more.

Starters for us was a difficult call. My partner, being French, is always pretty difficult to please when it comes to foie gras. Hailing from the Basque country, where this stuff is a speciality, I find myself cringing when he takes his first bite at any restaurant outside a 50-kilometre radius of his hometown.

"It is the best I have ever had," were the words I just about picked out as I caught the edge of the perfectly-laid table to steady myself. The duo of a terrine and pan fried foie gras with golden cherry apples and sweetcorn brioche (Dh95) made the mark. Outstanding.

Flavours

Seafood eventually won out with the Australian blue mussels meuniere (Dh85) topping my wishlist. Buttery in a good way. Flavours, oh so many flavours. I could have happily skipped the main for another bowl. Thank heavens for me I didn't.

Chateaubriand. Australian beef tomahawk. Chateaubriand or Australian beef tomahawk? Not an easy decision. Tomahawk — although scared it sounded more like a military operation than a dish for two (Dh440) — was not disappointing. Served on the (giant) bone with grilled asparagus, potato confit and Roquefort sauce, as good as those mussels were, they were also a thing of the past.

Inside the restaurant, mustard satin seating and mahogany walls provide a slick, masculine feel, while the soft whites of the crockery and tableware offer a feminine feel.

The Rib Room imports steak from Australia, US and Canada and it is served to your specification — as confirmed by the potato crisp personally printed with the same on the side. The waiters were friendly, obliging and had a good knowledge of the food available and a good understanding of the menu, proved by the recommendation of the warm chocolate liquid fondant (Dh40) with espresso ice cream for dessert. It needs just one word: divine.

Where: The Rib Room, Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

Must have: Foie gras starter

Ambience: Clean cut yet meaty — just like the food.

Decor: Mustard on the plates, and the seats — in a good way

Tel: 04-3198088