Sho Cho - Dubai Marine Club

This place really comes to life in the cooler months, housing the young and fabulous not only for dinner but also for drinks which go on into the wee hours of the morning where the pretty play and pose. Sophisticated, classy and trendy, Sho Cho offers up Japanese cuisine, delicious cocktails and of course, sake to its diners. Comprising both indoor and outdoor seating, the selling point to Sho Cho is the outdoor terrace which looks out over the Arabian Gulf  offering up stunning views throughout the day and night. Even though dining is available inside, its more of a lounge area, covered in large white sofas, low lighting and pumping tunes - a place to unwind or gear up, depending on mood.

When the sushi goes away, the lights come down and international and local DJs hit the decks and breathe a new lease of life into Sho Cho. Just a word of warning, if you are planning on going over the weekend or Sunday and Tuesday, be sure to book in advance as tables get snapped up quickly. Its safe to say, Sho Cho do what they do extremely well.. enjoy!

The Observatory - The Marriott Hotel, Dubai Marina

The Observatory is one of those talked about spots which not only hosts great views of the Marina and the Palm but also has an exotic menu, a great setting, indoor smoking area and fantastic cocktails and no matter what day of the week it is, you can always guarantee a good vibe from the other customers who descend on The Observatory for after work drinks. The interior is dark with wood and leather and black and brown seating, either in the form of regular tables or the occasional high set tables with breakfast bar stools and communal seating around large circles in the center of the room, accommodating around 12 people at one time. The views are seen through floor to ceiling windows and the low lighting gives off a stunning view of the cities flashing lights.

Even though it looks like the kind of place that would be over priced and relatively snooty, The Observatory is actually reasonable (especially if you bring a voucher from the Entertainer book with you) and not the kind of place where overly fancy dress is a necessity. Depending what you are in the mood for, customers can either chill out in the bar area and enjoy light bar snacks - my particular favourite being the beef satay, potato dippers or mini burger sliders. Alternatively, a proper sit down dinner option is also on the cards, with favorites such as steaks, pork belly and pounded tuna tartare on the menu.

Happy hour runs from 5pm until 8pm offering up a selection of delicious (and cheap) cocktails, wines, spirits and bar food. Definitely a great spot to take a friend who is visiting - cheap and cheerful with the glitz and glamour of Dubai.

Cielo Sky Lounge - Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Cielo is set at the top of the Club House of the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, surrounded by restaurants and overlooking the waters of the Creek. On the rare occurrence that I head that far down town, its always great to try something new, and Cielo had been highly recommended by a bunch of my down town pals. A private, very VIP-esqe lift transports you up to the top floor (its not very high so dont worry if heights put you off a bit..) where you are welcomed by open air, spacious surroundings, bean bag-ish chairs and large white lounge sofas, all spilling out from a central canopy (which resembles a tree almost..) umbrella-ing the bar. Panoramic views across Dubai's cityscape are available from nearly every seat and for some, you even get views of the picturesque Dubai Creek and surroundings.

Once plonked on a extremely comfortable bean bag chair (probably not the most attractive way to sit), a drinks menu was drawn to my attention... An array of fruity and classic cocktails were laid out in front of me as well as a vast selection of wines, beers, soft drinks and small tapas plates - a very Mediterranean style of dining/un-winding. They do a superb cucumber martini and a very strong and not too sweet espresso martini too.

This sophisticated sky lounge is not only a great place to enjoy a few sunny d's and some nibbles, it is also a great place (so i hear..) to party the night away with top DJs who head to the Creek to light up the deck, creating a home for deep house music and performances from both local and international DJs. So escape the city, enjoy the drinks, eat some tapas and be prepared to be transported to the Med...

TOMO - Raffles Hotel, Near Wafi Mall, Dubai

Set on the 35th Floor of The Raffles Hotel sits TOMO which brings Dubai authentic food straight from the heart of Japan. TOMO - meaning 'lifelong friend' - encourages people to come, eat splendid food, share memorable occasions and is a place where the staff and chef want the diners to feel at home (which is very apparent through the attentive and friendly servers).

Split into bar and restaurant, it is easy enough to pop in for a drink as it is to go for dinner with large, spacious rooms inside as well as two expansive balconies which wrap around each side of the top floor offering up amazing views of the extensive sandpit skyline and down town Dubai.

TOMO surprised me in a few ways. Firstly, being out of the center of the 'city that never sleeps', there was a lot of life in this hotel with people bustling around the hotel, the glam pack heading to People by Crystal or Qbara, or shoppers hitting up the Wafi Mall. Secondly, the views were incredible, giving you a full on view of the sun set with barely any obstructions (try and ignore the odd crane that crops up). And thirdly, the extensive, unique menu and healthy light cocktail choice.

