Even if you head out for both lunch and dinner over the next 10 days, you still won't be able to make it to all 37 eateries that are participating in Dubai Restaurant Week, which starts today as part of Dubai Food Festival. It's too bad, really, because not only do the venues enable foodies to sample a variety of cuisines, but also the set menus are priced at a fraction of what you would otherwise pay. The next best thing, then, is to lay out a game plan that takes in an eclectic selection of dishes, locations and prices.
Here, we put together the most scrumptious-sounding menus, one for each day of Dubai Restaurant Week, which concludes on Saturday, March 14. These include first-time entrants such as 3BK in Burj Khalifa, Puerto 99 on Bluewaters Island, Pierchic at Jumeirah Al Qasr and Kizmet next to Dubai Opera; regular participants such as Hotel Cartagena and Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra at JW Marriott Marquis in Business Bay; and restaurants serving lunch for the first time as part of the 2020 event, such as Hell's Kitchen at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, Rockfish at Jumeirah Al Naseem, Coya at Four Seasons Resort and Phoenicia in JBR.
Bookings are essential and can be made through the ReserveOut app and website, and there is a non-refundable fee of Dh50 per diner to confirm reservations.
Menu 1: 3BK
Offering dishes with a Latin American and Asian slant, the Armani Hotel eatery is done up with gold accents and onyx countertops. The price is Dh250 for dinner.
Starter (pick one)
- Wild rice salad with kale, roasted corn, pomegranate-truffle dressing
- Beef tartare with Angus tenderloin, pecorino Romano, quail egg yolk
- Tomato tartare with confit tomato, capers, gherkins, chives
Main (pick one)
- Mushroom risotto with king oyster mushrooms, black trumpets, Carnaroli rice
- Flank steak with Wagyu beef, broccoli puree, purple potato, black pepper sauce
- Miso-marinated black cod with Japanese mushrooms
Dessert (pick one)
- Miso milk cake with black sesame foam, yuzu pearls, yoghurt ice cream
- Milk chocolate tart with hazelnuts, salted caramel
- Tropical vanilla cheesecake with mango sorbet, passion fruit
Menu 2: Hell's Kitchen
Based on Gordon Ramsay’s reality show, the Caesars Palace Bluewaters Island restaurant is dominated by a theatrical kitchen, without the expletives. The price is Dh125 for lunch.
Starter (pick one)
- Caesar salad with Parmesan cheese frico, garlic croutons, lemon zest
- Chantenay carrot soup with honey cumin oil, sweet garlic chips
- Wagyu meatballs with slow-roasted tomato sauce, polenta croutons, Parmesan, crystallised basil
Main (pick one)
- Half beef Wellington fillet wrapped in puff pastry with mushroom duxelle, potato puree, glazed root vegetables, demi-glace
- Crispy skin salmon with caramelised onion, layered potatoes, fennel and orange salad, fennel beurre blanc
- Truffle and wild mushroom risotto with ricotta cheese, truffle cep
Dessert (pick one)
- Chocolate hazelnut cake with Caramac chocolate, hazelnut praline mousse, dark chocolate, clotted Devonshire ice cream
- Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce, speculoos ice cream
- Jaffa orange cheesecake with bittersweet dark chocolate, orange gel, sorbet
Menu 3: Puerto 99
Authenticity rules at this Mexican cantina on Bluewaters Island, thanks to a live mariachi band who play foot-thumping tunes every 30 minutes or so. The price is Dh150 for dinner.
Starter (pick one)
- Hass Mexican avocado guacamole with lime juice, pico de gallo, pomegranate seeds, Mazatlan salt
- Creamy vegetable soup with crispy tortilla frites, hass avocado, pasilla chilli, cheese, sour cream
- Red snapper ceviche with lime, onion, coriander, tomato, Habanero chilli, olive oil
Main (pick one)
- Roasted bone marrow with barbacoa-style beef tacos, guajillo chilli jus
- Spicy hammour fillet topped with beef glaze, garlic, serrano chilli, mixed peppers, Mexican rice, black beans
- Glazed chicken with almond-based mole sauce with Mexican rice, queso fresco, refried beans
Dessert (pick one)
- Pastel de tres leches topped with flamed white chocolate meringue, fresh berries, toasted almond powder, passion fruit glaze, vanilla sauce
- Warm churros with chocolate, raspberry and salted caramel dips
Menu 4: Pierchic
Sustainability lies at the heart of this over-the-water seafood restaurant at Jumeirah Al Qasr, which offers spectacular views of Burj Al Arab. The price is Dh250 for dinner.
