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Dubai Restaurant Review

Welcome to the latest Dubai Restaurant Review. As an influential Dubai Blogger we get invited to new restaurant openings, relaunches and media parties. Here you'll find mini posts with the key points about what's going on in the ever expanding world of Dubai's restaurants. We take items from here to make up our radio show and sometimes do more detailed articles of certain openings.

Watch this space to be in the know about Dubai's latest foodie happenings. It is in this category as well as in the DoinDubai Give-Aways category that we have most of our competitions to WIN complementary meals for DoinDubai Subscibers

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TASCA BRUNCH AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL

EATING

TASCA BRUNCH AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL

THE TASCA BRUNCH UPADTED OCT 2020

THE TERRACE WILL BE OPEN FOR BRUNCH BOOKINGS FROM THIS FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER. TABLES OF UP TO 8 PEOPLE PERMITTED

THERE IS NOW A DEDICATED VEGETARIAN MENU IF YOU NEED IT

PRICE OF ALCOHOLIC PACKAGE IS NOW AED 450 PER HEAD. 

There is definitely a seafood slant to the Tasca Brunch at the Mandarin Oriental. That’s because José Avillez a Michelin starred chef brings it to you from Portugal.

Expect a range of starters, main courses and desserts all served at your table around a sharing concept

The Food

The most unusual thing to eat was an Apple Margarita. Delightful! A slice of crunchy apple drenched in some kind of alcohol, we had a piece each but could have asked for more. This came as part of the starter section of food.

I liked my cod cake and tempura beans to start with and our fellow brunchers raved about the veal chorizo. Another all round favourite was the crispy aubergine in a yogurt sauce with pomegranate, we all wanted and got more of this dish. I also went on to make it at home!

We also upon prior request got a non-fish rice dish made with mushrooms that was a real hit all round the table. I actually preferred this to the fish rice.

The hot, fat, crispy outside and fluffy on the inside chips were perfect and how all chips should be, I passed on the wagyu beef strips though. The crunchy broccolini was well cooked and a great accompaniment.

Tasca Brunch at the Mandarin Oriental Apple Margarita
Apple Margarita and clams

The Puddings

Desserts were outstanding with some obligatory custard tarts as these are a Portugeuse classic. Expect light, buttery, flaky pastry and a creamy filling. A range of fruit ice creams and a hazelnut cream pudding complemented the custard tarts. All beautifully presented and demolished by our table.

Custard tarts and hazelnut dessert

Expect a range of starters, main courses and desserts all served at your table around a sharing concept so no getting up and down for a buffet!

The Drinks Package

I think it’s quite a generous drinks package as far as high end Friday brunches are concerned. There is a range of cocktails you can order with no limit. You are greeted on arrival with a choice of red or white sangria or a mocktail. We opted for red sangria and got a tall carafe of it brought to our table.

There is also red, white or rosé wine on offer from Portugal, no sign of those iconic Matheus Rose bottles although we would probably have been the only table that remembers them well!

The passion fruit martini was a success all round only surpassed by the Espresso Martinis had at the end of our brunch. The cocktails are expertly crafted by mixologists, so we really appreciated that.

Passion fruit martini at Tasca brunch at the Mandarin Oriental DoinDubiai
Passion Fruit Martini

The Ambience

It’s lively and busy at brunch. If you want a table in front of the pool and the sea, then you need to arrive early at about 12.30 or so on Friday. Otherwise you’ll sit on the side facing the Dubai skyline. It seemed a little less noisy near the skyline side, but you maybe nearer the josper ovens and so it might feel warmer. Service was attentive and platters of food arrived at the right time.

Meet me at the Mandarin Oriental

Get a feel of the vibe of this place. 

Prices for the Tasca Brunch

There are no Entertainer or Zomato type deals for this brunch, but it’s not too expensive at AED 400 for the alcoholic package and AED 300 for the non-alcoholic package. I’d highly recommend and definitely go there again.

Location

where is Tasca

at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Jumeirah 1

This review was written independantly of the restaurant, we paid in full for our brunch. The pictures are all my own.
Monica Kapila
Founder of DoinDubai

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Another Mandarin Oriental Moment

Christmas tea at the Mandarin Oriental in London.

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ERICS DUBAI

Welcome to Erics Dubai. A mainly Goan, seafood restaurant serving tasty, reasonably priced food in a new branch in Al Safa Dubai.

rava fish fry

Erics Dubai has opened a NEW BRANCH in Al Safa

Is it just Goan food at Erics Dubai

No, not at all, you can sample some great Indo Chinese style food and some regular North Indian curries, all made to a high standard. But the restaurant does specialize in Goan coastal cuisine.

