With Ramadan over the holiday season fast approaching, we at Esquire feel that it’s high time you treated yourself with some of the tastiest food that Dubai has to offer. We, as considerate people with equally tender bank accounts, also feel that treating yourself doesn’t always have to end with you internally weeping at the barcode-length bill you get in return for your indulgence. Hence why we’ve collated a selection of summer dining deals (from a range of restaurants that fluctuate in terms of both price and quality) in order to ensure that your summer treat-yourself session doesn’t go too over-the-top. We’re good, aren’t we?
‘Tasting Menu’ at Folly by Nick & Scott
This five course tasting menu at folly by Nick & Scott is the perfect dining experience for groups looking to sample a range of different flavours . Starting with their fried bread, sage, onion and spelt, the menu also includes delicacies such as monk fish cheeks, crispy hen’s egg and lamb saddle (yee-ha!), finishing with their delectable chocolate and hazelnut dessert. For those feeling thirsty as well as hungry you can always dive into the pairing option, where restauarant manager Viktorija Paplauskiene will be on hand to provide the finest spirits and wines to accompany each dish. The tasting menu costs Dhs295 with the pairing adding an additional Dhs200.
LOCATION: Souk Madinat
CONTACT: 04 430 8535
‘2 for 1 Mondays’ at 261
Named after legendary golfer, Ernie Els’s PGA Tour record-breaking 72-hole aggregate in the 2003 Mercedes Championship (which I’m sure we all remember ever so fondly), 261 is the perfect place to kick back and watch the sunset over Els’s signature golf course. The fact it’s also one of the few places to do so is beside the point. With plenty of outdoor seating and a shaded outdoor area, the cuisine at 261 ranges from simple sandwiches and pastas to more traditional British affair like steak & ale pie, fish and chips, and even a tempting roast dinner. Why do you need to know all this? Well, if you rock up on a Monday you can purchase two main course meals for the price of one – a deal that is sure to satisfy your appetite and your wallet.
LOCATION: 261, The Els Club, Dubai Sports City
CONTACT: 04 425 1000
‘Enter the Dragon’ at China Grill
With a focus on the bubb-ly rather than Bruce Lee, ‘Enter the Dragon’ offers a sophisticated supper club setting in the China Grill Lounge for a very affordable price. Taking place every Thursday from 9pm – 1am, for a mere AED 195 per person you can indulge in a selection of China Grill’s popular oriental cuisine served straight to your table alongside an endless supply of free-flowing sparkling and house beverages. There’s even a resident DJ on hand to ensure that the vibrant party atmosphere continues throughout the night. This offer is valid throughout the Summer until 30th September.
LOCATION: The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
CONTACT: 04 511 7333
‘Plats Du Jour’ at Bistro des Arts
Styled after a quintessential 1970 Parisian bistro and overlooking the calming waters of Dubai Marina, Bistro des Arts’s ‘Plats Du Jour’ (daily special) menu is designed to take you and your taste-buds on an exciting tour through the different regions of France each and every day. With a constantly revolving menu and prices starting from Dhs115, this is the perfect chance for you to sample a repertoire of classic French home-style food in a rustic garden terrace. It will also make you seem really cultured in front of your friends and guarantee that you never pronounce “hors d’Oeuvres” wrong again.
The ‘Plats Du Jour’ menu is as followed:
Monday – Mussels in creamy sauce
Tuesday – Steak Frites, Beurre Maitre D’Hotel
Wednesday – Beef Bourguignon
Thursday – Roasted Salmon, Green Beans and Beurre Blanc
Friday – Chef’s suggestion
Saturday – Chef’s suggestion
Sunday – Braised rabbit and prunes
LOCATION: The Promenade, Dubai Marina
CONTACT: 045 511 576
‘All-you-can-eat Sushi’ at Café Sushi
Hidden on the ground floor of the Fairmont Dubai and open from 12 noon – 10pm, Sunday – Thursday, Café Sushi are offering you the opportunity to go all-in on their all-you-can-eat buffet this summer. For only Dhs120 per person you can have free reign of their revolving belt of sushi that encompasses everything from classic California Rolls and Spicy Tuna to hot Miso Soup and Edamame. Just be prepared to adjust your belt a notch or two.
LOCATION: The Fairmont, Dubai
CONTACT: 04 311 8316
‘Thursday Evening Brunch’ at Mint Leaf of London
With panoramic views of the iconic Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai skyline, Mint Leaf of London has undoubtedly got itself one of the city’s best locations. Straying from the standard Friday brunch affair, Mint Leaf of London are hoping to mix things up this summer from the 29th of June onwards by launching an evening brunch concept intended to liven up your quiet Thursday nights. Offering a social sharing concept featuring their signature contemporary Indian cuisine and tempting house beverages, Mint Leaf of London have created a tailored evening brunch experience for Dhs250 per person.
Simply begin anytime between 7pm-11pm and you can enjoy a generous 3-hours of feasting on the best food and drink they have to offer. Choose from vegetarian or non-vegetarian shared starter platters, including street food-inspired favourites such as pakoras, chaats and kebabs followed by a main course from a wide selection including everything from vibrant coastal fish curry to traditional favourites such as korma, dal or a buttery makhni. Afterwards – if you’ve got room – you can indulge in a selection of shared desserts like the unique ‘Ras Malai Cheesecake’ and ‘Gulab Jamun’ – if you’re feeling generous enough to share, that is.
LOCATION: 15th Floor South Tower, Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC
CONTACT: 04 706 0900
‘Thai Journey’ at Spice Emporium
Feast on flavours every Wednesday with the newly launched ‘Thai Journey’ evening brunch at Spice Emporium. Heralding itself as one of the city’s most authentic Thai dining destinations, the Spice Emporium is offering you the chance to sample their traditional favourites from only Dhs179 for a non-alcoholic package and Dhs279 per person including house beverages.
LOCATION The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina
CONTACT 04 511 7373
‘The Lion’s Share’ at Hunters Room and Grill
Taking place every Sunday at Hunters Room and Grill, ‘The Lion’s Share’ offers you a chance to eat like your earliest ancestors and channel that inner caveman we all know you’ve been hiding underneath that cardigan. Devour steaks, sides and just about everything that Hunters has to offer with a bottomless selection of a la carte options served directly to your table for just Dhs250 per person, or Dhs350 with an additional bottle of house grape.
With a menu that features signature starters, mains and desserts like Beef Tartare with Quail Egg, Steak Pie with Tomato Chutney, Braised Lamb Shoulder, Pressed Beef Brisket, BBQ Ribs, and a decadent Mississippi Mud Pie – you’ll definitely need to unleash your inner carnivore in order to get through all of your favourites.
LOCATION: The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
CONTACT: 04 511 7373
‘Sunset Menu’ at Pierchic
Located at the end of the coveted pier extension of the iconic Jumeirah Al Qasr Hotel, Pierchic has long been considered one of the emirates’ most unforgettable dining locations. In order to remind us why it has remained a mainstay of the Dubai culinary scene for all these years, the good people at Pierchic have introduced a ‘Sunset Menu’ intended to make the very most of the region’s local produce. The three course menu, which is updated in line with seasonal and the freshest produce available, also includes a delicious welcome cocktail and is a must-visit for seafood aficionados and sunset connoisseurs alike. Aptly taking place at sunset between 6pm – 7pm, the ‘Sunset Menu’ will set you back only Dhs350 per person.
LOCATION: Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah
CONTACT: 04 432 3232
