Jumeirah Garden, a class apart

Calling the Jumeirah Garden a "guesthouse" really doesn't do it justice. Discreetly tucked away in a quiet corner of Jumeirah, this boutique hotel is housed in a pink villa with no front signage. Until now, people couldn't find out about the hotel from travel guides or advertisements — only by word of mouth. Co-owner Paul Gidley would prefer if his hotel, open since December last year, remained one of Dubai's best-kept secrets.

Once in the reception area, one can sense a strong British influence in the interior design and decoration. A nice round table with magazines, a chest of drawers painted with the English flag, a bulldog statue and other funky Britannia fixtures and fittings adorn the space. "It's tongue-in-cheek British. We don't take it too seriously," Gidley said.

The ten bedrooms split across two levels are equally appointed and were all decorated by Gidley. Simple elegance is how I would describe them with French grey and British green walls, leather-cushioned chairs with matching footrests, classic headboards and huge beds with comforters and plenty of pillows in all shapes.

The room rates are surprisingly affordable — Dh450 including breakfast (except for the Garden Majlis, which is Dh550). "If we can charge less and give people a little bit more to spend out there, we're happy," Gidley said.

The prices may reflect those of a cheap accommodation but the bedrooms and service are typical of luxurious hotels. More often than not, Gidley bonds with his customers and many become friends. And many of those who have tasted British celebrity chef Andy Campbell's food once, return for more of his cuisine.

A chosen few

Having cooked for stars such as Guy Ritchie, Michael Cain, Jude Law and Chris Evans, and appeared on TV-food programmes in England, Campbell is the only chef in Dubai to cook every night for a small set of diners. The best thing is that he comes out of the kitchen (where only he cooks) and casually talks to his guests. He's a friendly, down-to-earth and talented man.

According to Gidley, diners at the Jumeirah Garden Restaurant are old-school expats, including bankers, those working in the media, and sons of entrepreneurs. "You want people in your restaurant who enjoy food," he said.

Fun for groups

The covered restaurant at the back of the villa can be reserved for wedding receptions, birthday parties, hen nights and other events. Guests staying at the hotel can have all three meals at the restaurant.

The garden is split into three areas: A peaceful croquet lawn in the front; the herb-and-vegetable garden to the side, where Campbell grows organic basil, garlic, aubergine and tomato; and the pool garden at the back, which has a nice swimming pool (with fountains), Jacuzzi and wooden loungers covered with cushions and printed with British flags.

The only missing touches in the rooms (maybe because they were designed by a man?) are that there are no lamps on the bedside tables — which means guests have to get up to turn the main light off before going to sleep.

Although the bathrooms are spacious and clean, they don't have shelves or hangers. A bar of soap is provided but shampoo, body cream and other toiletries are not.

Each room has internet access and a TV but no channels — a nice touch in my opinion. Because the guests were never watching TV, Gidley decided to buy 500 DVDs instead and placed them all over the house. And there's no fridge in the rooms because they're noisy and don't look nice, Gidley said. But a large fridge is available near the kitchen and guests are trusted to put Dh2 for water and soft beverages. There's a classy lounge on the second floor for guests.

Just opposite the villa is the Whitehouse, a small separate building with four bedrooms. Each room is contemporarily designed in a "white on white" style. The Whitehouse is ideal for larger families or groups. It can be booked as a whole; individual rooms are also available.

Breakfast blues

One common complaint among guests staying at the hotel for four days or more, was that breakfast was the same every day, consisting of tea and coffee, juice, cereals, toast, preserves, and a choice of two eggs (poached, fried, scrambled, boiled) served with button mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. Although it was tasty, it was repetitive (and heavy).

As a resident of Dubai, this truly tranquil stay (you can sleep with the windows open) turned out to be a welcome escape from city life. And if you want genuine friendliness and one-to-one service, you can't do better.

The Jumeirah Garden Restaurant

I've had dinner twice at the Jumeirah Garden restaurant, and both culinary experiences overwhelmingly satisfied my penchant for gourmet food. I sat along with a friend at one of the large tables set outdoors under a canopy in the back of the villa. The tables are set in the same fashion as in fine-dining restaurants, with heavy silverware, candles and silver ornaments.

Among the unique concepts at the boutique hotel is that guests (unless they come as a group) sit and share their meal with people they don't know. So I ended chatting with two graphic designers, a photographer and his wife, an Algerian businessman and a Norwegian working in web formatting for mobiles. They were charming people.

The three-course menu costs Dh200 (excluding beverages). Unless you order something from the menu, it's up to celebrity chef Andy Campbell to decide what you will have. This was not just original but also exciting because dinner becomes a mystery. For amuse-bouche, we had cauliflower panacotta topped with Beluga caviar in a small glass and were told not to use a spoon. Instead, the chef made some Grissini breadsticks, which were to be used.

It's worth mentioning that Campbell is the only one cooking in the kitchen. He cooks for private tables every night.

The entrée was lovely — pumpkin and butternut squash tortellini with sage butter, topped with chopped tomatoes and parmesan cheese — and have Campbell tell us how he prepared the pasta. He learnt how to make tortellini in Italy under the strict supervision of typical "mamas" who don't mess around, apparently, when it comes to the art of home-made pasta.

Campbell and co-owner Paul Gidley have created a professional, yet friendly environment where they don't rush the meal and encourage interactions among guests and the chef.

I realised, one dish after another, why celebrities and movie stars such as Jude Law, Michael Caine, Kate Moss and Seal, have asked Campbell to cook for them. The main course was lamb prepared four ways, each in small portion. The dish represents the journey from England to the Middle East, passing through France and Spain. The cutlet on an aubergine compote and the pie took off in England and were served next to a braised shoulder with French and Spanish flavours. The plate then landed in the Middle East with a kofta cooked with Algerian spices and served with pomegranate seeds and mint. Little veggies — zucchini, turnip, green bean and potato — accompanied the culinary voyage.

Campbell grows seasonal herbs and vegetables in a small garden on one side of the villa. He used top-quality produce, sourced either from the British Isles or the same suppliers as some of the most luxurious hotels in Dubai.

For dessert, Campbell prepared an amazing flourless chocolate cake served with a spoonful of crème fraiche. The sugar syrup used in preparing the cake stabilises it all and keeps it from crystalising, Campbell explained, as we were all raving about the rich and dense dessert.

I forgot to mention the freshly baked bread that was placed on the table at the beginning of the meal — still warm. It was a focaccia with rosemary and semi-dried cherry tomatoes.

The second time I dined at the Jumeirah Garden, the main course was fine-dine steak and chips, or more precisely, black Angus beef from Margaret in Perth, Australia, and triple-cooked chips — thick fries tasting like mash on the inside and crisp on the outside (see box for recipe).

But I can't omit the entrée. The seared tuna with a side of white radish and cucumber in a sesame and soy dressing with slices of ginger was exquisite, melting on the tongue.

The relaxed atmosphere paired with unpredictability highlights the quality of the food served at the Jumeirah Garden — simple and sophisticated.

Chef's secret

Here's how to make chef Campbell's triple-cooked chips:

Cut high-quality potatoes in thick, rectangular shapes.

Rinse in cold water for at least 30 minutes to get rid of the starch and boil them. Freeze for at least 30-60 minutes.

Cook the chips in low-temperature oil and freeze them again for at least 30 minutes.

Fry until golden brown and crispy just before serving.

With this technique, the centre is soft, like mashed potato and the outside is crispy like a chip.