Fifty Shades of Food

 The opening of Rags to Riches is a welcome addition to the culinary and social scene around Studio City and Arabian Ranches. Located on the first floor of the restaurant area of the hotel, it is accessed from either the lift facing the courtyard or from the larger lift to the left of the reception desk of the hotel, (through the lobby). While we went for lunch we did feel a second visit in the evening is warranted.  The welcome was warm, the seating well thought out, the decor simple but tasteful and the large outside terrace promises to be ideal with the weather cooling down. The menu is a delight, with an excellent food offering that is a hybrid between classy pub grub and a casual dinning experience. The bread rolls (baked in house) with rosemary were absolutely divine as was the nachos and the jalapeno poppers. The service stood out and later we were joined by the co founder and brain behind the concept Shaban Ibrahim, (previously at the Ranches Restaurant at the Golf Clu...

 Sometimes stumbling upon an eatery can be a pleasant surprise. This was the case with our visit to Pangolin at the Els Golf Club in Dubai Sports City. Our first visit was a delight in every respect from the food, to the service and the over all feel of the place. So after a gap of two months we revisited Pangolin. Knowing from our first visit that the restaurant had been acquired by a new group we expected some changes. While no visible changes had emerged we heard that the restaurant was being rebranded and the offering would change from the current theme. Our two visits had given us the distinct impression that the Pangolin was a hidden gem. Its Mediterranean accented food offering was simply amazing. The food fitted in so well with the poolside presence of the restaurant and had a nice casual feel to it. While one may say the decor looked 'tired' it at best needs a facelift. The menu was well constructed and every item we ordered was well prepared, with just the perfect tas...

 Once you have weaved your way past two or three competing restaurants on the terrace of The Pointe, you come to A Capella. The decor barely distinguishes it from its competitors but this can be deceptive as soon the food and drink experience that follows sets A Capella as a unique and special eating experience. The views of the Atlantis across the bay of water and the light and fountain show that repeats itself every 30 minutes create an ambience that makes your visit special.  It would be hard to classify this restaurant with a "Passport" menu of offers from select countries, and the food presentation with hints of fusion cooking, (A Tandoori chicken with Japanese sauces as an example). Put aside the need to label this eat place and each item you taste is an explosion of flavours and an attention to gastronomic detail that made us feel A Capella really does deliver. The Aalo Tiki (potato starters) and the Patata Bravas (from Spain) were simply exceptional. The Yellow Dal wi...

 Brunches, especially during the winter months, tend to get a reputation for being pricey and a bit of a glitz parade. Discovering the Hessa Street Kitchen brunch in Friday was as much coincidental and it was a pleasant surprise. The welcome was very warm, Jane, the waitress bumped into us in the lobby and escorted us all the way to the table. While the decor is minimal, and some of the snobs may not find it has the glitz of a five star hotel, it was functional and seating was amply spaced out.  The Dh 295 full alcohol package and a Dh 175 non alcoholic package was really reasonable, all the more considering there was a buy one get one free offering. That meant the two of us end up paying only Dh 295. The alcohol package while basic was by no means spartan. There were offerings of spirits, red, white and rose wines, beers and half a dozen cocktails, the negative being all but one were beer based. We would suggest the cocktails might well be revamped to include some of the more...

Our impression of McGettigan's has been clouded with the idea that is is the watering hole for tourists and upper scale Dubai residents. Positioned in the mind as a pub one would not expect the food to be one of the stronger suites of this Irish offering. Indeed the setting of McGettigan's along the canal of Madinat Jumeirah creates a unique ambience that alone is a footfall driver. A very friendly staff, and the vibe of a happening place standout.  The welcome was warm and friendly, and our request to be seated outside was quickly complied with after a short time inside. There is no doubt this Irish offering stands out with the quick service and the friendly staff. The drinks menu while not exhaustive is well thought out even catering to the one non-drinker in our midst. The food menu while not wide in selections certainly gave the impression this was more than pub grub on offer.  The Spinach Tagliatelle was perfectly cooked and a ideal choice for a vegetarian. The fish and c...

 When a close friend invited us to Mizu at Downtown in Dubai, we were not too sure if we were up for a night of sashimi and sushi. Within minutes of arriving we realised this was not your typical Japanese restaurant; this is something very special. Once you figure out the parking, (use Boulevard Parking 2 and take the lift up) you walk into a very down to earth decor of Mizu. The staff are very polite, the place is vibrant and every table was occupied. We decided to have a medley of starters and found there was nothing wanting in the almost two hour procession of food.  Mizu is a gem of a place and the food is its mainstay. Each dish was an explosion of taste, and you could feel there was considerable thought and effort in the offering that this restaurant presented. Starting from the Yellowtail Carpaccio till the final course of the Mochi Ice Cream there was not a single dish that was below par. There were adequate options for the veggie lovers and vegans amongst us. We enjoy...

Simon Rimmer's restaurant, The Scene at Pier 7 appears on the Dubai social media platforms with accolades and high recommendations. A celebrated British chef the menu he conjures up for The Scene is exciting and promising tempting us to venture out on a Saturday for dinner. Occupying the entire 4th floor of Pier 7 the restaurant is expansive with an outdoor terrace, which overlooks the Dubai Marina, envelopes the restaurant. The welcome was polite with the decor minimalistic and one could not help but notice a couple of buckets on the floor designed to catch the dripping condensation from the air conditioning vents.   As stated the menu is well thought out and the various themed nights with dedicated menus caught our attention. For Saturday the themed roast caught our attention and we opted for the braised leg of lamb with a nice medley of vegetables and roast potatoes. The meat had been deboned and came in the form of a patty supposed to be resting on red cabbage and a Yorksh...