Dubai is a multicultural melting pot and so not surprisingly it’s got cuisines from all over the world. You are literally spoilt for choice. Just my kind of place.
Since this was our first trip….well not mine actually coz I’ve been here several times on work…though this was the first touristy trip. There were so many things we wanted to see that we just ended up eating wherever we were, instead of going to specific places based on recommendations/reviews etc. But nevertheless, we still had some amazing food…and here are our top foodie highlights!
Chinese Village Restaurant – Dubai Marina
Our first evening in Dubai we went out with my cousin and her hubby (who were hosting us) to the Dubai Marina. It’s filled with lots of lovely restaurants and cafes….many of them offering al fresco dining. We choose this one and the food, ambience and service were just lovely. The pics don’t do it enough justice as it was very dimly lit so couldn’t capture good photos.
Wafi Gourmet – Dubai Mall
We had a lovely al fresco lunch at Wafi Gourmet overlooking the Burj Khalifa and the beautiful Dubai Water Fountain.
Authentic Lebanese cuisine and very friendly service. They’ve even got an on-site souk with a host of mouth watering ingredients.
Bazerkan
Quick late night meal at Bazerkan located at the Dubai Marina after a busy day! The food was nice and the avocado cocktail was just outstanding! Lip smackingly delicious….
Cheesecake Factory
This is an American chain and I had heard of it from a couple of people so popped in during one of our Dubai Mall visits. Unlike the name it’s so much more than just cheesecakes. We only had a few nibbles but the food was delicious and the service excellent. And of course we had to try one of their cheesecakes – they were huge (very American) so just one was enough between four of us…and yes, it was amazing!
Anar
Situated in the heart of the beautiful Souk Madina, overlooking the stunning Burj Al Arab. We visited in the evening and the entire place and all the restaurants were so crowded and of course we had no bookings! After a little wander around we settled on this beautiful looking Persian restaurant. We’ve always enjoyed Persian food in the past so were looking forward to a lovely evening meal.
The restaurant was buzzing which is always a good sign and the service was very friendly. I was particularly looking forward to a famous fish stew called Ghaliye Mahi which when cooked well is delicious…..but unfortunately it wasn’t on the menu so I ended up having one of their prawn dishes instead. We also ordered a lentil soup for starters and a chicken stew.
Overall I was very happy with the ambience and service but was a tad disappointed with the food. I felt the food lacked punch, and while everything was presented very well, nothing screamed ‘wow’ to me on the taste front. And oh yes, everything was very pricey compared to all the food we’ve eaten in Dubai. And so to be spending so much and not getting the satisfaction was a bit disappointing.
Bandar Bride, Special Kebab Restaurant – Deira
We stumbled upon this tiny restaurant just a couple of minutes walk from the Dubai Spice Souk in Deira. What an amazing find! It’s not fancy by any standards. Very basic on the contrary….plastic seats, plastic table cloth, etc…..but the food…oh my word….was just outstanding!
Before they served what we had ordered we all got a bowl of chicken soup and some salad. Both the soup and the salad (kachumber) were divine. And the rest of the food was amazing as well….
