Dubai Restaurant Tips by miso80

Restaurant Name: Johnnie Rockets!

Every trip I take to Dubai, I just make sure that I visit one of the Johnny Rockets' in Dubai...On my last visit in March 2006, we went to the Dubai Marina one, and got a double pleasure by enjoying the marina and enjoying the delicious burgers and shakes.

The place is a casual American Diner, and you can sit inside or outside and enjoy the water and boats of the Marina.

Favorite Dish: Great burgers and yummy shakes

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Theme: Diner
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 971-4-3682339
Directions: Dubai Marina
Marina Walk South Side
Dubai

Restaurant Name: Shakespeare & Co.

This chain restaurant/Coffeehouse is found all around Dubai. The owners of this place is Lebanese, however, they've managed to bring together English antique furniture, chandeliers, walls filled with colorful tiles with different flowers painted on them...and create a 17th century ambiance, with good coffee and quite a diverse menu (at least I can speak of the breakfasts).

This coffeehouse has a welcoming feel to it..get yourself seated on a coach and just sip on your Cafe Latte, your turkish coffee, or your American Coffee...and read the newspaper..Or go and have a full-fledged breakfast -- its entirely your choice. Now, when I say full-fledged..I mean it can be:

English Breakfast (35 Dhms = 9.53 USD): Toast + selection of Jams, Orange juice + choice of coffee/tea, scrambled/eggs with mushrooms & cheese, and baked potatoes and mushrooms with beef bacon.

American Breakfast (35 Dhms = 9.53 USD): Toast + selection of Jams, Orange juice + choice of coffee/tea, scrambled/eggs with mushrooms & cheese, and Hash Brown with beef bacon.

Continental Breakfast (35 Dhms = 9.53 USD): Toast + selection of Jams, Orange juice + choice of coffee/tea, Croissants and pastries.

Healthy Breakfast (35 Dhms = 9.53 USD): Toast + selection of Jams, Orange juice + +choice of coffee/tea, yoghurt and fruits.

You can also choose to have some other selections..

Thought I should note that the staff here are completely honest and helpful...I forgot my phone there one night , and only noticed the next morning..when i headed down there, a waiter called up his boss on his own phone, and asked him about the phone, then went over to his boss's house to get it (cause i said i needed it asap)..while i waited for it

Favorite Dish: I've personally tried the American and English breakfast and the portions were more quite good..but I got a tea instead of my coffee, and then an espresso instead of my Cafe Latte :o) (Maybe the waitress was just having a bad day??) lol

I haven't tried the Lunch/Dinner, but there's a lot on the menu, and I'll be posting any more updates :-)) But definitely at least go there for a coffee with a friend or with a good book and enjoy the ambiance ;-)

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +971 4 331 1757
Address: Kendah House, Sheikh Zayed Road
Directions: and all over the country as well..

Restaurant Name: Scarlett's

I've been to this place once..but for some reason its taken me forever to write down a tip for it..I guess that kinda means that it didn't leave much of an impression on me, or that the impression it left wasn't much to write about. A lot of people had told me about Scarlett's..and from the crowd that was in there, I take it that a lot of people do like this place..whether for its food, or as a hang-out, or for the 'sports-bar' quality it has.. Yes, a lot of people are here to have the drink and chat with friends and colleagues after a long day. Whilst others sit down to have a taste of the tex-mex food that this place serves. Then others come here to watch the football games and what have you, while they have good drinks and laugh.

Scarlett's has also been known to have events on different nights of the week (ladies night, latin night, etc.)...and that has diversified the crowds that head down there.

I must say though that I had a very nice mojito at Scarlett's, and the appetizers we tried (shrimps with avocado & the quesadillas) were also quite tasty.

I don't know if I'd go there again...maybe I'd go to watch a good football game, or simply to make up my mind on whether I like it or not. BUT, if you're around the Emirates Towers, and you feel like a good mojito, and a place with a lot of people..then do head down to Scarlett's and try it out...(and do tell me if you feel differently about it ;-) )
All I can say, is if you're at

Favorite Dish: Very nice mojito

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: +971 (04) 3300000
Address: The Emirates Towers

Restaurant Name: St. Moritz Cafe

Located in the Mall of the Emirates, this is a restaurant with a winter-y atmosphere..The only thing that separates it from the indoor ski slopes of Dubai's mall are the big glass windows. Thus, St. Moritz has taken the theme of the mountain lodge, where you can sit down next to the glowing 'fake' fire (showing on plasma screens that are stuck in fireplaces), and enjoy your meal, while you watch people (or your kids & friends) play in the adjacent snow park.

The food is good and the staff are ok..although they can mix-up if you have a big order. This place is casual, but cute and cozy in its own way. So, if you feel like a good burger, or some delicious hamour fish with some vegetables and want to hang out with family & friends..then do try out St. Moritz.

