On one hand, the concept shrieked of slightly typical, belt-loosening Dubai largesse. On the other, it offered a chance to dive into what has long been, for me, an overwhelming restaurant scene.
On those occasions when I am able to sample one of Dubai’s many culinary offerings, I get so confused by choice – and worried about the very real prospect of expensive disappointment – that I usually end up returning to an old, trusted favourite.
If anyone were to launch a much-needed concept such as Dine Around Dubai, it is Samantha Wood, the award-winning blogger behind FooDiva.net. The British-Greek-Cypriot is a 15-year UAE expatriate, who four years ago left the world of PR to strike out on her own into the foodie world. With years of impartial restaurant reviews under her belt, Wood has become an all-things-eating expert.
She understands that, despite the plethora of options in the city, the average diner finds it hard to hit on a consistent and rewarding experience. “It’s hard for me as well,” she admits.
A recent Dine Around began with an air of excitement, shrouded in a bit of a mystery – Wood would reveal only the first restaurant, La Serre, in Vida Downtown hotel, and did not even do that until the day of the event.
The head chef at the romantic French bistro, Izu Ani, ventured out of the kitchen for a chat about the offerings, which were laid out in small dishes: mackerel with green chilli and rosemary; a warm green-bean salad topped with foie gras; and a slightly spiced onion tart. The standout was beef tartare, which Ani explained had been leisurely marinated in a mixture of salt, thyme and garlic.
“I didn’t just want the flavour to be on top,” he explained. “I wanted the flavour to be inside the meat.”
And just as it felt that we’d been at La Serre perhaps just the right amount of time, Wood cheerily exhorted us to “take your last sip” and we headed out on foot.
I was slightly disappointed that the next stop was one of those trusted favourites, Rivington Grill at Souk Al Bahar. However, with our reserved table providing prime real estate for a Dubai Fountain show, the feeling quickly dissipated.
The selection of food on offer was also pleasing, with five dishes I hadn’t had the pleasure of tasting: chicken liver pâté, Devonshire crab, prawn cocktail, Welsh rarebit and mini fish and chips.
The next stop was Cut by Wolfgang Puck, at The Address Downtown. And despite a less-than-stellar review given to it by The National's Adam Workman, this was one of my highlights, mostly because of my introduction to Cut's truly stellar, utterly gooey and totally satisfying mac and cheese. Although I also indulged in several tender morsels of 100 per cent Wagyu beef, the baked pasta dish is what will lure me back.
After leaving that dimly lit dining room, we boarded a luxury bus to our next destination, the rooftop of Raffles hotel and its Japanese restaurant, Tomo. The visit was worth it for the view of Dubai alone – it is surely one of the best outdoor patios in the city – but the plump, chutoro medium-fatty tuna belly sashimi sealed the deal.
Wood had clearly gone to great lengths to thoughtfully curate a lively and representative evening. The event went off without a hitch, stop after stop. She also proved an effervescent host along the way, stopping to drop in brief, perfectly timed facts about what we were eating. This is someone you want to dine with, rather than need to.
Unbelievably, by the end of the night – after we had tucked into an assortment of decadent desserts at Wafi Fort’s Q’bara, including a memorable soft Turkish delight wrapped in chocolate with rose ice cream – I felt neither stuffed nor overwhelmed by what we’d consumed.
Instead, I was introduced to multiple restaurants – and a wide array of dishes – that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend or return to. Just perhaps not all in one night.
The cost for Dine Around Dubai is Dh1,050 per person with pairings. The next event is on Monday, January 26 at 6.30pm. Book through www.foodiva.net/events
amcqueen@thenational.ae