Dining in Dubai, 2013

It's always difficult to decide where to dine in Dubai because of the endless excellent options available. The dining scene grows with every visit making it more exciting and at the same time, confusing!

Here are some recommendations that i have tried in 2013:


La Serre:

Located in Vida Downtown Dubai hotel (formery Qamardeen). It is by far one of the best French restaurants i've been to. It looks beautiful from the outside, with an outdoor area and a terrace, and even more beautiful in the inside with it's white interiors and simple yet pretty centerpieces. The food was extremely delicious. We ordered two starters and three main dishes to share in order to try different options. All of them tasted very good.

 

Lime Tree:

Perfect for a healthy breakfast or brunch. Serves delicious organic sandwiches, cakes, coffee and some food products too. The outdoor area is beautiful and people should take full advantage of it when the weather is fine. They serve the best mozzarella & pesto sandwich that made me fall in love with pesto sauce from the very first bite. It's located in Jumeira next to The One.

Angelina:

The famous French cafe is now available in Dubai. I was disappointed as almost all desserts were out of stock. My friends ordered their famous Hot Chocolate but didn't like it much and the coffee i had was average. I should definitely visit it again for a fairer review though.

Magnolia Bakery:

In New York, Magnolia Bakery is all about the whole experience of walking down the street and getting inside this beautiful bakery to select your favourite cupcakes and walk out holding a cup of coffee. In Dubai, it's a totally different experience. Located in Bloomingdales, Dubai Mall, with a very limited seating area in the center of the shop. Take away is always the case.

Dean & Deluca:

Overlooking the fountain in Souk AlBahar. A cafe style restaurant that serves many options which makes it hard to decide on what to order. Most people sit outside and wait for the fountain to start while having their delicious meal. Their steak was perfect!

Fauchon:

The nicest thing about it is that you get to see locals! It is a perfect place to have a break from shopping in Dubai Mall and have Turkish Coffee or herbal tea. Didn't like their desserts much.

Hummingbird:

Another good excuse for a break from shopping in Dubai Mall. The place is tight and i'm not a big  fan of their cakes as i find them very dry but it's nice to sit by the window and watch people passing by while having your coffee.

Mado:

Surprisingly, it was more delicious than the original one in Istanbul. Everything we ordered was very good especially the Kunafa. It is lovely to have a perfect taste of Istanbul in Dubai.

Hakkasan:

Comparing it to Abu Dhabi and London branches, i personally think that the one in Abu Dhabi is the best. The food was excellent nevertheless, especially the soup! But i believe that the place is getting old and there are better and newer options to go to in Dubai.

Bateel:

The service was bad and the food was cold and not as good as expected. But the coffee and dates were too good! I'd go again to try more dishes.


Cheesecake Factory:

If you tried it in the States then no need to waste time and eat there unless you're craving a certain dish. The portions are as big and as heavy. But the good news is: the cheesecake is AS GOOD. One of the most perfect cheesecakes in the world.

More tips:

1) If you have time, head to Dubai Mall & watch the sunrise from the top of Burj Khalifa. It is an experience that you will never forget. Tickets are required and the price is lower if you buy them ahead of time.

2) If you are looking for a hotel located around Dubai Mall and you want a cheaper option than The Palace (the number one option), Murooj Rotana is not bad. It's 10 minutes walking distance from the mall so you won't need a taxi if the weather is nice and you're not carrying a lot of bags. The hotel is a bit old though but the room is spacious and it's a good option for a weekend trip.


Happy dining! 

The Meat Co.

There is no doubt that The Meat Co is not only the best steak house in Bahrain, but also one of the top fine dining restaurants in the region.  With the rise of competition around Adliya area, it never failed to maintain its identity and serve excellent quality of food even after a couple of renovations.

What makes Meat Co different than other restaurants is the fact that you can find two totally different atmospheres under one roof. You can either have a quiet meal in the main dining area, which is perfect for families, business dinners or groups.  Or you can go for the extreme opposite and have a fun and vibrant dinner at the rooftop and enjoy the loud music especially when the weather is freezing. The main dining area was much more formal when the restaurant first opened. With time, and after the renovations, it became a bit less formal and it gives you the feeling that you are dining in a steakhouse. It is too dim though and that is something that I don’t like about fine dining restaurants. There was also a beautiful outdoor area by the entrance but it is unfortunately closed now.

The bread which is served at the beginning of the meal is always fresh, warm and delicious. It never fails to give you a great impression about the food that you’re about to have. The most recommended dish for starter is the Bruschetta. It’s done in a very unique way using a different kind of bread. I’ve never tasted anything similar to it anywhere in the world. The dish also includes cheese bruschetta which is very tasteful and different!

My favorite order at Meat Co is medium well ribeye with pepper sauce and mashed potatoes. You can tell that the steak is perfectly cooked the way you want it because when you ask for medium well, you get medium well. Many restaurants fail to do that and you find yourself having a dry and chewy steak when you order medium well! But of course, being at the number one steakhouse in Bahrain, you don’t have to worry about that. The steak is always delicious, juicy and full of flavor.