Favorite Dish: The Lodge Flame Burger – 6 oz beef burger, flame grilled with sautéed mushrooms, beef bacon and melting emmental cheese, served with coleslaw

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: Mall of The Emirates

Restaurant Name: Il Rustico

This is a very romantic restaurant..dim lighting, a warmly lit oven where pizzas are cooked in front of you, low music, and just the aroma of delicious food being cooked.

Although there were some kids around when we went there for a early dinner...and they seemed to be enoying the delicious cuisine...this was also a great place for friends and couples looking for a cozy and pleasant meal :-)

This restaurant is broken down into several chambers (like a house), and we decided to sit in the smoking section (although none of us smoked) cause we felt like the tables were quite crowded and the space was smaller than the smoking section.

In any case, the food was simply delicious...and we spent a great time, had a mouth-watering meal..and there is SO much on the menu that I look forward to going back and trying out!

This is one nice restaurant..don't miss out on it ;)

Favorite Dish: Everything I tried here was great..and I'd DEFINITELY want to go there again..
For starters, the warm bread with the baked garlic in the clove was lovely..along with the dip of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.. Then the grilled chicken on the bed of eggplant wrapped up in melted cheese was tantalizing...mmmMMMMmm

The pizza my sister ordered and which I just HAD to try..came straight from the brick oven (which you could see as it was being done) was unforgettable.

All in all..I'd say everything I tried that night in this place was impeccable :) I look forward to my next visitSSSSS

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: +971 4 398 2222
Address: Rydges Plaza Dubai, Satwa
Website: www.rydges.com

Restaurant Name: The Butcher Shop & Grill

UNDER CONSTRUCTION


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Theme: African
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: The Mall of the Emirates

Restaurant Name: LeNôtre Paris

One quiet October evening...Little demons came up to me, and spoke into my ears 'We want something yummy' they said...and that was THAT! All I could think about for the next hour or so, was finding a place that would saturate that craving I was having for something sweet and heart-warming :o)

I tried to curb my craving by going for some shopping and a walk in the Mall of the Emirates...but as I was walking by 'eon' and satisfying another passion of mine (electronics), I noticed a little cozy patisserie...LeNotre!!

Passing by the displayed mouth-watering pastries and cakes...and looking at people sitting comfortably on the sofas, sipping on their coffee/tea and enjoying themselves..I decided to let my little demons lead the way lol

Everything I tried there was tantalizing and delicious...I've had a better cafe latte, and the cookie they serve along with the coffee wasn't at all good (especially when compared to the mille feuille I had)...

This place also serves other dishes..salads, sandwiches etc. (I believe its also a boulangerie) but I did not try any. However, keep in mind..that if you're walking around the mall, and you do feel like something tasty and heart-warming..head up to LeNotre, and have a break ;-)

Favorite Dish: mille feuille and profiterole (cream puff) from Heaven..mmmMMMMmmmmm

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Theme: Dessert
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: The Mall of the Emirates
Directions: and another on Jumeira Beach Rd.

Restaurant Name: JamBase

We decided to head to JamBase on a Ramadan night at around 9.30 pm, upon the recommendation of my bro-in-law..and it was such a good choice. The weather was already getting better in October, and there was a light breeze and a full moon that night :) We sat down outside, and we were wrapped up with the warm lights that was touching the surface of the water, the beautiful surroundings and the beautiful music. There was a live arabic duo (a oud player and a derbakkeh player) who sat there all night and sang different tunes from all around the arabic world... It reminded me of home (Lebanon).

We also had dinner and shishas...and I must say that the service was very good, especially considering that the place was filling up with people so fast -- when we left around 12.30 am, people were still flocking in.

The dinner was okay, we weren't really hungry and just wanted to snack on something -- It was a middle eastern cuisine. The food was okay, but I believe the quantities were quite scarce and reasonably expensive. I think since the ambiance and the setting was so gorgeous, I'd go there next time, have something to drink and a shisha...but I don't think I'd go for dinner.

Also, the outdoor part of JamBase has different layers which you can sit at. We sat at the lowest layer, close to the live band and next to the water. However, you can also sit down on mattresses that are situated on the higher levels...which is where I later found my friends and joined them for a while :)

All in all, I think I really liked this place for a night out with friends...just shisha-ing, and listening to good music.

Favorite Dish: The shisha was really good ...I think that was the best thing I had there.
Nothing was completely tantalizing.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: +971 4 366 8888
Address: Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Website: www.madinatjumeirah.com

Restaurant Name: Hofbrauhaus

Went to the German restaurant and bar to celebrate the Dubai version of the Oktoberfest! The place was packed with people drinking some fine german beer and eating away from a bavarian buffet... UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Favorite Dish: Great Weiss beer and schnaps (cherry & rasberry)

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Theme: German/Austrian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 971 4 6077977
Address: JW Marriot, Deira

Restaurant Name: Asha's

UNDER CONSTRUCTION


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Theme: Indian
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Address: Wafi Pyramids