99 Problems, but Puerto 99 ain’t one.
(You will excuse my terrible title). Over the weekend, Hubs and I made a trip to Bluewaters – this time to check out Puerto 99, a recently opened Mexican restaurant. While the timing on my beloved Google Maps wasn’t entirely accurate, the team were friendly enough to let us in and show us to a seat. As Dubai tipped towards summer, we decided to sit inside, as there was plenty of natural light, and views across to a bustling Dubai Marina. With a modern take on Mexican, the fit out is similar to the now-closed Peyote (which is a shame, because from a disappointing start, they got better and it was a reliable brunch spot… I digress). As we reviewed the menu, to begin, we’re served a small plate of tostadas with two kinds of salsa (one milder, but both delicious). We then jumped straight in with a large serving…
Alici, subtle flavors at Bluewaters Dubai.
For reasons I’ll get into later in a later post, last week was a weird week. There were highs and lows, and as my 38th year drew to a close, I decided to meet up with a friend for a long lunch on Thursday afternoon at Alici. Having heard good things, I was cautiously optimistic. While a bit difficult to find (seriously, Meeras, get your act together with the signage at Bluewaters), my patience paid off, and upon arrival, I found the location to be appropriately themed and decorated. Much like similar restaurants serving this cuisine, there is a beachy chic vibe going which does well to match the food. Should you be interested, there is a crudo bar downstairs, where you can literally see what will become your lunch or dinner. I chose to sit upstairs, where the best views of the marina can be found. As my guest was running…
The London Project, Bluewaters Dubai.
After some delays (damn you, cold), I finally managed to make it to The London Project, a newly opened endeavor at Bluewaters Dubai, the man-made island (where the Caesars Palace is located). To start, my Careem driver and I were a bit unsure of where exactly the drop off was for the restaurant and spoiler alert — there are no real indicators. As of now, the signage/wayfinding (at least near the London Project) leave something to be desired. I mention this because customers finding the restaurant is more or less the base level of the start of the experience… Anyway, in the shadow of the absolutely giant (and not functional) Dubai Ain, sits a series of food and beverage outlets, including The London Project. With its just opened sister restaurant, The London Slide (serving up burgers), I finally walked around to the marina side of the area to where the entrance…