Comptoir 102 - Beach Road, Jumeirah Road, Dubai

 Raw in Dubai - the first of its kind that Ive actually come across since living in the UAE which came as a welcomed surprise. Comptoir 102 is a destination rather than just a restaurant. Not only does it offer super healthy dishes which comprise of fresh food and huge nutritional benefits, they also play host to a small shop featuring exquisite interiors, delicate jewellery, fashion accessories and art with each individual piece being handpicked by the owners, Alex and Emma. Other unique aspects of the eatery include an ever changing menu. Based of traditional dietary wisdom and refined according to modern nutritional research, each dish revolves around seasonal fresh fruit and veg. Veggie heavy with not a lot of 'flesh' on offer, this eatery also prides itself on being gluten free/dairy free and even vegan friendly.

The place made a great first impression when we arrived for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, with the outside area particularly appealing to me. Low arches led to sofas covering the back wall and low deck chairs surrounding circular tables - the perfect spot for a cool winters afternoon. We were welcomed inside to a tranquil space full of character covered in trinkets and knick knacks. The shop was my idea of heaven with delicate necklaces, rings and bracelets, amazing interiors and a small handful of carefully selected clothes. The restaurant itself featured all the interiors from the shops - everything was a bit miss-match yet full of charisma and the cutlery and plates were basic but quirky (and obviously EXTREMELY expensive!).

The menu was swiftly placed in front of us which automatically led to a bit of confusion. Pages and pages of fresh juices and smoothies lay before us with a small sandwich section on the end - no sign of salads, hummos or nothing that everyone had continued to rave about. Moments later the waitress arrived to explain the concept - the daily dishes were displayed on the specials boards. Three starters, three mains, three deserts, all available for one day only. After a selection of juices and smoothies arrived, the trio of hummos, a special of theres' coming in a range of colors, flavors and textures accompanied by a seedy crisp bread, adding the perfect crunch was served (and devoured very quickly). This was swiftly followed by a seaweed and quinoa salad which despite the lack of meat did not disappoint whilst my pal went for a salmon and lentil salad.

Overall I was very impressed from what i saw/consumed - the restaurant was consistent and true to what it stood for - healthy eating one spoonful at a time. And for the icing on the cake, the damage wasn't too bad either. In a country where paying for healthy food breaks the bank, Comptoir 102 was refreshingly affordable - an excellent addition to Dubai and a place i will be 100% visiting again.