Flooka is a licensed seafood restaurant with a distinctly Middle Eastern flavour. Located on the first (and top) floor of a standalone building, along the walkway towards the sea, of the venerable Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, Flooka is very much an old-school establishment. It greets you with an ice-bed display of fresh seafood … Continue reading Flooka – Jumeirah 1
Tribes Dubai Mall is the second branch of Tribes, the first being in MOE, where we are regulars. The franchise is African inspired, and as such features meat extensively on its menu. I feel the interior of the new branch tries but fails to live up to the first. But it’s still a very enjoyable … Continue reading Tribes – Dubai Mall
I can hardly believe the Applebee’s branch we visited on Sheikh Zayed Road is part of the same franchise as the one in Festival City. The lack of consistency from one branch to another is shocking. The branch in Festival City, next door to TGI Friday’s, is brilliant. I felt this one, however, was tired, … Continue reading Applebee’s – Trade Centre Area
Opulence and mandi are not words one would expect to see in the same sentence. Mandi restaurants usually have very simple, traditional interiors. Malik Al Romansiah, on the other hand, has one of the most OTT interiors around – the place is nothing less than palatial. Located next door to mandi masters, Maraheb, in Rashidiya, … Continue reading Malik Al Romansiah – Ras Al Khor
Catch 22 is billed as a seafood restaurant, yet there are as many non-seafood items on its menu as there are seafood items. I get the impression that they started off with a seafood concept (I mean, the place does look like a pimped seashore shack) and then added meat and chicken, and lots of … Continue reading Catch 22 – The Beach, JBR
Ayam Elezz is one of a (growing) number of Lebanese restaurants which use throwbacks from the past to create ambience. That’s the polite way of saying – retro overkill. This is a restaurant very much in the same mould as the Layla franchise; a touch more polished, maybe. It’s as if the designers have raided … Continue reading Ayam Elezz – Retro Overkill
This is Raju Omlet’s third branch in Dubai. And it’s brilliant. Carrying over the same non-pretentious, not-overburdeningly-retro style they developed with the Al Quoz branch, their designers have created another peach of an interior. In addition to the clever signage, I thought their over-sized windows, which open onto the lakeview walkway, were beautiful, and (still … Continue reading Raju Omlet, Episode 3
There are not one but two ChowKing restaurants in Satwa; one opposite the Iranian Hospital, and this one, just off Satwa roundabout, opposite the Al Hanaa Centre. ChowKing is a Pilipino chain of Asian fast food restaurants. It’s owned by the same group which owns Jollibee. And with that useful bit of information behind us, … Continue reading A Filipino breakfast in Satwa
Mazina is the Address Marina’s all-day dining restaurant, and home to one of Dubai’s less spectacular buffets. I say this because, having dined there on several occasions, I have walked away underwhelmed each time (today included). If pressed to highlight something positive, it would be the restaurant’s marina view and, more importantly, its excellent service. … Continue reading Mazina – Dubai Marina
