There is something almost surreal about the Majlis setup at Madinat Jumeirah. Perhaps it’s the fact that after having spent countless hours in this very space covering press conferences and government summits, the whimsical transformation makes an evening experience here almost seem like a guilty indulgence.
Twinkling lights, chandeliers and a generous use of mirrors transform the vast space into a setting right out of the legendary One Thousand and One Nights. While there’s no Scheherazade here to narrate a fabled tale, the heaving buffet table recites its own story.
Diners will have their pick of regional favourites, coupled with dishes with an Indian influence — albeit Egyptian fare is the clear winner with carb-heavy koshary, fattah and aish biladi pita breads taking pride of place. That said, there are enough Emirati, Palestinian, Turkish and Lebanese delicacies in this opulent iftar experience.
The seating in the ballroom is split into regular dining tables and private nooks for larger groups, with a level of privacy granted with screen separators. The dull gold and rich browns were welcoming as we lounged in the plush sofa, making our way through the cold mezze that had already made its way to the table. Dates, hummus, mutabbal and a cucumber yoghurt dip were a welcome sight, even as the server emerged with another tray heaving with different varieties of breads and piping hot manakeesh.
Known to fill up on mezze alone, I gave the starters a wide berth — at least momentarily — as I followed the heady aroma of spices. While succulent lamb simmered at one end, crispy sambouseks, cheese rakakat and crumbly spinach pies beckoned elsewhere.
Needless to say, an iftar buffet almost always caters to the meat lovers — and this time was no different with pan-Arab favourites including Dawood Basha, mixed grills and machboos — but the vegetarians were not to be dismissed. Mains that included pastas, Egyptian koshary and even buttery dal makhani with vegetable biryani offered alternatives.
While the luxurious setting of the Majlis makes it an ideal choice to dine with family and friends, we do recommend coming earlier to experience the tradition of the firing of the iftar cannon, which is set off daily on the Fort Island just off the Souk Madinat. Brace yourselves though, as the resonating boom is bound to make an impact.
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Check it out!
Majlis at Madinat Jumeirah
Cuisine: International
Price: Dh220 per person for the iftar buffet, including beverages. Dh160 minimum spend for suhour, which is served a la carte.
Timings: Sunset until 8.45pm for iftar; 9.30pm until 3am for suhour.
