Beach Road boasts a number of lovely little eateries and cafés, designed to bring the best out of Dubai’s natural ambience. With the confirmation that a seat on the Jumeirah Lime Tree Café balcony will give me somewhat of a beach view, (or if not that then certainly a wonderful beach breeze), I’m excited to try the spot that is constantly boasted about by many residents.

Once you enter the Lime Tree Café, you see why it’s a treasure amongst the café scene: the wonderful display of food, (both for meals and desserts following), as well as the blackboard displaying an abundance of juices, smoothies and milkshakes, makes for a hard decision process. I go with the “Roast Chicken & Crispy Beef Bacon Toastie with Corn & Cheddar”, along with a strawberry smoothie. My company orders the salad, (complimented with dates and lemon-tahina dressing), along with the corn, beef bacon and cauliflower soup, and ginger squares for later. I find the pricetag to be rather hefty (around 200dhs), so I hope the experience extends beyond the food and drink.

We make our way upstairs and yes, this balcony is worth it. The food and drink arrive rather quickly, looking as appetizing as they did downstairs. The age-old understanding is if you’re eating/drinking healthy, your food/drink is tasting healthy. In other words you’re in for something “rather blah”, and I find this to be the case here. The smoothie and sandwich both taste like they are lacking something…don’t get me wrong, they’re not far off by any means, but they’re flat for sure. I would really like to hope that I’m not gaining unnecessary calories as a result, and I think my inkling may be correct if the café’s menu options and general ambience is anything to go by.

I always admire a place that makes you pay at the counter. We’re able to avoid the all too common issue of waiting around for a slow waiter to bring us the bill. Good thing we checked the ginger squares box though; it turns out to be some sort of mince pie that comes nowhere close to what we wanted. We inform the waiter of the mistake and he gets on it right away. The right order comes up 5 minutes later, with another waiter who appears very unenthusiastic. He wordlessly sets down the box, avoiding eye contact, an apology, and any acknowledgement of our presence. I do believe today’s average experience could be overlooked if I were to return as I have on good authority that this place is rather popular, so there must be something I’m missing that keeps the people coming back.

Let’s SCALE it:

Group of Friends: 1-3 – At noon it’s mostly singles catching up on the news of the day, or having a casual phone chat. The couples I saw were catching up over coffee beverages that I’ll make sure to try if I return.

Fanciness: 3/10 – Very casual.

Ambience: 9/10 – A big plus for this place. Being so close to the beach is a guaranteed popularity factor. The relaxed atmosphere makes for a nice experience.

Location: 8/10 – The location is within distance of many desirable walkable beachfront/Beach Road destinations.

Food/Drink Selection: 7/10 – Great for a café establishment.

Food/Drink Quality: 9/10 – The taste isn’t all there, but that amps up the healthy quality (at least I hope).

Service: 6/10 – The waiter at the end definitely ruined it, but the cash lady and the initial waiter were great.

Price: 7/10 – This opinion is up to negotiation, but I do think it was a tad overpriced.

First Impressions: 7/10 – Looks like a great place to grab lunch.

Last Impressions: 7.5/10 – I’ll come in with finer tailored expectations next time around and I think I’ll be better satisfied.

Population: Early 20’s-Early 40’s

Summary: Lime Tree Café is ON my radar! 

Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah Beach Road (Next to Grand Jumeirah Mosque)

+9714 349 8498

http://www.thelimetreecafe.com/

The entrance

My meal of choice

Much more than a café

Impressive display

A view worth capturing

If you can be classified as anything more than a tourist in Dubai, there’s a guarantee that you are familiar with Le Meridien Mina Seyahi’s Barasti Bar. And why wouldn’t you be? Given any time of the week, there will be a moderate to huge group of people gathered within the grounds downstairs or the main wooden hut on the second floor. Alas, there is a catch. Once you enter the main hut, you will be overcome by a worn-out musty smell, inevitable from the continuous cigarette smoke and spilled alcohol absorbed by the wood, to the point that it’s all you can do to try and stay in there a minute longer. The white tented exit to the patio is your saviour to escape the dank odour, to a fresh, albeit sweltering in the summer, escape.

We sit down by the main bar on the patio, at which point the waiter comes running over to take our drink orders. Still a bit drawn to Kilkenny from my Dhow & Anchor experience, I request one here, only to find that Guinness is the only available beer in the family. Onto the next option. I ask for Fosters, which I’m told can be done. Some advice? Wait for the five minute mark. If your waiter isn’t rushing back to your table by then that’s a good sign. The five minute mark is not achieved in this case. It’s two minutes later and I’m told Fosters can’t be done. Okay okay I can understand Kilkenny was a bit of an assumption but no Fosters…really? I’ve given up hope in suggesting my preference as I feel I’ll have no chance. He suggests Budweiser. Bad move my man. One look communicates that I won’t accept. I follow my company’s lead and order myself a Peroni. Order accepted.

We take this time to order our burgers and fries, which arrive in a jiffy. The burgers are what you would expect at a beach bar; greasy goodness layered with flavourful condiments that would no doubt be cringeworthy upon reveal of their calorie content. Yet you’re likely to not give a hoot as you bite into this delicious creation. The fruity salsa like spread is perhaps the best part. The spectacular fries are curly and battered, eliminating all the work I put in my swimming laps earlier in the day. But at this moment, I am content to finish off the plate.

The bill comes and it’s very reasonable, considering I’ve seen prices, more for drinks, up to 60 dhs at surrounding venues. I bid farewell to the spectacular Dubai sunset, full of great beach food and good vibes from the growing crowd on the patio.

