The Eloquent Elephant is a handsomely decorated, modern gastropub at the Taj Dubai in Business Bay.
It is also home to the BEST Fish & Chips I have had outside the UK. So good was this IPA battered Norwegian haddock that I actually went back a couple of days later to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. Far from being a fluke, it may actually have been even better the second time around. F&B Manager, Saikia Biraj, says that’s because they pour a fresh pint of IPA draft to use in each batch of batter. Yet that crisp and crunchy batter is only half the story; the other half is the way young, superstar-in-the-making Chef Shardul Sah seasons and cooks to flaky perfection the haddock. It’s a masterpiece and worth every one of the 128 Dirhams they charge. This alone makes The Eloquent Elephant worth a detour.
This is without doubt, the BEST fish and chips in Dubai 
Superb IPA battered Norwegian haddock
The rest of the menu is similarly good. Other stands out include the highly recommended 12-hour slow cooked barbeque glazed Angus Short Ribs which, believe me, gives fall off the bone tender all whole new meaning. And far from overwhelming the taste of the ribs as in many other restaurants, the beautifully balanced BBQ glaze compliments the delicious spiced rubbed meat.
Fall off the bone tender 
12-hour slow-cooked barbeque glazed Angus Short Ribs
Other notable options include the Slow Roasted Dingley Dell Pork Belly which comes with crisp crackling and lots of savoury gravy. And then there is the Elephant Curry – it’s actually a lovely British style (=mild) chicken curry so relax; no elephants were harmed. Their desserts are equally good – I recommend the Sticky Toffee Pudding – it’s insanely good. Or, if you want something less intense, try a scoop (or three) of their in-house made, Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream – simplicity at it’s best.
Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream 
Elephant Curry 
Sticky Toffee Pudding 
Slow Roasted Dingley Dell Pork Belly
No review of a Taj establishment would be complete without mention of its service which I sum up in one word – exemplary. And that’s not taking into account my bias, which is the result of being an admirer of the late, great Xerxes Desai who ran Taj Hotels before going on to establish Titan. In fact, he and the great Zoroastrian king of Persia, Xerxes I, were the inspirations for the name of my blog. Meanwhile back at The Eloquent Elephant, weekday happy hours are a short three hours, from 16:00 to 19:00, where house spirits and drafts are reduced to an unspectacular AED39. Weekend brunch starts from AED199 and I hear, is quite nice. I, however, have imprinted on this quirky gastropub for one reason and one reason alone – the BEST FISH AND CHIPS in Dubai.
#1 Blogger on Zomato Dubai in 2018 and 2019 and beyond…
Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from, each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism. What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join me on Instagram @ravenousxerxes or email me on xerxes@dellara.com.