The Beach Bar & Grill - The One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai

The Beach Bar & Grill is a place suitable for a casual beach lunch or a date-like dinner (or any kind of dinner for that matter). Overlooking the Palm from the One and Only Royal Mirage, BBG sits between the green gardens filled with palm trees and the golden sandy beach, set on layers of chocolate brown wooden decking. The mood by day is beach chic - head down for a fresh sea food platter or refreshing cocktail under the shaded terrace or on the beach whilst you dig your toes in the sand, where at night, the place comes alight with flickering candles and lanterns, the dress code becomes a bit more grown up and seafood platters get swapped for steaks and grilled delights.

Like most Dubai haunts, indoor and outdoor seating is available but to capture the real essence of the place, outdoor dining is a must  - the breeze comes in off the beach with fabulous ocean views available even from the terrace. We dined on a selection carpaccio and steaks, however there were a vast selection of grilled fish and meats floating about as well as mezze platters, risottos and the odd pasta dish - something for everyone! Likewise, the service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing and they ensured the flow of wine and frozen daiquiris kept coming all night.

I would highly recommend this place for a quiet/romantic dinner or a great place to take family or friends to show them a part of the 'wow' of Dubai. Not the place for a crazy booze up - its peaceful and private and a definite gem in Dubai.

Saffron - The Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

Head to the top of the palm and there you will find the mighty Atlantis Hotel. One of the many restaurants housed inside the hallow halls is Saffron, an Asian themed all day buffet. After hearing many good things about Saffron Brunch I was seriously excited about being taken there for dinner, however when I first entered the restaurant I must admit I was a little disappointed.. Instead of the swanky joint I was expecting, Saffron resembled a canteen?! I was confused.. However I was promptly told that ‘this is what all restaurants look like in Hong Kong’… !

For a Monday night the place was booming (mostly full of Chinese who im guessing were on holiday to celebrate the Chinese New Year), and I was pleased that the waiter sat us on a quiet table in the corner. Our host was great, firstly talking us through what Saffron is about and then secondly giving us a tour around the restaurant to show all the different stations.

Asia is a big place and this is definitely shown in the size of the buffet – it was huge! I had never seen so much food on display at one time. Hosting 20 different theatrical cooking stations, they were definitely making sure they offered a taste from every region. First stop – sushi central. A mass of nigiri, sashimi, and maki rolls were on offer with all the trimmings. We then moved over to the soup, and dimsum section where you could pick your own coloured noodles and elements to make the perfect soup! Following on from that there was a international section (boring!), Chinese, Indian, a bread section, salad bars, Thai and then pudding.. a huge selection of cheese, mousses and cakes as well as sweets, ice cream and a chocolate fountain, all of which is very easy to navigate and I never felt like I was squashed when trying to pick what to put on my plate. To add to this, there was also a superb selection of sake and wine to complement the many moods and flavors of the cuisine.

My eyes being larger than my stomach, I overexcitedly over piled by first plate of food – spilling over the sides with sushi, dim sum, salads and deli meats.. far too much. After finishing off plate one, the waiter produced a plate full of spicy jumbo prawns in cooked spicy tomatoes.. I mean how could I say no?! So I ploughed on, adding on to my already full belly. Round 2… Indian. Struggling to walk, I waddled over to the Indian station to put together a small selection of curries.. yum. Not the most flavorsome I had ever had but did the job, however standing was now becoming difficult. My already tightly fitted dress felt like it might burst, and it was definitely now time to stop eating.. however, Grandpa, who only really eats desert,  produced a mountain of ice cream and pudding willing me to at least ‘try’ a few things. Finally it was over, but I was now thinking how I was going to get from the restaurant to the car… it felt like someone might have to roll me out. After a 10minute sit down and ‘rest’ I managed to slowly make my way through the hotel and back to the car. Thank god!

Saffron will definitely be a place I will never forget, it’s a great place to go to feed the fussiest of people and a perfect fit for a family feast. It still baffles me though how people can go for brunch and drink as well as eat at the place like Saffron, I have a feeling I will be sticking to one or the other if I come again! 