Ordering mashed potatoes as a side dish is always a good idea. It’s a big portion but you won’t get bored of it or allow yourself to stop eating even when you’re full. It’s too good to be a leftover!

If you still have room for dessert, don’t miss the platter. It consists of 6 kinds of delicious desserts that will keep you occupied till the plate is completely empty. It was hard to decide which one was the best.

The service at Meat Co is known to be excellent and professional. It is among the best in Bahrain. The staff are very friendly and well aware of the menu and different types of steak. Not to forget the amazing reservation system where they have your information and visit records saved.

Meat Co is a great option for birthday celebrations. The waiters and waitresses will rock your night with their drums, singing and dancing.

Price wise, you will pay more than what you’ll be paying in other dining restaurants in Bahrain. But that’s normal since it’s a high class steakhouse. And it’s worth it.

To book 17742080

Chin Li

I wouldn't say that it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in Bahrain like i heard from others. I still think that Hong Kong is number one. But if you are looking for a quiet Chinese dinner or a kind of a different experience then you should give Chin Li a try. 

Located in Adliya (Bukhammas area) right next to Wang Thai, it stands out with it's unique design from the outside. It's like a box! From the inside it's also divided into two area; smoking and none smoking. The interior is simple yet not cheap. 

The place was very quiet which was fair enough since it was a week day. The smoking area was almost full but we were alone in the non-smoking area. We enjoyed the atmosphere though. 

The menu was friendly. All the famous Chinese options were available but we asked the waiter for recommendations in order to try the best dishes. In general, the quality of the food was very average. The Chicken Corn Soup was good and the Freddie Prawns were also very good. As for the rest of the dishes there wasn't anything special about them and some were bad like the the Steak Tenderloins Teppan Yaki and the Fried Banana dessert. 

Price wise i felt that it was a bit overpriced for a simple/casual place. It was a total of BD27.400 

I recommend trying it out as many people love it. But personally i won't get tempted to go again. 

Kon Pao Chicken 

 Freddie Prawns and Vietnamese Shrimp with Crab Fritters 

Singapore Style Chili Crabs 

Steak Tenderloins Teppan Yaki

Banana with Toffee & topped with Ice Cream. 

Dalaona Lebanese Restaurant

Dalaona is not only a one of a kind restaurant in Muharraq, it's one of a kind in Bahrain. The simplicity of the theme and the branding welcomes you in with that famous Lebanese hospitality you get when you walk inside a restaurant in Beirut. It is a perfect place to dine in when you get nostalgic to Beirut and feel like having a casual meal. 

If the weather is nice, make sure to have your meal in the beautiful garden to have a complete Lebanese experience with Fairouz playing in the background. If not, the dining area inside will make you feel like your sitting in a dining room at home. I think that it can be improved, but it's nice as it is especially for families. 

Getting to the most interesting part; the food. "Homemade" is the best word to describe Dalaona's delicious dishes. You feel the freshness and authentic taste in every bite!!

The Falafel was filled with onion and sumac. I've never tried anything similar to it before. It's a nice signature dish that you must order once you go there.

The presentation of the Baba Ghanooj was beautiful but it was the only dish that i didn't like. Only because I'm not a fan of that smokey taste. If you are, you will love it.

The Chbood (Sawdet Djaj) was very rich and tasteful. You won't be able to stop.

 And of course you can't go wrong with Hummus bel Lahmeh. The freshly baked bread that they serve compliments it perfectly.

Fried Kibbeh. Very tasteful and TRULY Lebanese. I hate it when the kibbeh is dry from the inside and when everything inside it starts falling all over you as soon as you bite. But this kibbeh was the total opposite of that!

Fattoush was good but too sour for my taste.

And here comes the highlight of the meal; the Chicken Shawarma. One of the best i've ever tried. Balanced amount of garlic and perfectly toasted.

Batata Harra. Out of all the Lebanese restaurants in Bahrain, it was the best!

Fattet Hummus. Also too sour but it's meant to be good for those who don't mind the sourness.

Grilled Fish. You get to choose the size and whether you want it cooked the Bahraini or the Lebanese way. It was extremely delicious. But it takes time to get cooked and we were already full by the time it arrived. If you want to try it make sure not to order a lot of starters.

Keep in mind that the portions are big when you order. We ordered all of the above because we wanted to try everything. We were 3 people and it was a way too much!

The breakfast is also good. I would love to have breakfast there one day in the garden. There is a takeaway window also if you don't feel like dining in and delivery of course.

It was totally worth the drive to Muharraq!

Blaze Specials

It was our second time as Bahrain Bloggers to be invited by Blaze Burger to try their special burgers and shakes. But it was my first time to dine upstairs after the redecoration and i absolutely loved the new look. The owner did an amazing job with the posters and the Twitter/review wall. What a lovely way to connect with your customers!. People love to go to places that feel like home. And Abdulla's efforts to keep Blaze Burger in touch with their fans (in addition to the yummy burgers) is what got people to rank Blaze as the number 1 restaurant on Tripadvisor. This is a great example of excellent customer service in Bahrain.

