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LALUZ DUBAI

What is LALUZ Dubai all about

LaLuz Dubai is a new Spanish, fine dining restaurant in DIFC. UPDATE MARCH 2018 LA LUZ IS NOW CLOSED PERMANENTLY. 

 

I’ve eaten there 3 times now, and I think LaLuz Dubai is well worth a visit. I like that it’s a bit different and it’s given us Dubaians a way of trying modern, European food in a stylish but accessible setting.

La Luz Dubai favourite things

Where is LALUZ Dubai Located

This restaurant is located in the Four Seasons hotel in Dubai’s DIFC. It’s right up there with Zuma and La Petite Maison, so they’re located very well

What to expect food and drink wise 

I’ve tried the 7 course set tasting menu presented by ex El Bulli chef Alain Devahive and I’ve also tried the Rumba night promotion. It depends what kind of evening you’re looking for. If you love live music, then try the Rumba night promotion every Wednesday evening from 7.30pm or so. But these molecular olives are a must try with pre dinner drinks.

LaLuz Dubai Molecular Olives

Or just try some things from the a la carte menu. We liked the pinchos or little tapas like starters that were part of the Rumba night promotion. Expect zingy gazpacho shots, chicken or mushroom croquettes and a very innovative take on the classic Spanish tortilla. We were served this in a glass! Dig deep to get some of the caramelised onion, the egg  yolk emulsion and the potato foam with a bit of olive oil and salt on the top!

LaLuz Dubai Tortilla in a glass

What’s special at LALUZ 

For a special occasion, I recommend the set 7 course menu.  I liked every course for it’s quality of ingredients and way they were cooked and presented. I really don’t know much about Spanish food but I liked everything at LaLuz Dubai. There is an emphasis on Catalan cusine here, for sure. Find out what I really liked at LaLuz Dubai from a previous post here.

LaLuz Dubai octopus

Watch the Rumba night entertainment 

You can expect 5 little pinchos type courses and a plate of seafood or vegetarian paella.

LaLuz Dubai Seafood Paella

You can also have a coffee or tea afterwards with a little bit of stylish, Spanish chocolate. This Rumba night promotion for AED 275 includes 2 glasses of Cava or wine, or 2 mocktails.

 

Don’t just take my word for it, get another point of view. Have a look at what these Dubai food bloggers thought of LaLuz’s Rumba night promotion:

LaLuz Dubai Rumba dancing

 

From The Tezzy Files

From DineOutDubai

From Being Random Rachel

From The Veggie Buzz

From Meggs Blogged

 

Thank you Monica.

 

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MARINA SOCIAL

Marina Social is Jason Atherton’s first Dubai outpost. Lots of praise when it opened, has it lived up to the hype 

Marina Social opened in Dubai in September 2015 to much hype and praise. We let the dust settle and visited in March 2016 to see if it’s still a shining star in Dubai’s ever burgeoning restaurant scene.

Celebrity chef Jason Atherton has 14 restaurants around the world. He has committed to come to the Dubai branch 4 times a year, next time being from 27th to 30th of April 2016.

Tristan Farmer is the head chef on the scene here in Dubai.

Table on the Terrace at Marina Social DoinDubai

Where is Marina Social located in Dubai

Marina Social is located in the newish Inter Continental hotel in the Marina, almost across from the Address Dubai Marina hotel.

Marina Social Churros don't have to be chocolate DoiinDubai

Food at Marina Social 

You can choose to order a la carte or select from one of their 3 set menus : Munchies AED 450, Hungry AED 550 or Famished AED 650. We chose a la carte and were hungry but came out very full! We were entertaining clients that evening, one of whom was vegetarian so it was very helpful to have a separate vegetarian menu.  Not sure if this the case in the London branches. Will report back after the summer break.

Very good way of eating Burrata at Marina Social DoinDubai

So for 4 diners, one vegetarian, we chose the following to start with:

  • Goats’s Cheese Churros
  • Snow peas salad
  • Italian tomato with burrata
  • Garlic flat bread with feta and a
  • “Social Dog” duck and foie gras sausage

I’d order all of the above again apart from the Social Dog.

Snow Peas Salad at Marina Social DOinDubai

and to follow:

  • Garden pea potato gnocchi
  • The Halibut
  • Victoria Lamb

all excellent, and I was surprised at how good the gnocchi was, not stodgy or thick at all. The halibut was my favourite.

For dessert:

  • Rhubarb and Custard Souflee
  • Caramelised Tarte Tatin (for 2)

Posh puddings at Marina Social DoinDubai

I LOVED both these desserts and would happily order again without any hesitation.

Ambience at Marina Social

We visited on the day of the torrential rain in Dubai (9th March 2016) and expected the restaurant to be very quiet. It wasn’t! The bar area was very quiet, but the restaurant was more than half full. The tables on the terrace overlooking the Marina are really special and still fine for our evenings for another few weeks I think.

I don’t know what the “proper” way is to receive a gin and tonic but I prefer to add my own ice and tonic, and at a place like this would have expected some tiny snack. Great that they have a variety of gins and even better that they have Fever Tree light tonic, but please don’t mix my drink next time!

