Alta Badia - Emirates Towers, Dubai

This journey really starts with a bang... on entering Emirates Towers you are directed to the lift to whizz you up to Alta Badia, the Italian situated on the 50th floor. After an ear popping start, we were met with a warm reception by an extremely friendly lady at the reservations desk who led us directly to our table, which was conveniently situated in the middle of the restaurant in a semi-circle cove, with amazing views looking over Downtown Dubai. The light was dim and even though the interiors didnt tickle my fancy or overly stand out, this was made up for by the amazing view and the perfect table setting. The restaurant isnt huge but there was enough space to breath between each table. There was a bar at one end of the room with the official Alta Badia bar just one floor up where smokers can puff away without having to head back down to the ground.

Our very friendly waiter arrived at the table to take a drinks order and take us through the menu. Swiftly after, a bread basket arrived followed by an amuse bouche - compliments of the chef. The a la carte menu that was presented to us was minimal but in the best way. Every dish made my mouth water so having a two page menu was definitely hard enough to choose from. Finally, we came to a decision starting with the breasola of yellow fin tuna and the wagyu beef tartare. Thinly sliced light pink tuna was presented with mandarin and tomato segments scattered over the top. The tuna was brilliantly tasty but the main highlight was the wagyu tartare. Being a meat fan, steak tartare is always my tipple and this particular dish did not disappoint. Complete with a quail egg on top, the dish was full of flavor, moist in a good way and topped off with a crunchy potato crisp.

For the main event, we dined on a dish from the sea coming in the form of Scottish scallops and a dish from the land - the Australian beef tenderloin. The scallops were good - not the best i have ever had but the clam sauce made the dish slightly more exciting. The tenderloin on the other hand was perfect, displayed on a bed of smooth mash, drizzled in sauce with incredibly soft fois gras grazing on the top. It was obvious to see how fantastic the food was, as there was not a plate with food left on in the house, including ours (which were basically licked clean). It really made a change going to an Italian which didnt just offer up pizza and pasta and it was great how the chef turned normal every day food into exceptional dishes.

The final stage of the meal included a chocolate fondant pudding complete with strawberries and ice-cream, washed down by a delicious espresso martini - the perfect end to the dinner. Accounting for the great service  fantastic food by legendary chef Claudio Melis, breath-taking views and reasonable price tag, this is an Italian which is not to be missed.

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.

Karma Kafe - Souk Al Bahar, Dubai

Straight from the ‘creators’ of Buddha Bar, the sister restaurant, Karma Kafe overlooks the Dubai Fountains in Downtown Dubs and is a firm favorite of Dubai hipsters and socialists. From the outside, there is a mysterious touch to the place, and I was chomping at the bit to get in while we were waiting for the hostess to find our table. Finally we entered to be greeted by the hustle and bustle of the trendy Dubai crowd settling down to cocktails and nibbles on low tables, tightly packed together, lit up with fuschia lanterns and colourful boho style cushions – a feast for the eyes. After a quick passion fruit martini  at the bar we were whisked out to the terrace – a somewhat brighter space, overlooking the far end of the fountain display – mirroring the buzzy and close atmosphere for inside, I was happy to be sat on the terrace - for one, it was definitely easier to read the menu! 

The menu is Asian-Californian fusion-inspired and mixes traditional dishes, such as sushi and sashimi, with Central American and European flavours. When picking your dishes, be adventurous and go for the fusion themed plates. Greedily, we ordered an array of dishes varying between hot and cold and shared. It is definitely worth skipping the normal pan-Asian standards to make room for the more unique dishes on offer. Favourites of mine include the sashimi tacos with wasabi guacamole and tomato relish, blackmore wagyu and seared foie gras with edemame rice, the angry chicken, broccillini with goma shabu sauce, and miso black cod. To accompany, I would always suggest partnering these dishes with a cocktail of your choice – they offer a vast selection! Also to note, there are plenty of veggie options available for the herbivores among you.

After feasting on dish after dish we decide to skip pudding – the selection didn’t quite have the same imagination which ran through the rest of the menu.

The Karma Kafe is definitely full of pleasant surprises and even though food has always been a bit of an afterthought at Buddha Bar, it takes centre stage at this trendy downtown eatery. There is nothing stuffy about this place, even though you are tightly packed in and the staff are attentive and welcoming and produce a quick and efficient service, and, depending on what night you visit, there could be a celeb DJ on the decks too! 

