I get many invites to come review restaurants and to each place that invites me, they get the standard warning of, “Look, if I come to your restaurant: a) I want to experience a regular dining service – no “special” dishes that I can’t order off the menu. b) I will be honest in my critique – just because I’m invited, don’t expect my review … Continue reading Al Grissino – DIFC, Dubai
When I heard there was going to be a licensed, British curryhouse opening soon, I knew I had to go check it out, so I headed down to the Palm with a buddy, to see if Arjee Bhajee (oh, the hilarity!) could deliver on its promise to bring an authentic experience. It wasn’t what I was expecting inside at all. It looked quite bare, the … Continue reading Arjee Bhajee – The Palm, Dubai
The Meat Co. has been around longer than I can remember and with two of the best sites in Dubai (Souk al Bahar and the Madinat Jumeirah), they’re obviously doing something right to stand the test of time. I went along with a buddy to try the new menu and see if they could compare to the likes of Prime 68 in the “premium” category … Continue reading The Meat Co. – Souk al Bahar, Dubai
Sorry for being rubbish this week. I completely revamped the website last weekend, broke all the images and had to patiently wait for someone who actually knows what they’re doing to fix it. Then I got iller than I’ve ever been in my life, so I haven’t been out reviewing anywhere. Thankfully, I’m over the worst of it, have a rip-roaring review of The Meat … Continue reading Takeaway Thursdays: Fuchsia Urban Thai, TECOM, Dubai
Thursdays are the days for me where I’m least arsed to cook, so after popular (well – some) demand, I’m going to start covering a takeaway a week and hopefully give you all some new ideas about where to order from, whilst you sit home, binge-watching Ozark. First up to the chopping block is Smith’s; based out of Kitchen Nation (a multiple kitchen set-up, allowing several restaurants … Continue reading Takeaway Thursdays: Smith’s – JLT, Dubai
Toro + Ko is New York City’s newest export to hit the UAE shores. Coming straight from the trendy Meatpacking District, their take on tapas is proving mighty popular over there and they’re hoping to replicate this success in the new, licensed section of City Walk. A To Za’atar and I took a leisurely lunch to find out how they fared. I didn’t really know … Continue reading Toro + Ko – City Walk, Jumeirah, Dubai
Oh boy, oh boy. This should be a good one. Hakkasan is one of the many places that has been on my “must-visit” list for years. Its restaurant in London holds a Michelin Star and I see the name in the same light as the Nobus, the Zumas and the Coyas – high end, solid representations of the original, wherever they decide to open. I … Continue reading Hakkasan (Brunch), Emirates Towers, Dubai
Ahhhh, The Scene. My “local” back in the day of living in the Marina. It’s a place where I used to spent a lot of time, due to it being one of the only places in walking distance to provide craft beer, that I could sit outside in the sunshine and enjoy some homely, comfort food. The staff members and managers change more often than … Continue reading The Scene – Pier 7, Dubai Marina
A few weeks ago, I had a dig at this place whilst making a point about restaurants in MoE. To be fair, when I did visit, I had a pretty disappointing experience but the backlash I received was devastating – three of my favourite food writers; Courtney (atozaatar), Zoe (theluxeologist) and Haiya (passmethedimsum) all individually had a go at me and told me I was … Continue reading Din Tai Fung – Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
I’m a little bit dubious when it comes to the overall concept of a “high-end” Thai restaurant. The cuisine doesn’t tend to require ‘fancy’ methods of cooking and most dishes are made beautiful by utilizing affordable ingredients like chili, garlic, lime, onion, galangal and fish sauce to gain tasty balances of sweetness, sourness and spice. One of the best Thai dishes I’ve ever eaten was … Continue reading Benjarong – Dusit Thani, SZR, Dubai