Starter (pick one)
- Galician octopus with patatas bravas, veal chorizo, garlic aioli, arugula puree, smoked paprika, romesco sauce
- Artisan UAE burrata with heirloom tomatoes, pesto
- Australian Wagyu tartare with oyster emulsion, smoked egg yolk, hazelnuts, sea vegetable
Main (pick one)
- Confit Norwegian salmon with Mazara red prawns, salmon crisp, arugula puree, fennel risotto
- Seasonal mushrooms risotto with summer truffle, Grana Padano, toasted pine nuts
- Corn-fed chicken two ways with roasted breast, leg ballotine, pearl barley, seasonal mushrooms
Dessert (pick one)
- UAE ricotta pistachio cheesecake with sour cherry sorbet
- The pearl by Pierchic with Jivara and Guanaja chocolate mousse, mixed berries, fizzy candy, passion fruit sauce
Menu 5: Rockfish
Another property with Burj Al Arab views, the Jumeirah Al Naseem restaurant promises to bring traditional Italian cuisine to life. The price is Dh125 for lunch.
Starter (pick one)
- Yellowfin tuna with sesame dressing, truffle
- Green-pea soup with truffle
- Quinoa salad with kale, mango, beetroot, guacamole
Main (pick one)
- Beetroot risotto with Gorgonzola cheese, balsamic
- Atlantic sole with lemon vinaigrette, watermelon, coriander
- Cheese tortelli with lemon and mint
Dessert (pick one)
- Tiramisu
- Apple tart with vanilla ice cream
- Sorbet selection
Menu 6: Coya
The eatery at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach infuses Peruvian, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese flavours. The price is Dh125 for lunch.
Starter (pick one)
- Hongos ceviche with wild mushrooms, choclo, shallots, crispy enoki
- Wagyu short rib, mantou baos, aji Amarillo
- Salmon taco with avocado, aji Amarillo
Main (pick one)
- Beef ribs with miso, aji limo
- Arroz Nikkei Chilean sea bass with lime, chilli
- Peruvian dried potato with cauliflower, celeriac, aji Amarillo
Dessert
- Peruvian purple corn colada, passion fruit, strawberry-orange shortbread
Menu 7: Hotel Cartagena
This JW Marriott Marquis Dubai restaurant has a bohemian vibe and funky decor, complete with palm trees, murals, vintage books and garden gnomes. The price is Dh150 for dinner.
Starter (pick one)
- Foie gras bao with fried maduros, Habanero mango salsa
- Aji tuna ceviche with compressed watermelon, mandarin, sesame
- Bok choy Caesar with huacatay, anchovy, Parmigiano, grapes
Main (pick one)
- Mixed meat grill with asparagus, anticuchera sauce
- Grilled fish of the day with salsa roja
- Chipotle sweet-and-sour tofu with yuca, maduros, escabeche
Dessert (pick one)
- Bunuelos de chocolate with guava syrup, chilli chocolate, lucuma ice cream
- Tres leches dulce soaked vanilla cake, tropical fruit, coconut ice cream
Menu 8: Kizmet
The Dubai Opera restaurant offers Instagrammable interiors and creative dishes. The price is Dh150 for dinner.
Starter (pick one)
- Green papaya salad with nuts, chilli
- Potato flowers with mushroom
- Tempura temaki roll with mayo, soy pearls
Main (pick one)
- Koji chicken thighs with roasted sesame, labneh, roasted leeks
- Okonomiyaki pizza with mozzarella, bonito flakes, wasabi mayo
- Kombu leaves and fish with coconut rice, garlic vinegar
Dessert (pick one)
- Death by chocolate with sourdough brownie, white chocolate mousse, chocolate ice cream
- Cannoli duo with mascarpone pistachio, chocolate hazelnut filling
- Peanut butter ice cream with pineapple jam, raspberry sauce
Menu 9: Phoenicia
Serving a menu designed by chef Greg Malouf, the eatery at JA Oasis Beach Tower celebrates Middle Eastern food with a modern twist. The price is Dh75 for lunch.
Starter (pick one)
- Fattouche with white asparagus
- Ma'hanie lamb sausages sauteed with lemon and pomegranate, harissa potato salad
- Roasted giant Gulf prawns with Moroccan spice mix, lamb lettuce salad
Main (pick one)
- Scottish salmon fillet with fennel, lime, sumac and baby potatoes
- Laham mishwee with skewered prime beef fillet, charred onions, tomatoes and bell peppers
- Seven-vegetable tagine royale with buttered couscous, harissa broth and onion jam
Dessert (pick one)
- Fresh fruits with pistachio halva, seasonal sorbet, Arabesque chocolate wafers
- Knife and fork ice cream with chocolate halva, plum caramel, honey wafers
- Warm chocolate and date cake with honeyed labneh, salted banana caramel
Menu 10: Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra
Jiggs Kalra, chef patron at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai restaurant, was all about innovative flavour combinations and cooking techniques, and it shows. The price is Dh150 for dinner.
Starter (get both)
- Pea pearl puchkas and Farmer's staple 4.0
Main: first course (pick one)
- Bihari daal peetha with sesame crust
- Curry leaf pepper prawns with thayir sadam
- Roasted cashew nut paneer with date chutney
- Chicken tikka
Main: second course (pick one)
- Tawa boti with textures of greens
- Chicken Chettinadu with chilli coconut rice
- Almond-crusted water chestnut kofta with garam masala korma
Dessert
- Rasmalai tres leches with saffron cream
Drink
- Mushroom chai