The Spice Emporium - The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, Dubai Marina

The Spice Emporium restaurant at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina in Jumeirah, Dubai offer exotic Asian fusion (mostly Thai) grub in an atmosphere which takes you straight to Thailand. On entering, you are instantly met by friendly faces, paper lanterns, open kitchens and far east trinkets (both large and small). The cooking stations reminds me vaguely of Bennihana with the roaring woks, dancing grills, Teppan, tandoor, and steaming baskets , open air and on full display for the customers to watch their food being prepared from a far. The attractive low-slung tables in chocolate brown and the soft latino music pumping around the room adds to the Asian experience.

On my last outing, eight of us dinned together around a large spacious table inside, however on previous visits, I have ate outside in the pretty, dimmed lit terrace which mirrors the same kind of vibe. The staff are friendly and there to help with a good knowledge on most dishes. They also make sure the bowl of prawn crackers (served with a sweet chilli dip) in the middle of the table is constantly topped up (I think I managed to consumer a bowl to myself !) To start, we opted for a variety of small dishes to share amongst us (tasty chicken spring rolls and piping hot Thai prawn cakes).For mains, there was a selection of curries, sea bass, chicken based stir fries and beef. I chose the Stir fried beef with ginger, mushroom, chili and spring onion which was a slight disappointment.. it was missing that certain je ne ce quoi and wasn’t as tasty as I had preempted. My neighbor went for a better option of stir fried chicken with cashew nuts which was divine – tender chicken with the crunch from the cashews and a perfectly sweet and spicy sauce – excellence! I also tried the sea bass, cooked just right, melting in my mouth, perfectly marinated with thai herbs. On previous occasions I have tried the chicken green curry (one of my favourite dishes from my Thailand travelling days) and it was delightful, and if I was to visit again, this would be my dish of choice – the flavor combination was perfect.

I would highly recommend this as a mid week treat. The food is not overly expensive and the service is quick. They also offer a ‘ladies night’ promotion on a Tuesday where they take 50% off your food bill making it very possible to spend under 100aed (if you are not drinking). And finally, to add to the experience of delicate textures, heady flavors and aromas, exotic food and helpful staff, roughly every 30minutes you will be treated to a local Thai dance which is performed in the middle of the restaurant! Score (if you like that kind of thing!) 

Apron and Hammers - Dubai International Marine Club, Dubai Marina

Apron and Hammers - Dubai’s answer to London’s The Big Easy with a twist. Set in two different locations in Dubai, one in the Marina and one in down town Dubai this, in my option, is the best surf n’ (slightly) turf restaurant I’ve been to so far.

I’ve had the pleasure of dining in the Marina location twice now and both on occasions my seafood cravings were satisfied. 

The menu presents a variety of favourites of mine, swinging from tasty salads, bowls of seafood to burgers and pasta. My dishes of choice however would have  to be the 'what we do best' buckets – freshly caught jumbo prawns, shrimp, mussels,  crab, and lobster – the fun part being when you order these particular dishes they come with aprons, hammers and tiny little forks to ‘fish’ out the yummiest bits!

Set on a boat at one end of the Marina (by the beloved Barasti to be exact!), it’s a venue suited for all types on weather, with an undercover area at the bottom of the boat and outdoor seating at the top, however if you are prone to a bit of sea sickness I would aim to go when its not to breezy… the boat does to tend to rock when the winds up (not ideal on a hangover!)

I’ve been with both family and friends, and on both occasions there was not an empty plate in sight (always a good sign!) 

Top tips:

• ·      The portion sizes are huge (especially the salads!) so if going with kids, sharing options are definitely the way forward!
• ·      If you are not drinking, I would suggest ordering the mint lemonade – extremely refreshing and tasty! Perfect ratio of mint, lemon and sugar!
• ·      The atmosphere is on the whole better upstairs (keep this in mind when you are booking a table!)
• ·      Avoid wearing white – it’s the kind of food which ends up on your clothes by the end of the evening!
• ·      If you’re looking for a tasty side, I would always suggest the corn on the cob, if you are a fan this corn its a dreamy accompaniment to your food..

   www.apronsandhammers.com