In a serious Dubai foodie faux pas, I had only previously visited Play as part of the Foodiva’s dine around (about this time last year). During our visit, I was impressed by not only the food but also the design and overall atmosphere of the restaurant and lounge (as I recall it was the middle of the week and packed with patrons). Thus, when seated next to talented chef (and winner of Time Out Dubai’s Best Restaurant 2017 and Best Asian Restaurant 2017) Reif Othman at the recent pop up with Gaggan at the One & Only Royal Mirage last week, I was super excited to talk to him about all his recent successes. While he’s a fun dinner companion (and very patient when it comes to foodie friends who take 9,000 pictures of their plates), it’s also clear that he’s entirely dedicated to his food (and his diners). While I’m still…
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]]>I didn’t particularly set out for a brunch this weekend, but when plans for dinner on Thursday fell through, brunch seemed like the best way to get out of the house. As usual, I wanted a place that was in the Entertainer (buy one, get one free offers, natch) and served ala carte. El Sur seemed to fit the bill perfectly. We were fortunate to have two additional diners join us, which made for a fun quartet. Inside the Westin, the restaurant is located off of the left from the lobby. With a deceptively small entrance, the interior is unique. Walking directly into the high-ceilinged lounge, we were seated at one of the tables in the main dining room. Having passed two tables for 10-12 brunchers, I thought it was a smart move by the restaurant to sort of separate the larger parties from the smaller groups. Also, should you have…
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The Entertainer has been absolutely crushing it recently! When April’s monthly offers came out and I saw a brunch with Intersect by Lexus, I was excited. Although I put the call out to other friends, in the end, it was just Hubs and myself and we had a blast (seriously, some very good people watching on offer as well as running into a former colleague from 2008). As a concept, the restaurant is one of three in the world (the other properties are in Toyko and New York, respectively). As the website itself lists, the location is “an artisanal eatery offering an authentic and evolving culinary journey with a focus on pure, handcrafted organic cuisine and beverages.” Reservations? Made online (1 day before – oops!!). Ambiance? Located in (where else), DIFC’s Gate Village. As best I can explain, it’s a bit like eating in a funky artist studio. Straight away, unlike some…
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