Gang, I’m going to admit something. I went to the former version of Carine, back when it was Le Classique. I feel the statute of limitation is over, but wowzers that was a bad meal. When researching for this post, I went back to my notes and found a nearly 1,000-word e-mail of all the things I would change (and really, I don’t think there was much worth saving). While I’m always sad to see a restaurant fail, in this instance, I think it’s for the best, because now we have Carine, the latest offer from Chef Izu (who you might remember from my visit to Citywalk). The interior space, which used to be dark, closed off, and hopelessly dated is now completely refreshed. Unlike many – ! – a Dubai venue, this is the right size restaurant, not overly large, and not too imposing as to make diners feel…
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You probably thought DIFC had everything it needed, didn’t you? So did I. Thus, imagine my surprise when a new venue came along and is basically like, “Actually…how about we try this?” Take a former art gallery and transform it into a unique multi-level restaurant, complete with outdoor space, and you’ve got my new favorite venue in DIFC. Equal parts casual and effortlessly cool, the menu is a bit eclectic (it works for me, but I can see how others might prefer a more traditional approach) and the engagement of the staff is well above average. This is BB. As they mention on their website, “Begin anywhere,” which is precisely what we did. Seated near one of my favorite chefs in the city, my dining partner and I happily welcomed a glass of Marquis de Joncary Joseph Perrier champagne to start, a special served here (in coupes no less) for…
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Bagatelle has been on my ‘really need to dine there’ list for well over a year. Photos of the interior have looked amazing, and it always seems to be a venue that ‘vibes’ (and I really need to make some attempt to define what this concept means to me). Ahem. Making my way through the Fairmont lobby, I am pointed to the left-hand side, and really, how fancy is a venue that it has its own elevator? (Oh wait, I’ve been to a few). Decorative elevators aside, the interior wasn’t what I was expecting. As part of my ‘research’ (in which I tend to creep on a restaurant’s website and social media prior to dining), the brightly lit interior space on the website doesn’t exactly match the dimly lit reality. Furthermore, does the over large cartoonish graffiti art work here? For me, it’s a strange choice. However, for the first time in a…
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