They offer happy hour until 7pm every night with a selection of BOGOF offers (including cocktails!). Try either Cucumber or Noshi Martini - light and (reasonably) healthy as far as cocktails go.
When it came to ordering food we decided to be slightly adventurous (as the menu is quite wild and wacky compared to other Japanese menus i have seen) and got a selection of hot and cold dishes to share. It was the first time I had also seen a variety of 'tuna' on the menu. Not only was there normal tuna, there was also a fatty tuna, a very fatty tuna and a medium fatty tuna... to be honest, i didn't really see the difference until we tried the fatty tuna maki rolls - so delicious - i'd like to know what they feed these fish!!

Other dishes to try would be the tempura Gobi fish, the rice porridge with egg and salmon and the pickled octopus. As far as sushi restaurants go I wouldn't choose it over Sake No Hana, however it is the best all round Japanese restaurant I have been to and well worth a visit.

Note: even though it is a great spot to visit throughout the year, in order to dine outside with the views, go in the cooler months as the terrace is closed for dinner during the summer months.

 

Uptown - Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Sophistication, intimate with breath-taking views - these are the things that spring to mind when I remember my trip to Uptown. Plonked on the 24th Floor of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Uptown is the perfect spot to wind down after work or gear up for a night out. The space comprises of both indoor and outdoor seating, the indoor being narrow and dark, leading out to an intimate area outside with lounge sitting, high stools and the odd romantic table for two. In my eyes its most definitely a cocktails bar, however Uptown does offer a variety of small nibbles, the perfect amount to line ones stomach whilst sinking many a delicious martini. The al fresco seating not only looks over the Burj Al Arab but also stretches out over downtown Dubai giving great views of the sky line and a perfect place for sunny d's.

The staff are friendly, and come armed with compliment snacks comprising of nuts, olives and a delightful sort of crisp, however, the service is slow so be prepared to wait a while for your bevvies.

To note: great for birthday drinks or large group bookings, but please be sure to book in advance!

Siddharta Lounge - Grosvenor House Dubai

Only a few floors up from its sister, the infamous Buddha Bar, Siddharta lounge also sits in Grosvenor House among other 5 star eateries. Stylish to casual, boosting both indoor and outdoor dining as well as offering the option of sipping on a cocktail during the night as well as during the day around the lavish outdoor pool. The Siddharta lounge is an ideal spot to bring a date for a long leisurely evening filled with conversation, drinks, snacks, and watching the Dubai glam pack swanning around.

One note to make - unlike its sister, Siddharta lounge is not a place to go if you are hungry... the food menu is not extensive and the portions are small and intended to be shared. However, don't let this put you off - the Mediterranean and Asian infused dishes are delightful and at least you can leave without the fear of indigestion!

40 Kong - H Hotel Dubai

On the 40th Floor of the H Hotel in Downtown Dubai lies 40 Kong, the newest roof top lounge in Dubai. Completely open-air, this relatively small space has its own lift up the 360s views this swanky joint has to offer. A good place for an after work tipple, or the perfect spot to impress a newcomer, the resident DJ spins tunes into the early hours of the morning inevitably turning your night into a late one.

Be sure to try the Wagyu Mini Burgers or Beef Tartare and definitely wash it down with a Lykke Li or a One Two Fizz - the cocktails are definitely something to write home about.

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! 

360 - Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai

Set on the Jumeirah coastline, this helipad shaped space is unlike any other location in Dubai. Out in the sea, connected to land by a small pier, the name ‘360’ is the perfect fit for this space. With panoramic views of the coast and Burj Al Arab, this trendy bar/restaurant is the perfect spot to watch the sunset with a cold beverage.  During the week, it’s all about the shisha, fruity cocktails, large white sofas to lay around on and laidback tunes. Come Friday night the place transforms into a playground for the young and fabulous with local and international talent hitting the decks.  

The crowds come in two waves – the 5pm crew who slip on cocktails and take in the fab views and glistening sun set, then the 8pm gang arrive, who party on down until the early hours of the morning.

360 is split in two, with an open air upstairs deck, perfect for warm evening. However, downstairs there is a panoramic glass layer, decked out with tables, and perfect for dinner. The menu is Asian inspired, hosting traditional favorites such as veggie spring rolls and prawn dumplings, however also offering more unique dishes such as beef cheek and foie gras with caramelized shallots.

Things to note:

• ·         Minimum age is 21 – make sure you bring ID with you.
• ·         To gain entry at weekends make sure you register online before you go.
• ·         Make sure you dress to impress!
• ·         Ladies night – 9pm-midnight. Groups of six or more get complimentary cocktails. Men get treated to two for one offers.
• ·         Lazy Sundays – one free appetizer when you buy selected drinks
• ·         Happy hour – every day except Friday between 5pm-8pm
• ·         In order to save your feet, catch a buggy from the entrance of 360 which will take you straight to the bar.