Deals at Marina Social 

There is a Ladies Night deal on a Tuesday evening starting from 9pm that comprises of 3 complimentary cocktails. As well as a Brunch that happens on a Friday and Saturday, a new post coming after we’ve tried that in a couple of weeks. It’s not open for lunch during the week, only dinner.

Competition Coming from Marina Social Dubai 

Brunch for 2 on 29th of April with Jason Atherton is one of our April competition prizes so do stay subscribed for this generous and special prize for DoinDubai subscribers.

 Still time to enter these competitions for complementary meals

Dinner for 2 at Al Dawaar 

Dubai Restaurant Review Al Daawar DoinDubai Seafood starters

Brunch for 2 at Intersect by Lexus DIFC 

Competion for Brunch at Interesect by Lexus DIFC Brunch here

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Thanks Monica.

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HEINZ BECK in DUBAI WALDORF ASTORIA

HEINZ BECK AND 3 MICHELIN STARS

What’s it like to eat dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm when a 3 star Michelin chef like Heinz Beck is cooking for you? Find what what he cooked us, learn about the new Taste of Waldorf dish and watch a video. See if the pictures entice you to try dinner at Social at the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm Jumeirah.

Fight to get a seat at Social @Waldorfdubai #Fabulous experience #eating @HeinzBeck #cuisine. Here for 2 nights only. #Gastronomy #VisitDubai #Special #Evening New post with #interview coming soon find out what #HeinzBeck favourite #restaurant is...but have to finish #ATM2015 first ! #celebrity #chef

Chef Heinz Beck is German by birth but has lived in Italy for the last 21 years. His La Pergola restaurant in Rome,  has had it’s coveted 3 Michelin stars for the last 10 years.

Chef Beck explained that one never really knows what it is that the Michelin Inspectors are looking for, but you have to be ready. Furthermore you never have much idea of who they are!  La Pergola located in the Cavalieri at the Waldorf Astoria Rome, was visited by the inspectors 17 times, but he only recognized them twice!

 

HEINZ BECK WINS TASTE OF WALDORF

Last year Heinz Beck, together with an up and coming American chef David Posey, won a competition organized by the James Beard foundation. They beat off strong competition to create the new Taste of Waldorf dish. They came up with the winning dish Celery Risotto a la Waldorf. You can look at the recipe to see what’s in it and how it was made.

I was fascinated that they turned the celery into risotto size rice pieces simply using a knife and lots of patience! This dish will now be rolled out in all the 29 Waldorf Astoria hotels around the world. Did you know that apart from the obvious Waldorf salad, dishes like Red Velvet Cake, Thousand Island dressing and Eggs Benedict all originated from the Waldorf Astoria kitchens and are now iconic items globally recognized?

Lobster medallions Heinz Beck

HEINZ BECK IN DUBAI

Celery Risotto a la Waldorf is just one of the items on the menu at Social restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm Jumeirah. You can try it any time but Heinz Beck was in Dubai for 2 days on the 4th and 5th of May cooking at Social itself. DoinDubai was lucky enough to be invited to try a 7 course meal prepared by the 3 star Michelin chef at Social.  Heinz Beck explained to us that Dubai was a little challenging when it came to sourcing fresh ingredients that he’s used to finding in the food markets of Rome and other European cities, but they managed. I’m not sure if they used organic celery in the Celery risotto a la Waldorf but we know it’s hugely different in appearance and taste from the supermarket Australian and American varieties we get here.

Amouse Bouche Heinz Beck

The service at the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm was excellent, we called ahead and explained that my dining companion was a vegetarian and I didn’t eat beef but we still wanted to experience the mastery of Heinz Beck’s cuisine. We were not disappointed at all. 7 impressive courses for both of us with our dining preferences addressed.

HEINZ BECK THE CHEF

I haven’t eaten at a restaurant where a 3 star Michelin chef was cooking so I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was so nervous about talking to a celebrity chef! Heinz Beck is completely normal, very friendly and totally unlike a celebrity at all! He chatted to a couple who were so excited that he was cooking for those 2 nights they happened to be staying at the hotel and signed a menu for them. He spoke to us after dinner and was only too happy to answer our questions patiently. I explained I was impressed that he was quite au fait with social media as I had looked him up and followed him on Twitter. He said this was the new norm. He also said if he had a choice to eat anywhere in the world money no object, then he would eat what his wife had made for him at home. But at a push he also recommended a Japanese restaurant called Kikunoi in Tokyo that specialises in a type of cuisine called Kaiseki.  We thanked him for his time and wished him all the best, he then followed me on Twitter!

 

 

Listen to what DoinDubai had to say about Social with Heinz Beck on The Ticket on Dubai Eye 103.8 where I am a regular guest. This restaurant featured under Dining to Impress! If this podcast has whetted your appetite for more chat, then listen to the current choices.

listen to ‘The Ticket 4, 12.05.2015’ on audioBoom

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