Let’s SCALE it:

Group of Friends: 2-10 – On this particular day there were more couples than anything, but I’ve witnessed all situations at Barasti to verify that groups of many sizes are welcome.

Fanciness: 3/10 – It’s a beach bar…enough said.

Ambience: 7/10 – A bit dull at this time but it always picks up later on. Unfortunately  there may be some unwelcome attention for females, the extent depending on your attitude and/or attire.

Location: 9/10 – Prime beachfront property. Although it used to be uninterrupted by Palm Island’s numerous skyscrapers, the abundance in water sports in the water in front of Barasti keeps the feeling alive.

Food/Drink Selection: 7/10 – I think there can be a bit more diversity in their drinks menu, but food is good.

Food/Drink Quality: 8/10 – It’s great for what it is, food by the beach.

Service: 8/10 – Pretty on point.

Price: 9/10 – All in all, very fair.

First Impressions: 5/10 – Will not forget that initial smell inside…sickening. Not the best way to get to the patio.

Last Impressions: 7/10 – With a couple beers and greasy food, I found the silver lining of the beautiful beaches and palm trees more appealing to focus on than the negatives.

Population: Early 20’s-Late 50’s

Summary: Barasti is ON my radar! 

Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

+971 4 399 3333

http://www.lemeridien-minaseyahi.com/en/barasti

Peroni anyone?

Surrounded by some of Dubai’s greatest sights 

The summer heat is (mostly) forgotten with a view like this

One of the many huts catering to your every craving

Image ©http://minaeffect.com/blog/images/Chill-at-Barasti-Beach.jpg

What do Dubai and Toronto have in common? Both are multi-cultural hubs, both have unbelievingly tall towers…and both pay homage to a lovely little European country we know as Belgium. Never fear if you’re craving exquisite beer (yep). You’ve got multiple locations to choose from when seeking Dubai’s popular destination ‪Belgian Beer Café. To clarify, I’ll be visiting the Grand Millenium location tonight. Dubai’s summer temperatures are way too on point to eat outside (not something I’m entirely disappointed about considering the underwhelming ambience I recall from my December visit, which I won’t take into account in this review), so inside is the way to go.

The waitress asks us where we’d like to sit. Unfortunately we don’t have much of a choice, considering the smokers have greatly outnumbered us. The second floor means a smoky atmosphere from down below, anywhere near the bar (and the growing crowds) is useless to consider. We sit as far away as possible; the corner booth at the far end. We think we’re safe. We soon discover how naïve we were in this assumption as I soon find it difficult to breathe without feeling like my sinuses are under attack. I try my best to ignore it, which becomes increasingly easier as I get into my meal.

I come to the realization that I’m officially a snob in the beer café world, because this menu isn’t initially doing anything for me. The selection isn’t the greatest, but there’s hope for it yet. I inquire about the possibility of ordering a Trappist ale to my waitress. “Draught?” she replies. It seems hopeless. I clarify with “Trappist”, which prompts her to skip off towards the bar. My company disapprovingly shakes their head, wondering why I’m even trying. I’m determined, and relieved to find out that she actually understood me this time when she returns. She indicates that there are two Trappist ales available. I zero in on one of the choices: the classic Chimay Blue.  Once it’s delivered to the table, I know I made the right decision. Another Trappist beer that exemplifies the finest qualities you look for in a beverage of this calibre. 

I order the breaded veal with a complimentary side of garden salad and frites you would only find at a European influenced venue. By this point, the crowd is building up around me, various tables testing their beer adventurousity through ordering particularly dark draughts and bottles unrecognizable to mainstream beer goers. The veal is both flavourful and visually appealing. The frites meet the minimum criteria of being deemed delicious, yet the thickness in cut is a little too much for my liking. I don’t even get to try the salad as the rest of the meal is pretty filling on its own.

It gets time to pay, and the waitress is nowhere to be found. Something to be expected lately in my restaurant excursions. Luckily she hasn’t abandoned us, and we soon come to find that the value for food is actually pretty good. The Trappist ales may appear to fall on the expensive side, yet if you factor in how much you’ll be paying in the Western world, you’ll realize this is a pretty good bargain. Definitely a place I would come back to, whether it be this location, Festival City, or Madinat Jumeirah.

Let’s SCALE it:

Group of Friends: 2-8 – Believe me when I say that there are equal amounts of tables of 2, to tables of 8.

Fanciness: 6/10 – Nothing too extravagant, which is fitting for some of the restaurant patrons.

Ambience: 5/10 – It’s smoky. It’s loud. The music is far-fetched from any European themed restaurant I’ve been to. Something that could be improved.

Location: 4/10 – The hotel is lovely. The presentation of the restaurant within the hotel is great. Getting there? An entirely different story. After about four attempts to get to the right round-about that will lead us to the hotel, we made it. And felt less un-enthusiastic about going out for dinner in the process.

Food/Drink Selection: 7/10 – It’s pretty solid. Some of the meal selections are a little too heavy for me, but I applaud them for keeping it strictly Belgian.

Food/Drink Quality: 9/10 – The high quality is unarguable.

Service: 6/10 – Up and down…consistency in presence and knowledge is highly arguable.

Price: 7/10 – Reasonable.

First Impressions: 6/10 – So basically the back of the room is our only option…

Last Impressions: 7/10 – My return is riding on the beer and food quality…so hopefully that stays consistent.

Population: Late 20’s-Late 50’s

Summary: Belgian Beer Café is ON my radar! 

Grand Millennium Dubai, TECOM, Dubai

(04) 429-9999

http://www.belgianbeercafe.com/

Al Barsha’s own.

Chimay’s finest.

Some decor.

Appetizing in presentation.