Where is Erics Dubai located

The original branch of Erics opened in 2006 in Karama and was just a 4 table restaurant, that’s grown up now. But there is a new branch with a lighter, more airy feel and easy parking too! The google map below shows you where in Al Safa the new Erics is located.

What to eat at Erics Dubai

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai Menu Card

I have been twice now to the new branch of Erics and can recommend the following:

Start with some Potato Chops, a real Goan dish. Imagine small morsels of a spicy, minced lamb shepherds pie on a plate if you can. Only these are better than any shepherds pie I’ve had.

Or you could opt for some tuna cutlets instead of or as well as these.

Again a very home style tuna fish cake with the right amount of spice.

We also tried some peppery prawns that came from the Indo Chinese elements of the menu.
These would make a good main course on their own with some steamed rice.
Expect a rich, Chinese style sauce with spring onions and peppers coating the generous sized prawns.

peppery prawns
spicy lamb potato chops

Goan Style Main Courses

For main courses we opted for the classic Recheado style grilled prawns and a prawn curry dish again Goan style. Both were good and you need to eat the curry with a rice dish for sure.

The other main classic Goan dish we tried was the King fish Rava Fry. Expect fleshy, king fish steaks sliced thin and expertly coated with a spicy rava (semolina) type dry crumb and then fried. See main picture above.

I didn’t try it as I don’t eat beef but our table was raving about the beef vindaloo, which also comes with chicken if you prefer.

From the Mughlai Menu at Erics Dubai

Do order the Bhindi (okra) crisy fry, a perfect accompaniment to the prawn curry and rice. 

Sweets at Erics Dubai

We’ve grown up knowing that Crème Caramel is a classic Goan pudding and Eric’s serves a good one. But if you’re lucky you may get to taste some Bebinca!

A special dessert that’s occasionally flown in from Goa. Expect a number of layers of coconut and flour batter, cooked one layer at a time and sandwiched together to be eaten warm with some vanilla ice cream.

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai Bibinka

NEW coffee shop concept at Erics Al Safa

This branch of Erics also has a new coffee bar and pastry section where you can just have a sweet or savoury snack and catch up with friends without having a big meal. 

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai pastry shop

But you’ll enjoy your time and food at Erics whether it’s a snack or a meal. This review was written in collaboration with Erics but the opinions are all my own. 

THANK YOU FOR READING.

Erics Dubai Facebook Page
telephone al safa branch
04 3881222

Erics Al Safa is OPEN during Ramadan 2019 12pm till 11pm.

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ANDES DUBAI new South American food at One Central

Andes Dubai

Andes Dubai is a new (opened August 2018) restaurant serving South American cuisine. The chefs are from Mexico but there’s not a breakfast burrito in site!  Based in a very new urban Dubai location, is it worth a try?

Interior of Andes Dubai restaurant DoinDubai

Where is Andes Dubai

Andes Dubai is located on the ground floor of One Central in the World Trade Centre area of Dubai. It’s a brand new building that’s part of a new complex so where you thought there was no road.. go boldly on! Here’s a Google Map telling you exactly where it’s located.

The food at Andes Dubai

We tried a late breakfast here and enjoyed our experience. Expect normal “breakfast” type ingredients like poached eggs, avocado and sourdough toast but don’t expect them to be put together in a standard breakfast fashion.

They make a fresh tomato based sauce that’s poured over your poached eggs for instance. That’s in their Andes Pain de Mie option.

My healthy half boiled eggs with spinach and avocado were torched on top. The sourdough toast is freshly baked on the premises, they have a full time baker, and it’s griddled so has a good, smoky flavor. I would have preferred my eggs a bit softer in the middle and warmer too.

Eggs Brulee on the menu at Andes Dubai DoinDubai

Some may not appreciate the amount of melted compté cheese over soft scrambled eggs so perhaps ask for this on the side?

alot of compte cheese sauce on top of scrambled eggs

There are a variety of fresh juices and both the green apple and beetroot juices tasted good. Remember to ask for less or no ice if you don’t like your juice diluted.

Beetroot juice Andes Dubai but no beetroot in it

But maybe more importantly note that the beetroot juice doesn’t contain beetroot!

To be fair the menu doesn’t mention beetroot in the ingredients but still… The idea is the combination of ingredients are supposed to evoke a beetroot taste? You decide and let me know.

