Molecule: Fine design, but does the food match?

Would you believe I’ve never been to D3?  Hubs visits quite regularly for work, but I’ve never had the opportunity to maneuver the set of turns and flyovers it takes to get there.  Thus, with said Hubs out of town for the weekend and a newly opened restaurant, I decided I would go and check out the place for myself.  I wandered around D3 for a bit, trying to get directions to register on my Google Maps (and simultaneously frustrated there was not a simple sign or ‘Molecule is located in Bldg 10’ listing).  Finally finding the venue, the combination of the rather anti-feng-shui model of actually getting in the front door and the tiny sign marking the restaurant, my first suggestion to Molecule would be to more clearly mark the entrance as well as showing which building they are located on a map.  Fortunately, all the effort was worth it once I was inside.  The interior is truly one of the more memorable fit outs in the city.  High textured ceilings and a unique color palette on the walls (filled with art) pair with similarly appointed furniture and add up to an absolute show stopper of a venue.

As I arrived for an early lunch, I missed the opening of the bar (alcoholic drinks are served from 2 PM, and while the cocktail list looks pretty decent, I’m not entirely sure how licensing laws were worked around here).  While the list of mocktails was eye catching, I was happy to settle for a Diet Coke.

The menus are (as you might imagine) well designed, but to my point at 3 Fils, not a perfect match for the food coming out of the kitchen.  Overall, I feel there’s a bit of a cuisine dilemma going on.  While the walls and funky art installations say ‘Al Serkal’ and an avant-garde venue like Inked, my burger and salad say ‘Jumeirah Beach Road’ and ‘Jones the Grocer.’

After reviewing the menu, the Aubergine caught my eye (is it a deal at AED38?  I can’t tell), it was the Tuna Tartare (AED53) I ended up ordering as a starter.  Maybe it’s the level of crudo/tartares I’ve been enjoying recently, but while I loved the slightly savory yellow sauce and quail egg, overall, I thought the dish could’ve used a carb of some kind (crostini/cracker/toast point) and a bit more heat and texture.

Torn between the Classic Burger and the Tuna Burger, I asked for some direction from the pleasant pop print attired waitress, who gave me this response: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  So, not a lot of help there.  I ultimately decided on the Classic Burger (AED58) and was appreciative that homemade sweet potato chips were an option as an accompaniment.  While there was an excellent balance of sweetness in the burger (and hello gruyere!), I would’ve really liked a larger, more toasted bun.  A classic crispy bread of some form with a bit more greenery would’ve pushed this plate towards something memorable.

Now, I was all set to leave, when who should walk in but Mark My World and Out and About UAE?  How lucky for me!  An impromptu blogger session started with all of us catching up.  The lads were generous enough to let me enjoy a pavlova on their account.  🙂  The dessert was a deconstructed version of the classic dish and pleasant enough with plenty of fresh fruit.  Overall, I think they may have had better luck in ordering, so I would encourage you to check out their reviews for a further idea of the restaurant.

Would I go back?  Sorry, gang, there’s just nothing unique enough about this restaurant that I can see a return visit for.  I think it’s perfect for the people who work at D3, but I also believe that this particular micro-market has a lot of similar offers (even if they don’t categorize it as ‘bistronomy.’)  Still, if you’re looking for something a bit outside the usual (and want to enjoy a drink while doing so), then Molecule might tick the boxes you’re looking for.

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3610.408895090386!2d55.29461725147053!3d25.189429583820736!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x3e5f6816d8c2a795%3A0x1eab812a8c8d4971!2sMolecule+Restaurant!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sae!4v1493009407709&w=600&h=450]