Back in Dubai for a bit, I was more than happy to accept an invitation to lunch at Marea, which has long been on my list of restaurants to visit. For those who remember, Marea operates where Totora (RIP) used to be located. Marea has maintained the same upstairs/downstairs areas as before, although the installation of an elevator is a smart touch for anyone with mobility issues. There is a chic bar upstairs, and the downstairs remains the lounge (and where the toilets are located). The area now also includes a private dining room.
Once seated, I opened the branded menu to have a look at the options. The business lunch is listed as AED125 for two courses (off of four different menu options — Crudo or Antipasti, Pasta or Secondi), and there is also an a la carte menu available. Seeing options from both we wanted to try, my dining partner and I decided to sample a bit of everything. My guest, well-known travel writer Sarah Hedley Hymers, has visited the New York property, so I was very interested to hear her comparison with the Dubai branch.
To start, I knew I had to try the Lobster and Burrata, AED135. The rule of not mixing cheese and seafood is currently being broken in fantastic style at Marea. While I thought for sure the dish would need something more substantial to support it (crostini, etc.), in reality, kind of a keto lovers dream — all lovely luxurious elements. Would I order it again? Actually, yes! Sarah had her eye on the Prawn Tartare, AED128, which we also decided to share. While I loved the crunch from the Marcona almonds, Sarah was a bit against the pickled mushrooms. Overall, I thought the dish was quite balanced (more so than more traditional tartrates). While I think the lobster is priced correctly, given the smaller portion size of the prawn dish, I’m not quite sure the price is where it should be.
Off of the business lunch menu, I’ve chosen the Tonno (tuna) which arrived with three pieces (perfect for dieting) as did Sarah’s Scampi (langoustine). Our proteins were all balanced on a slice of cucumber. Did I expect slightly larger portions for our first course? Not going to lie, I really did. While the presentation was perfectly pretty, the tiny bites (even with their quality proteins), were at least justifiable for my diet, but I would recommend ordering something more substantial if you have an appetite. Fortunately, the next course, the pan-roasted diver Scallops, consist of a generous portion of four scallops, served with wild mushrooms, asparagus, and truffle brown butter. The a la carte version is priced at AED250, which also seems on the high side of the scale (but perhaps more scallops are involved in the off the menu portion). However they are ordered, of the entire meal, the sweet scallops were my favorite dish, and one I would happily order again. Having had a rather bland/disappointing scallop dish at another restaurant earlier in the week, the contrasts between this amazing dish and the earlier one were wide.
Finally, even though both of us were trying to limit our carbs, we decided it would be rude to visit Marea and not at least try a pasta dish. We asked for one of the most popular or signature dishes, which ended up being Fusilli, AED145. It’s…pasta. I think given some rather amazing experiences I had earlier in the year at Alici, that my standards for pasta on any given day are quite high. While red wine braised baby octopus is listed as the first ingredient in the dish, I don’t get much of it, nor do I taste notes of bone marrow. It’s not a pasta I would be in a rush to order again.
Although we probably shouldn’t have, Sarah and I decided to split Bomboloni, AED55 basically, ricotta donuts, or, as I like to refer to them as Italian churros – served up with lemon ricotta cream and a chocolate cardamom sauce. What’s not to love? We finish the meal with small petit fours, which I thought was a nice touch.
While service is a highlight at Marea — attentive, professional, engaging — and the interiors are quite chic, my favorite Italian restaurant in Dubai remains Alici, by a decent margin.
Would I return to Marea? With so many other favorites in DIFC, I’m not in any particular rush to return. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Who is Marea best for? Those looking for a light business lunch. A classy place for drinks and small bites.
A to Za’atar was a guest of Marea. Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.