Now let's get to the delicious part. We were introduced to the following drinks and sandwiches last night:

Milkshake Saray (Chestnut Milkshake):

It's not available now but will be introduced in the future as a special. I liked it as it wasn't heavy. More like vanilla milkshake with tiny pieces of chestnut that adds richness to the taste. It can be improved, but it is nice the way it is.

Vanilla Cola (almost zero):

Available on the menu but i never knew it existed. Tastes like diet coke with a hint of vanilla. Something different and good for a change.

The Tank + The Chicken Tank:

I'm sure you already heard/tried November special The Tank (AKA 6abooga). Double burger with perfectly toasted bread (2 up and 2 down) with cheese that melts in your mouth and makes the burger juicier than it is. But what is even better than the The Tank is the Chicken Tank (December special and available starting today). Without any drama, i think that it's the most delicious grilled chicken sandwich I've ever tried. Fresh and can be described as "homemade".

The Tank is huge and heavy so i recommend sharing it.

Mediterranean Halloumi Burger:

Light, delicious, and new!. A perfect option for a light meal. It is not available now but will be introduced in the future. The near future, i hope!

The Birthday Toast:

Toasted bread that is soaked in maple syrup and stuffed with peanut better and banana. I don't like peanut better so i really can't tell how good it is. But i wouldn't mind ordering the soaked toast without the peanut better and banana because it tasted as good as it looked.

Just like we can never get bored of Jasmis i can tell that Blaze Burger will live for generations to come. It's doing very well with food, atmosphere, and service. It feels like home.

If you haven't tried it yet, you're missing out! 

Spasso

Being located in Mahouz, one of the most strategic locations in Bahrain, might be one of the few positive things about Spasso. It is one of the few cafes/restaurants in that area and it could use that to become one of the top places in Manama. But unfortunately, it's not.

Footfall on Nasser Pharmacy and the other places in that complex is high. But the dull atmosphere in Spasso drives me and many people i know away. It's quiet, which makes it good for meetings or for having serious conversations. But not to socialize. Some people go there to work, study or read but in my opinion it's not suitable for any of that. I prefer the restaurant on top of it, Sushi 101, which is one of the best Japanese places in Bahrain. I find it hard to believe that it's owned by the same person, operated by the same staff and shares the same entrance with Spasso!

There was a time when the food in Spasso tasted good. That was back when the Canadian Aron was the chef. I went several times after he left for coffee and the coffee and juices were quite ok. But my big shock was when i went few weeks ago for dinner. The food was just awful.  The menu was long and it took us a while to decide what to order and we ended up making the wrong decision. We went for the first chicken sandwich listed on the menu among others. It turned out to be deep fried with some kind of tomato sauce inside (which was not mentioned). It was so bad that we removed the bread and the sauce and ate it as a fillet. Our other order was Fajita pizza which tasted nothing like fajita. It was more like a pizza with some Indian toppings. Maybe we made the wrong decisions, but even the bread and spreads that they served before we ordered were not good. 

The lemonade was the only thing i enjoyed that evening. My friend ordered Mixed Berry Juice and it was too thick that she had to add a lot of ice to be able to drink it. It was fresh though. 

To be fair i once ordered penne pasta with white sauce and chicken for take away and it was good. But i paid more than BD5 for it which is too expensive for a casual place like that. 

I really wish that they rebrand and come up with a whole new concept, change the chef and decoration and put more effort to create a fun atmosphere. They can do it easily because Sushi 101 is a great place to be while Spasso is a waste of space. I think that it's about time to start making a move as two new malls will start operating in that area soon with many cafes and restaurants. Competition is on it's way. 

Potbelly

I was very exited to know that a new healthy restaurant is opening in Bahrain. Our market lacks healthy options as the ones available here are very limited. And after trying Potbelly's delicious food i wished that it would expand more all around Bahrain. 

The location in City Center is an advantage for those who go their often to shop or work around that area. But it's a disadvantage for those who wish to grab a quick healthy sandwich. I wouldn't go through the parking hassle and access the mall just to pick up a sandwich although its worth every bite. But mall wise, it is perfectly located next to the food court. 

The very friendly staff welcome you by the entrance and explain the ordering process to you. First you select your sandwich and your drinks, then you move to the other counter to select the toppings, and finally to the cashier to pay. It all goes quickly and smoothly with the help of the staff. 

There were many tempting options that it took us a while to decide what to order. The waiter recommended the grilled chicken sandwich as the most popular one. And so we ordered it with plain un-fried fries. There is a long board that tells you clearly what topping are available. I added almost everything because i didn't want to miss a thing. The sandwich is quite big. It's cut into half and i was full when i finished the first half. But it tasted too good that i had to eat the other half too. The brown bread was perfectly heated and everything inside the sandwich blended perfectly together. The fries was good too. We also ordered dessert and it was good but a bit heavy. It was ice cream sandwich (two cookies with ice cream in the middle).

The place is small with few tables available but it's cozy and comfortable. We were enjoying our time that we actually stayed longer after finishing our food. The staff are very helpful and sweet. It's a guilt free meal in a place that feels like home.