Clinton Street Bakey - Burj Views, Dubai

All day breakfast? Yes please! All the way from NYC, Clinton Street Bakery brings good ol' American homey food to Dubai, where breakfast is served any time of the day, full of fresh ingredients, unique dishes, and brilliant baked goods. In NYC, Clinton Street is somewhat a weekend ritual for the residents, and in a place like Dubai where decedent weekend dining is a normal right of passage for any UAE resident, this joint is quickly becoming overly popular, with many customers swapping the usual boozy brunch for a carby one at Clinton Street.

The menu houses a selection of dishes from standard breakfast specials including omelettes, eggs benedict and homemade granola to the more exquisite plates including buttermilk biscuit sandwich comprising of scrambled eggs, melted cheese, homemade tomato jam and hash browns, crispy potato cakes with apple sauce and cinnamon sour cream and the infamous fried chicken and waffle.

Right round the corner from FlyBarre and FlyWheel, the two locations go hand in hand with most people at the weekends heading down for a work out before indulging in pancakes or brioche french toast, and as you can imagine, on a Friday morning the queues become vast with everyone lining up to reward themselves to a post work out treat. Due to living the other end of town from this brilliant bakery, I haven't quite made it for breakfast yet, however dinner was not dissimilar. Before heading for my massively anticipated dinner, I headed for a quick spin to work up my appetite (which worked a treat). For dinner, my friend and I started with homemade lemonade which was delicious and full of sweet and sour flavours, before settling down for the main event. Between us we shared a portion of the famous fried chicken and waffle and the Mexican favourite Huevos Rancheros accompanied by a small pot of sweet potato mash doused in maple syrup and melted butter. Even though all dishes hit the spot, as expected, the fried chicken won the race. Covered in their signature maple butter, with a crispy aspect to the dish, it was the perfect way to end a busy day. Never did i expect three completely different components could go so well together.. i was proven wrong at the first mouthful.

This little gem also offer takeaways, and a range of cakes, pies and biscuits giving customers the chance to take a little piece of Clinton Street home with them. Martha Stewart approved, it is clear to see each dish is made with a lot of love (as well as a lot of butter) and is a definite 'must visit' for all Dubai residents.

Traiteur - Park Hyatt Dubai Creek

Without a doubt this is one of the top restaurants I have been to in Dubai, and even though it is a bit of a trek, it is well worth a visit. The Dubai Creek is a superb place to spend an evening and its very easy to lose track of time whilst you wonder from bar to bar seeing what each one has to offer. After having drinks at Cielo sky lounge we hopped on a buggy over to the Park Hyatt - one of the older hotels in Dubai (however its still fabulous in its own right). Traiteur is situated out the back of the hotel over looking the marina with both outdoor and indoor seating on offer making it a great spot for all types of weather conditions.

The menu is best described as a fusion of classic bistro cuisine with gastronomy, or to put it simply, casual French fine-dining. We chose from a selection of snails and scallops followed by a delicious beef tenderloin with crunchy chips and vegetables - mouthwatering.. and washed down with a glass of champagne (which surprisingly didnt completely break the bank.. ). Even though the high ceiling, marble floor and open kitchen make it feel like it would be better suited for a business lunch/dinner, the mood lighting at night can make the venue very multi-functional and I would definitely recommend anyone going there regardless of the occasion.

The staff are extremely smiley and friendly but not in your face, offering you space but being there always at the right moment. 10/10.

A little amuse bouche to kick start the meal - compliments of the chef :) 

A few points to add: they have a voucher in the Entertainer book so be sure to bring that along to soften the blow of the bill at the end of the meal - it can be quite hefty. Apparently they do one of the best brunches in Dubai - let me know if you have been and if its any good as I am DYING to go!

Bon Appetite x

The Farm - Al Barari, Dubai

The Farm was definitely the kind of place I didn't expect to find in Dubai... Even though I had heard of its wonder. From driving down the bleak and unscenic Emirates Road towards Al Barari, you are all of a sudden welcomed into the arms of greenery - winding roads bound by large leafy hedges, grass and flowers which not only lead to incredible villas but also to The Farm which is tucked away in the heart of the complex.

Probably one of my favorite types of restaurants, The Farm understands the words organic, gluten free and dairy free which is something that hasn't completely caught on in Dubai yet, and not only offers a menu full of options for everyone but also has a small shop giving customers the option to take a slice of 'The Farm experience' home with them. Set among exotic flower beds, tidy lawns, trickling lakes and kitchy furniture and bridges, you have both a tranquil indoor area plus outdoor seating on decking among the vibrant oasis. Not only is it great to go for breakie, lunch and dinner, in the cooler months I can see myself taking a book and setting up camp in one of the idyllic hammocks whilst consuming copious amounts of coffee and dozing in the winter sun.

On this occasion the sun was beating down, however The Farm had it covered.. quite literally. The outdoor areas were covered and cooled so you could still enjoy the scenery without sweating. Breakfast was a mixture of eggs, fruits, amazing smoothies and truely scrumptious gluten free coconut and blueberry pancakes washed down with coffee. A combination of great food, perfect setting and friendly staff creates an incomparable ambiance of peace, calm and relaxation and even though you feel a million miles away from the flashing lights, The Farm is a mere 15minute drive away from MOE making it a weekend must! Be sure to treat yourself to a morning at the oasis of flavor and tranquility...