La Petite Maison - DIFC, Dubai

In the heart of DIFC, in Downtown Dubai lies the fabulous La Petite Maison. Straight from Nice, this French bistro haute doesn’t follow suite when it comes to Dubai’s mantra ‘bigger is better’. Instead, expect to find a tightly packed space, full of atmosphere with an electric and sophisticated vibe to boot. The restaurant colour palate is very simple, whites and beiges run around the room with large white shutters on the windows and a leafy court yard outside which adds to the laidback atmosphere. Bundles of vegetables can be found around the restaurant, either on the tables or on the counters adding colour to the demur surroundings.

The menu is simple but exquisite and you can see the French/Mediterranean heritage behind it. They have done a great job at focusing on doing what they do in the best possible way and haven’t messed around with lots of different elements when it comes to their dishes – they just concentrate on using the very best materials utilized in the best possible way to create exceptional plates of food.

The concept is to share and all the plates are presented with this in mind. I would recommend being slightly adventurous when it comes to ordering – choose dishes you might not normally go for and expect to be surprised. The dishes arrive when ready which staggers you evening and ensures you enjoy the food in front of you. Even though I have had the pleasure of trying quite a few things on the menu my absolute faves would be the following… The burrata is a must have! Flown straight from Italy its exceptionally creamy and rich – barely solid it goes perfectly with the faintly sweet tomatoes and herbs which accompany it. Not being a lamb fan myself, the Grilled Lamb Cutlets with Smoked Aubergine are out of this world. The lamb, cooked to perfection, juicy and pink marinated in a way which compliments it flawlessly with the smoked, incredibly tasty aubergine paste on the side – probably the best dish I have had since living in Dubai. Moving on to pudding.. from what I have heard they are all delightful, however the one that beat the rest around our table (admittedly we ordered quite a few deserts all to share) was the warm chocolate mousse with malt ice cream – only one word can describe this.. divine! Melt in your mouth heaven, this isn’t your typical chocolate mousse but more of a fondant with a deliciously soft interior and hard(ish) exterior. The malt ice cream blends into the pudding perfectly making this the icing on the cake at the end to your meal. Trust me, there is always room to fit in this desert!

To add to this already excellent restaurant, the staff are fantastic. Always ready to help with your every need however not ‘in your face’ as some waiters can be. They also know what they are talking about so it doesn’t take 20 minutes to get an answer to a question (which it so often does in Dubai).

It is clear to see that attention to detail touches everything they do from the atmosphere they create to the food they serve and I would highly recommend this as a MUST when it comes to dining in Dubai.  

Book in advance to avoid disappointment! 

http://www.lpmdubai.ae

Spectrum on One - The Fairmont Hotel, Dubai

This little gem has been a family favourite of ours for many years. Back in the day when Dubai wasn’t what it is now, Spectrum on One would be our end of holiday treat before venturing back to the UK and as kids we would spend many an hour whizzing up and down in the panoramic lift in the hotel.

This is a restaurant which will satisfy even the fussiest families needs with dishes ranging from Chinese to Thai, European to Arabic and Indian and Japanese (for the sushi lovers amongst you!). The set up displays the same kind of thing – the restaurant is split into different areas, all themed around the different cuisines displayed on the menu. The Haggas favourite has always been the Thai section situated at the back of the restaurant and I must say the thai selection is fantastic (my particular favourite being the Green Thai Prawn Curry!). One word of warning though.. present in the majority of the thai dishes are chillies resembling green beans – my younger brother, who has been known to consume all food on his plate (decoration or not) has made the mistake of eating this rather spicy specimen and it took him the rest of the evening to get over it (after consuming an overwhelming amount of milk and bread!) .

To start I would recommend either the sushi or the tempura soft shell crab. On the whole, the mains which I have sampled have all been delightful, however I would maybe avoid the Pad Thai, the portion was huge and not overly exciting - other dishes on this well rounded menu would definitely satisfy the palette more! There is also a great bar in one corner of the restaurant, decked out with comfy armchairs, soft mood lighting and a great selection of wines! 

Spectrum on One also offers Friday brunches, Thursday Duppers (an all inclusive combination of dinner and supper) and Noire, the ultimate dining in the dark experience. 

Dress: Business/Smart.