Prices at Andes Dubai

Prices overall are reasonable. Fresh juices made to order cost AED 23 to 25 and cappuccinos are AED 17. Main breakfast dishes are roughly AED 50. Breakfast is served till around 11.30 am.

They also have a business lunch deal and a set tasting menu for dinner. But dinner is only available on a Friday evening at the moment.

Points to note

  • There is no alcohol licence as yet and dinner is served only once a week on a Friday and bookings are essential. It’s done as a set number of courses but any dietary requirements are accommodated if you let them know beforehand.
  • One Central is not the easiest building to find at the moment but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth seeking out. There is free valet parking at the moment. As the complex is new, it’s still a little quiet, but it won’t be for long.
  • Restaurant Website 

 

Thank you Monica.

It’s so helpful for the blog if you share this post using the buttons below and of course do tell the restaurant you came on my recommendation if you go. Thanks again.

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BEST NEW PLACES TO EAT reasonably priced with genuinely good food

BEST NEW PLACES TO EAT genuinely good food no high price tags

No high price tags for any of our restaurants this week, just genuinely the best new places to eat in Dubai. Some newly opened, others with a brand new menu. Real food, honestly reviewed. Find out where to go and what to order at some of Dubai’s tastiest restaurants. I should know as I’m the resident foodie on Food News Dubai Eye 103.8 with Mark and Stef. 

Dubai Eye The Ticket Radio Show

MARCH 27 2018

SIMPLY BETTER SOUTH INDIAN FOOD…on the terrace of Marina Mall 

So South Indian food isn’t just about Idlis, Dosas, Sambhar and vadas! It’s a whole regional cuisine that spans the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka!

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Zafran Simply South Rice papads

For one month 3 chefs have created a special Simply South menu that I recommend you go and sample at the newly refurbished Zafran restaurant at Marina Mall. We’ve spoken about Zafran before, and it’s very good quality North Indian food we’ve had there. We had dinner there on Sunday night and can highly recommend all the dishes we had from their Simply South menu….

The alleppey king prawns in a mango and coconut gravy were a favourite all round, but the chicken biriyani and both the lamb dishes were also really good.

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Zafran Alleppey Prawn Curry

I also liked the Gonguru Royallu prawns we had to start with. Not a menu for vegetarians, and the only higher priced item was the king prawn dish, but they were giant prawns, so 6 of us shared that dish.  (AED 159) The other dishes around the AED 60 mark, so try the Simply South Menu till around 20th of April and taste some authentic regional cuisine from Down South.. 

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Zafran Chicken Biriyani

FAR OUT FUSION AT FUNKIE TOWN….now in Business Bay 

A new branch of an existing restaurant just opened in Bay Avenue in Business Bay. Named after the craziness of Mumbai.. Roshni, the owner, manager called her restaurant Funkie Town and it specializes in Parsi food. The Parsis are a community that came to India from Iran and brought their food with them.

Try the akuri paneer version of scrambled eggs for breakfast (AED 32) along with some kheema made with minced lamb and spinach (AED 34) Wash down with a couple of glasses of masala tea or coffee – AED 10 (ask for no sugar) and you’ve got yourself a very Funky breakfast that will keep you full for ages!

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Funkie Town Parsi Paneer

Ask for the really tasty Lagan nu Achar… which is a pickle or chutney made with carrots, dates, raisins and spices to go with your breakfast dishes.. I thought it was a specially made version of the Gujerati chundoo, or spicy mango chutney, made with dates etc as a fusion dish for the region, but no. This is the original!

By the way.. if you want to cool down in the heat then eat a falooda – big debate about whether the seeds that are part of this dish are chia seeds and the Indians knew about them all along? Turns out they are actually not chia seeds but Takmaria seeds or sajda.. seeds…! Go and do some research…you superfoodie Ticketers!

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Funkie Town Falooda

And do tell all the restaurants you go to you’re there because you heard about them on Food News with Monica on The Ticket!

 

WE’RE STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO EATING AT

    • Masti at La Mer – it’s also licensed. An Indian that’s a bit different down in Jumeirah 1 and super sleek sandwiches at Slab also in La Mer, all for next time.
    • Eat by Chloe a fast food vegan restaurant that we just tried in London. Yes it’s Fast Food vegan, we understand coming to Dubai soon.

