If you’re up for a relaxed weekend afternoon where you can wind down with great food as you catch the Dubai sunset, the new Afternoon Tea experience at Bice Sky Bar at Hilton at JBR will do nicely.
My friend and I headed to this hidden gem on the 10th floor on a recent Friday afternoon and were immediately struck by the panoramic view: you can see the Palm Jumeirah, the upcoming Ain Dubai, Atlantis The Palm, the Burj Al Arab and the Arabian Gulf in all its glory. And as we settled down, the first thing we looked forward to was watching the sunset. We’d come at the right time.
It was still hot and a bit humid outside, so we decided to sit inside. The vibe is relaxed here and the music just enough to keep the conversation going.
We started with tea. There is a great choice of flavours including mint, black, green and fruit. I chose a pot of fruity one called Sweet Berries. There’s also a selection of beverages to choose from. Then the server brought us a three-tiered stand filled with small bites. The presentation was beautiful. There were freshly baked scones with three types of condiments, a selection of small sandwiches with egg salad, smoked salmon and veal pancetta. Those were to die for.
But the main attraction was the ‘Live Station Performance’, which made our experience exceptional. Just as we were biting into our sandwiches, the chef approached with his trolley to demonstrate a live preparation of the main dish, smoked salmon, and it was nothing short of mesmerising. The ‘performance’ involved a smoke gun and some fancy cutlery, which you have to see to believe, before he laid the salmon down on a piece of brown bread. It was seasoned to perfection with a hint of lemongrass, cream sauce and with a crunchy roasted skin on top. So delicious!
To round off the meal, we proceeded to the final sweet stage with its massive selection including orange blossom eclairs and raspberry tart. The variety will not disappoint even the pickiest sweet tooth.
For a leisurely weekend with a great atmosphere, good food and an even better view, the Afternoon Tea package at Bice Sky Bar should definitely be on your must-try list.
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The details
Where: Bice Sky Bar, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, JBR.
When: Thursday to Saturday, from 4pm to 6pm
Price: Dh150 per person, for food, coffee and tea selection; Dh190 for food, coffee and tea selection and a glass of beverage.
— Aseyat Pushchenko is an intern at Gulf News.
