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Last Updated: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 6:08pm
Once you’ve lived in the UAE for a few years, iftar meals in many hotels start to melt into a luxurious blur. After all, they’re all surprisingly luxurious, impressive, and offer more options than you’ve probably tried.
So it took something special to get us to sit and pay attention, and we’re happy to say Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s iftar preview did just that.
Offering iconic views of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Grand Canal, the destination’s ‘Al Andalus’ Ramadan iftar has been running for years.
This year, Middle Eastern hotspot Mazaj Bab Al Bahr and Marco’s Italian and international restaurant CuiScene have teamed up for an infinite iftar buffet featuring Arabic, Italian and global cuisine.
Our preview only focuses on Mazaj Bab Al Bahr, but that alone is enough to win us over.
The restaurant is cozy and tastefully decorated with lush greenery and quirky antiques for a modern yet vintage feel.
Although the setting is refined and elegant, it doesn’t feel overly formal or stuffy. iftar is laid back, relaxed and very family friendly, the staff are friendly and efficient.
When we catch a glimpse of these exceptionally creative and colorful mezzes, we quickly realize we’re in for a real treat.
Creamy hummus, smoky moutabel, innovative labneh varieties, fresh and crunchy fattoush, crispy saj bread, homemade soups and many other Middle Eastern delicacies, we’ve given some of Arabia’s best dishes a modern twist.
But what we really enjoyed were all the Turkish dishes, including many that we had never tried before.
We wolfed down bite-sized, irresistible beyti kebabs, filled with succulent meat and artistically presented on top of a thick yogurt sauce. Beef dumplings with mint are the ultimate comfort food, while a variety of Turkish salads keep it from getting too heavy.
Moving from Turkey to Lebanon, entrees include everyone’s favorite Levantine kebabs, roast lamb, beef kafta, arayes, fresh seafood and more.
Paying homage to the unique history and heritage of the seven emirates, we also tasted hearty Emirati specialties such as savory chicken tared, whole stuffed chicken oz and savory lamb and rabbit served with aromatic rice.
Everything is expertly crafted, artfully seasoned, and presented with enough flair and style; it’s photo-worthy, but not unnecessarily flashy.
However, despite how excellent the entrees and appetizers are, we implore you to leave room for dessert. We go back for seconds of the most delicious umm ali we’ve ever tasted, a smooth and decadent cheesecake we’ll recall for weeks.
It was a great evening to end with a fun cup of Arabic coffee.
Chef Ayoub Makdissi and his talented team deserve a round of applause.
AED 285 per person including water and Ramdan drinks.Every day during Ramadan, from sunset to 10pm
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