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By Chloe – a new fast food, vegan restaurant in London's Covent Garden just opened from NYC and I think coming to DXB soon. Bacon made from shitake mushrooms, chickpea hamburgers, raw almond butter smoothie bowls all served fast food style! Really good. My kale salad pictured with that mushroom bacon, avo, maple wheat croutons and ceaser dressing cost under £10.00 so AED 50 or so…a morning glory burger costs the same.. plant based vegan, not expensive. . . . . . . @eatbychloe #eatbychloe #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #ceasersalad #fastfood @sundaytimesfood #sundaytimesfood #brunch #veganbrunch #newplace #foodie #foodblogger #foodblogging #londonfoodie #fooding #innovative #tastyfood #vegetarianfood @felicityspector

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  • And almost open in Pierre Gagnaire’s new bistro restaurant in place of the original Les Reflets in Dubai Festival City, so STAY TUNED to DoinDubai.com and Food News. 
  • And CRAZY FISH coming soon to DIFC we think.. follow on the DoinDubai Instagram page to FIND OUT FIRST

Talking of restaurant food, which restaurant trends do you think need to go –  for good? Fabulous article from The Independant January 2018. 

Previous posts with lot’s of good foodie ideas are here.. 

DoinDubai Eating Out in Dubai 

SOCIETY CAFE AND LOUNGE just opposite La Mer

A cool, large, very white space that has some of the prettiest desserts and some fine dining tasting prawn linguini that I’d love to try again!

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Society Mushroom croquettes

We’re eating at a new place called Society that’s on Jumeirah Beach road just opposite the entrance to La Mer, next to the Lime Tree Cafe.. So I guess it’s a real cafe society kind of place.

But the quality of the food here is excellent and far from a cafe.. more like a proper restaurant with a great variety of choice for food options.

So you can eat halloumi fries with pomegranate molasses.. that’ s quite a heavy dish but fun and young or opt for the prawns linguine. The pasta is made in house and the sauce is properly made, tomato properly reduced and seasoned with fresh, plump prawns, chilli and creme fraiche. These noodles are inpired by ramen noodles and have some nice substance to them..

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Society Halloumi Fries

We also recommend the eggs with strong, melty cheddar cheese in katchapuri bread.. salty and very breakfasty with a large coffee. Try the almond cake for dessert if you have room! I think that was gluten free, but I was going to eat it anyway! 

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Society Kachaburi egg bread.

King prawn Linguini, chili tomato sauce, garlic gremolata actually! It cost AED 69 and is good for 2 to share

The Katchapuri egg dish is AED 48 

There are so many things I could eat off this menu…I really want to go back and wish I lived nearer.. one of those local little gems, not cheap as chips but the chips at AED 15 are cheap! 

CUTE FOOD AT KISH MISH Modern Afghan food now at Dar Wasl Mall 

We didn’t try the standard kebabs you’d normally associate with an Afghani restaurant, we opted for some leek pancakes, crispy little turned over pancakes and emerald rice. 

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Kish Mish leek turnovers

That’s rice cooked with spinach that went well with their hot aubergine and tomato dish.. called aubergine.. or we would call it bartha!

The setting is really delightful.. with a open shelved wall filled with hurricane lights that peek straight into the Emirati coffee Company on the other side. Dar Wasl Mall foodie branded this area the One Third space is well worth checking out.

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai Emirati Coffee Company

I also liked the fact that the you could enter the restaurants from a door in the street beside the mall, as well as the front, so it felt very “normal”! 

If you want to get a sweet tooth fix, then try the home made vanilla milky ice cream dessert laced with rose water and topped with pisctachio, enough for 2 people or even 3! Kish Mish means raisin in Hindi and in Pashtu too! 

Image ofBest New Places to Eat DoinDubai KishMish Ice Cream

Leek pancakes called Bolani and cost AED 30

The noodles, bean and lentil soup called Aash  AED 40 

Emerald Rice (large portion) AED 55 so good for 2

Ice Cream AED 35 would feed 2 at least! 

MISSED THE LIVE BROADCAST?

The live broadcast happens on a Tuesday, this week Tuesday 27th November from 3 to 4 pm, but if you missed it, then you can listen to the podcast.

We’ll add it into the article here when it’s ready for uploading, the day after the live broadcast. But in the meantime, we’ve left the podcast from the last show in for you to listen to.

Those of you reading this article in your email or on RSS feed may not see the podcast here unless you click on ‘view email in browser’

Alternatively visit THE TICKET BLOG HERE.

Don’t miss the show on Tuesday   Dubai Eye 103.8 The Ticket – listen live

We will post the shows podcast here when it is available to us.

If you’d like to collaborate, then click here to find out how you could work with me on Blogger Events, Food Photography, Foodie Videos and PODCASTS!

Thank You Monica.