West 14th - Oceana The Palm, Dubai

West 14th might just be my new favorite joint in Dubai for a casual dinner - I can't believe its taken me this long to try out the fab steak shack on the Palm. Overlooking the sea with views of the Marina on the main land, West 14th is a great place to unwind or gear up. Offering up swanky indoor dining options, decked out with black and red interiors appearing sleek and very 'New York' as well as a chilled out al fresco eating area, filled with long tables, great views, cool breeze and a bar which is reachable from every angle - the perfect place for sunny d's - flips flops are not only allowed outside when eating, they are appreciated which is nearly unheard of in a place as dressy as Dubs.

At the core, West 14th is a steak house, however, fish and fresh market veg are also served up as well as other meats, vegetarian dishes and other fruit de la mer.  Vegetables are often home grown in Dubai however the steak comes straight from a ranch in Nebraska - ordered by Mr West himself - the resident butcher at the Oceana based hang out. I must say, the steak is delicious and reasonably priced for the quality...

Quality must be high up on the list of commitments Mr West wants to keep, as the wine (we sampled a selection of whites, reds and rose), like the food, went down a treat - the cheapest glass being 38aed, meaning you get more for your money (so i thought..). This however, is not necessarily the case. As it tastes so damn good it is very easy to spend more than anticipated - a clever trick there from Mr West. The ingrained West 14th stamp that is burnt into pretty much everything (chopping boards, uniforms, menus etc) is prominent for all customers to see giving the place a unique/edgy touch, and the staff, emblazoned with large name tags, are helpful, friendly and on the whole, knowledgeable.

Just a few things to note:

• Drinks service can be quite slow - be warned!
• Happy Hour is from Saturday - Wednesday with two for one offers between 6-8
• They do a great (so im told..) brunch on a Friday donned "The Butchers Brunch" 
• From the car, its quite a walk in heels - make sure they are comfy! 

Its safe to say that ill be heading back for many more steak nights in the near future. 

ZUMA - DIFC Dubai

There is nothing better than treating yourself to a 'business lunch' at DIFCs trendiest Japanese joint... for a mere 130aed, Zuma offers up a 4 course meal which will make your mouth water.
The light, open and contemporary interiors add to the experience, with the restaurant spread out on two levels with a sophisticated bar and lounge area taking over the majority of the top floor.

The menu is extensive, full of Japanese favorites and sushi specials - the main issue is that everything sounds so good the main challenge is choosing dishes off the menu. The great thing about the business lunch menu is that you only have to pick between 3 or 4 options, and if you go with a few people you can get one of each and share - sharing is caring after all and is mandatory when visiting this downtown eatery.

If you are a cocktail lover (which I most certainly am!), you will not be let down.. each cocktail is more tasty and more exotic than the last making it impossible to know when to stop.

The staff are attentive and friendly which is refreshing in a city where service is 9/10 relatively poor, and you can see that attention to detail really is key at Zuma - whether is be the delightful food, to the supremely tasting cocktails, to the deco.

To note: Zuma offers brunch on a Friday starting around 400aed, and if you are a DIFC dude or doll, head down for a scrumptious cocktail after work.

Tom And Serg - Al Quoz, Dubai

My new home away from home, this is the first place I have been to in Dubai which actually reminded me of London (minus the rain of course). Hidden in Al Quoz, its a slight pain to find (just round the corner from Ace Hardware off SZR) but its worth the trouble. Resembling an old iron warehouse, this all indoor haunt is as quirky as they come (well for Dubai anyway!) covered in large chalk boards, iron and wooden tables and chairs and the odd plant scattered around. With additional bench seating, cosy arm chairs and white brick walls upstairs, these digs keep in line with the arty farty galleries which surround it.

The line for a table was out the door when I finally pitched up at midday so i promptly made by way to the hostess to get my name on the list before heading to the counter to get a take away coffee to pass the time.. "Vanilla skinny latte please" i asked, which provoked a laugh from the man serving me.. apparently they don't offer flavored syrups OR skimmed milk..! Hungover, tired and now slightly grumpy I took their advice and got a bog standard Latte and boy o boy i wasn't disappointed - if I could trade this for my daily Starbucks I think i would in a heartbeat. It was tasty, rich and the perfect temperature (as well as being 15aed a cup!).. bliss. 

10 minutes later I was seated, my friends had arrived and coffee number two was on route. All of a sudden FREE water appeared in-front of us in branded Tom and Serg bottles.. tape water?! Indeed... however not from Dubai (thank god)! They produce it in Northumbria and send it over to Dubai for the happy people at Tom and Serg to consume.. This is definitely a first, and i hope the rest of Dubai catch on to this sometime soon! The menu isn't extensive but well crafted housing a mixture of healthy salads, breakfast favorites and meaty mains. It was clear to see that a lot of love and care had gone into creating the menu and each item was described to a point where you could imagine what it would taste like. This was going to be a tough decision.. then, as if he read my mind, Serg appeared with a smile on his face asking if he could help with anything. Finally, after a quick Q&A, the orders were made and the food was on route. I picked their Indonesian specialty , Our Gado: Fried egg/spiced quinoa/zucchini/eggplant/cauliflower/silken tofu/

steamed bok choy/gado sauce, whilst others opted for the roast lamb salad, sweet potato salad and smoked salmon and poached egg. The food was everything but a let down.. extremely tasty, decent sized portions, displayed beautifully and cheap! There were 4 very happy customers with very clean plates. 

Our Gado

Sweet potato salad

Smoked salmon and poached egg

Lamb salad

Following another cup of coffee it was time to go (3 hours later.. how time flies when you are having fun, eating good food and drinking good coffee). With a thank you and a wave (and a bit of a shake due to coffee overload) we left promising myself i'd be back soon. Best brunch/lunch spot in Dubai - excellent food, friendly and speedy service with a smile, owners who are more than happy to mingle with the guests, THE BEST coffee, really reasonably priced and a great atmosphere all round. 10 out of 10!