Seafood Kitchen, To the Pointe.

After striking out at no less than three other venues, I think luck was on my side when Seafood Kitchen (who recently opened their second location at the Pointe, Palm Jumeirah) agreed to host Hubs and me for lunch last Friday.  As we arrived to the Pointe for the first time, we both wondered how the area would fare in the dead of summer, but overall, the design of the retail space is lovely, with plenty of places to sit, eat, and for kids to run around.  At the end of the East podium sits Seafood Kitchen, spread over two floors, and looks back directly onto the Atlantis (no doubt, a place to impress your out of town guests).

Because it was a spectacularly beautiful day, we take one of the seats outside, which has plenty of shade.  While the material and layout of the menu reads a bit downmarket versus the pricing (yes, I judge everything), Hubs and I are excited to see an independent gin menu, which is home to some spectacular spirits.  We happily select our personal favorite, Gin Mare (AED142, I might be off by a few dizzles here, as I forgot to take a photo of the drinks menu — but prices do include a double shot and tonic).

When it comes to food at Seafood Kitchen, diners have plenty of options – either ala carte or selecting from the large amount of fresh fish.  Our host takes us to the selection of fish, displayed with market pricing and on ice, and includes Dibba Bay Oysters (#buylocal).  The fish and seafood are delivered fresh daily, and towards the end of the evening, they can run out of individual stock.  Any order can be prepared in whichever manner the guest prefers.

To start, we order Oysters (five for Hubs, none for me – sorry bivalves, I still don’t like you).  With that, we ask for an order of Prawn Cocktail AED76, and Seared Scallops AED88.  Do I find the pricing a tad high?  Yes.  Does the shrimp cocktail have a bit too much dressing for me?  Also yes.  Do either of these things turn me off from the experience?  No, they do not.  I’d love to see one more prawn and scallop served with each dish to get a better sense of value for money, but then again, I’m not sure what the price of seafood is these days.  The plates are nice, and I would definitely order the scallops again (the barbequed corn salsa adds great texture).

For our main, Hubs is tempted by our earlier trip to the fish counter, and we decide on Red Snapper, (which weighed in at 2.2kg, the market price was AED180 per 500g).  We ask to have the fish filleted and grilled and served up with a variety of sauces.  As sides, I like the Asparagus, AED35 and we also order (what else?) Fat chips, AED25.  While the asparagus is a win, we both wish the fries received a bit more love instead of being more or less an afterthought.  The (massive) snapper arrived and was cooked to perfection.  Warm, flaky, and seasoned not to overwhelm the delicate nature of the fish; we were both very impressed with the cook of the protein.  And really, the amount of meat could’ve easily been split three or even four ways.

Could we have had dessert?  Maybe.  Instead, we share a bottle of rose with our main course.  🙂

Overall, I loved the leisurely pace of the meal — rare to find in Dubai.

My notes are minimal — I’d like to see a bit more of an extended cocktail menu, and different tonic water used (especially with such a fantastic selection of gins).  We also agreed that perhaps a varied music selection would further enhance the ambiance (I like Tennis’ Cape Dory, or Washed Out).  As I will say with almost every venue I visit in the UAE, filling 200 covers on a daily basis is a big ask, and I wish the team at Seafood Kitchen all the best with the challenge.  When the weather is warm, the space won’t feel quite so large, but 100 covers would be just as welcome.

Would I go back to Seafood Kitchen?  Yes.  Although I’ve enjoyed Club Vista Mare and other venues on the Palm, I think the views are better, and there is more on offer at Seafood Kitchen.  I’d definitely be tempted by a brunch.

Who is Seafood Kitchen best for?  Seafood Kitchen is comparable to Villamore, albeit with a slightly different offering, and other views of the Palm.  The venue is quite child-friendly, so it’s an easy place for an extended family outing.

Which is your favorite venue on the Palm?

A to Za’atar was a guest of Seafood Kitchen.  Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.