Burj Al Arab
Al Falak ballroom, Dh400 per person, call 04 301 7777
The iftar at Burj Al Arab was all about traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. The lavish iftar took place in the circular Al Falak ballroom with live classical Arabic music playing softly in the background.
It featured a wide range of refreshing Ramadan drinks. I tried jallab, a popular Middle Eastern drink made from dates and grape molasses, the perfect start to a meal on a hot and humid evening.
The main attraction at Al Falak was the vast cold and hot meze spread. However, the winner was its lamb ouzi, which was colourful and flavourful. The aroma of spicy rice brilliantly complemented the subtle taste of the tender and perfectly seasoned lamb. Lamb Thareed, a stew with vegetables, was wholesome, while the laban ummo, meat cooked in a rich yoghurt sauce, was light and delicious.
A must-try at the buffet is chicken moghrabieh, a traditional Lebanese dish, which was perfectly flavoured with herbs and aromatic spices. The Arabian mixed grill was moist and tender and tasted great.
Although I was full, I could not resist the temptation of venturing into the dessert section. So after a brief hiatus, I tried the cheese kunafa and saffron rice pudding, a great way to round off a sumptuous meal.
— Chiranti Sengupta/Features Writer
Crowne Plaza DFC
Zaytoun and Skyline Tent, Dh195 per person, call 04 701 1127/28
InterContinental Hotels Group Dubai Festival City offers a truly generous Ramadan with lavish buffet set-up for iftar and suhour at two tents — Skyline tent at the Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City and one on the Blades terrace at Al Badia Golf Club — and iftar at Anise restaurant in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
We were greeted at the door with refreshing drinks, as is customary, and the jallab provided a jolt of energy without being too sweet.
The tables were laden with the traditional favourites popular in the region, as well as an international selection to appeal to most. Western salads such as mozzarella-and-cherry tomato skewers worked well alongside fresh fattoush and tabbouleh. There were also heavier options that included pasta salads and potato-based preparations.
While diners usually don’t pay much attention to dips when faced with mountains of food, you’d be well advised to try the muhammara, the spicy pepper dip, which is a revelation.
The mains feature the usual suspects, but among them seek out the ouzi and try to score a piece off the bone — it is wonderfully flavourful and moist.
The dessert station again caters to diverse tastes, but especially chocoholics will appreciate this one.
— Eduan R. Maggo/Deputy Editor
The Address
Constellation Ballroom (4th floor), Dh170 per person, call 04 436 7777
The iftar spread at The Address Dubai Marina Hotels Group will take your breath away. Firstly, because you won’t know where to start and then because you won’t know when to stop! Right off the bat, you can get stuck into a roast with all the trimmings — whether you go for the juicy roast turkey carved from the bone and served with roasted sweet potato, carrots and onions; or the more traditional Middle Eastern style lamb ouzi on a bed of rice seasoned with spices, fruits and nuts.
A pasta station, shawarma stand and mixed grill, and Thai noodle and rice bar cover a few international cuisine favourites. There’s not a lot of choice for seafood lovers, but there is pan-seared Nile perch to feast on. For a lighter bite, the salad offerings are extensive with varieties of hummus and mutabbal, stuffed vine leaves and fattoush, alongside beetroot salad, crisp Greek salad with gooey feta or a refreshing shredded carrot and ginger salad.
The dessert buffet has a grand selection of bite-size cakes including chocolate truffle and orange zest cheesecake. Umm Ali and sticky toffee pudding work as a side serving to frozen yoghurt topped with chocolate fudge, caramel or framboise sauce and a choice of Oreo, M&M’s, chocolate chips to sprinkle on top. There’s also a deluge of fresh fruit to cleanse the palate.
— Mairead Walsh/Editor
Fairmont The Palm
Flow Kitchen, Dh185 per person, call 04 457 3457
Sunset is the most eagerly awaited time of the Ramadan day for Muslims. So at an iftar preview, I gravitate to a table by the tall windows at the Fairmont’s Flow Kitchen.
The restaurant straddles the line between everyday Arabian clichés and unusual Lebanese recipes. Even at the start, we’re offered karkadeh and jallab, but also laban ayran, a salted yoghurt drink that’s perfect on a hot evening.
The chef is also innovative: mutabbal isn’t merely plain and creamy, it comes mixed with beetroot or pumpkin and benefits from the marriage, resulting in sweeter, more nuanced dishes.
Staying with the offbeat theme, I try a starter of chicken tikka and chickpea chaat, an uncommon merger of two classic Indian recipes. Pulled together by a coriander vinaigrette, the dish works surprisingly well. As do the coriander and lemon chicken wings — crisp, tender and moist all at once.
But if you’re fasting all day, you want something more filling. The succulent ouzi really hits the spot, but the seafood is excellent too: tangy samak chermoula or fish baked with coriander, garlic and lemon, or prawn machboos (pictured) — tender prawns, rice beautifully cooked. With more than 30 desserts on offer, from Umm Ali to Eton mess, you could skip the mains all together. Now there’s something to keep you going through the long fast.
— Keith J. Fernandez/Editor
