The Ticket – May 19th 2015
DoinDubai is a regular guest on Dubai Eye 103.8 ‘s show The Ticket with Mark Lloyd and Stef Burgon. The Ticket is Dubai’s premier Food and Travel show on the number 1 English talk radio station in the UAE: Dubai Eye 103.8. Where am I eating this week? Italian Fine Food, Emirati Flavours & Super Vegan !
My role is to bring a fresh look to the food scene here in the UAE and abroad.
The headings below correspond to the categories I spoke about this week.
Did YOU get a mention on THE TICKET this week?
New to Dubai
TRE Radisson Royal hotel SZR
TRE is Roberto’s of DIFC’s newest home. Find it on the 49th , 5oth and , 51st floors of the Radisson Royal Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. A fine dining Italian restaurant, a lounge and a cigar bar all over 3 floors with spectacular floor to ceiling views! It has a real regal theme to it including a golden club room type booth area where you can have your photo taken on a Golden Throne!
I had an amazing tomato based pasta dish “Sorrentina e Mafalde” which comprised of melt in the mouth tagliatelle , san marazano tomato sauce, burrata and fresh basil (Dhs 96) and an excellent seabass with wild mushrooms and shellfish sauce (Dhs 200) But perhaps avoid the house cocktail which seemed to be a concoction of mascarpone cheese, vanilla vodka and something purple! Tre is also open for lunch.
Best for a first date under Dhs 500
SOLO Italian restaurant on the 3rd floor of Raffles hotel
I suggest going to SOLO at the Raffles hotel on the 3rd floor. (Close to the Wafi) Try 5 types of cheeses with house bread, roasted sun dried tomato paste AND get 5 expertly paired glasses of wine to accompany! This is a gorgeous deal at Dhs 120. I was there yesterday for dinner and can highly recommend the mushroom risotto and grilled octopus. I loved the grilled octopus sitting on pumpkin puree, tasted more like a langoustine to me (Dhs 96) Their signature artichoke ravioli was also excellent with pecorino cheese and black truffles. Solo won Best Newcomer for the Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2015.
Their Chef Corrado Pani is from Sicily and their Sommelier and restaurant manager Marina is from Venezuela and was also the ex sommelier from Gaucho. She impressed us with her knowledge of both food and wine.
Best for Breakfast
Seven Sands Emirati Restaurant at The Beach, JBR
I reviewed the Emirati Restaurant Seven Sands on May 16 2015 so being on the radio this week was a good opportunity to share the experience with the listeners.
For authentic Emirati Flavours try the breakfast at Seven Sands.The platter comes with pumkin puree and date syrup which you can spread or dip with sesame and fennel seed bread, known as Khameer. I also recommend the Emirati crepe; made of saffron and egg whilst looking like a thin crumpet rolled and stuffed with sweet vermicelli known as Balaleet.
The platter was enough for 2 to share at Dhs 50! Add Italian coffee; its a great introduction to Emirati flavours. The only other place I have been to try Emirati flavours is the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural understanding, which is the other end of town in Bastakiya, so The Seven Sands is much more accessible for many people.
The Emirati restaurant Seven Sands is opposite the Amwaj hotel at the Sheraton end of the Beach in JBR Marina.
Enter our Competition to WIN dinner for 2 at the Seven Sands (closes 26th May 2015)
Best in Category ? Healthy food this week!
Be Super Natural Bistro 2nd floor Galleries Lafayette Dubai Mall
I suggest you try the Be Super Natural at café Bestro where young entrepreneur Hailey runs a completely vegan café on the 2nd floor of Galleries Lafayette next to Gallery Gourmet in Dubai Mall.
I ate Spaghetti with tomato sauce, what’s different about that? The spaghetti was made from courgettes, the tomato sauce tasted just like it had been cooked, reduced down, onions, garlic and herbs, but I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been cooked; it was delicious. I also shared a courgette lasagna which comprised of layers of courgette and flat breads with Italian antipasto toppings, all sitting on flaxseed crisp bread.
A Spiraliser was used to make the noodle, spaghetti, I bought one! It cost Dhs 240 which was money well spent. I will do a post and some recipes using this later! We use it regularly and are very happy with delivery and after care customer service. Maybe under Vegetable Slicer?
Hailey has also set up The Cancer Club as a meetup group in memory of her friend whom she lost to cancer earlier this year. The cafe is a place cancer suffers can get together for support whilst enjoying healthy immune boosting food on certain days. Look for their Facebook Group The Cancer Club to find out the details. Hailey also makes herself available to answer any food related questions; how to break open a coconut !
So great cusine, good thoughts, and a new location as well as being in Al Quoz. I left feeling very full but felt the meal was light enough to feel hungry again to eat at Solo at 8pm the same evening!
Thanks Monica
