Showing posts with label Levantine cuisine. Show all posts

Al Maeda

Eat. Share. Love. Is Al Maeda Restaurant's tagline. And that is exactly what we experienced when we went there for dinner. 

Al Maeda is a Lebanese Moroccan restaurant overlooking the beautiful Jumeirah beaches. Located in Doubletree by Hilton this stunning restaurant is a treat for the eyes and for the stomach. It’s a perfect choice for authentic Levantine food, alcoholic beverages and shisha.

The ambiance of the restaurant is quite welcoming with spaced out seating You can opt to sit at the long dining table, by the bar, in the outdoor terrace or inside with beautiful wooden and marble tables. The interiors are very stylish and elegant with patterned tiles, a large shelf filled with potted plants, open kitchen, white and gold interiors, wine bottles stacked at one corner etc.














The outdoor seating is perfect for evenings to unwind over shisha with a beautiful view.


The service is prompt and pleasant. The chefs are warm and chatty, so don’t hesitate to have a word with them on what to order from the extensive menu.
We didn’t have to fuss over the menu, as our meals were pre decided (such a relief). No stone is left unturned in their desire to reawaken our senses, with everything from hummus to Mutabal getting a complete makeover. Add to that the excellent service and delightful staff, and you've got the recipe for a perfect evening on your hands.

While we were talking with Thirumalai Murugan, our table was already set with our drinks. I was surprised to see a tall glass of Granda Rosa and Sumac soda. The drinks were the perfect start to our meal. Our favorite was the Granda rosa, a combination of fresh pomegranate juice seasoned with a hint of orange blossom water and cardamom syrup. 




For the cold mezze we had Pistachio hummus, Mutabal, Beetroot Mutabal, & Warak Enab served with fresh bread.





The pistachio hummus flavours were just amazing. The dip had a subtle hint of spices in it that resonated well with my taste buds.


Mutabal went perfectly well with hot oven baked breads. The Beetroot Mutabal is a twist on the classic dish. If you like beetroot you should definitely try this.


I loved Warak Enak as well. The tangy freshness of the vine leaves along with rice and minced meat stuffing was too good to not go in for a second helping.



For the hot mezze we had  Cheese Rekakat, Cheese Sambouseh, Kibbeh, Meat Sambouseh: These classic beauties were fabulous. The sambuseks had a perfect crispy dough exterior, which gave way to the hot cheesy goodness with every bite. The rekakat was also very well done. The kibbeh were perfectly made having a crunch to it with the minced meat. Overall, a platter not to be missed out on.
For the mains we had Jumbo prawns and Lamb chops. The prawns were, large, fresh and delicious. We loved the marinade in which the prawns were cooked in. A definite must try here. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and the spices were just perfect.





We also had a mix grill platter with a skewer of shish taouk, beef kebab and lamb kebab. The shish taouk was juicy and cooked well. We loved the tenderness of the chicken. The lamb kebab was well marinated and perfectly grilled.

For the dessert we had Basbousa Cheesecake and Mango Muhalabia
The cheesecake was a dome of white chocolate poured with raspberry syrup to reveal a knefeh cheesecake which was quite delicious! The crispy biscuit base with knefeh flavor and the white chocolate was a hit. The dessert was the right amount of sweet and it was amazing to see the dome melt away.





Muhalabia is essentially Levantine pudding. We were served the Mango Muhalabia in a Instagramable margarita glass. The crispy kunafeh topping with mango elevated its taste.



We ended our meal with coffee and green tea, and loved everything about Al Maeda.


If you are in JBR and crave for Levatine food, be sure to visit Al Maeda. Its a great dining venue for intimate and relaxed lunch/dinner dates. The ambiance is fantastic and the service is impeccable

Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, The Walk, JBR
Timings: 12:00 pm to 02:00 am
Cost: AED 300 for two
Reserve your table at: 043749111

I was invited to Al Maeda and all views and images are © Urbanmodish, unless stated otherwise.



Al Maeda - DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dubai Jumeirah Beach Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato 

Tabule

Tabule is an authentic Arabic restaurant located in the lush gardens of Roda Al Murooj. It’s an oasis in middle of the city. As you walk down to Tabule you are left captivated with the gorgeous outdoor setting complete with lights and Arabic music.
Tabule perfectly encompasses simplicity and rich tradition. They have a nice selection of authentic saj, cold mezze and other middle-eastern specialties, such as a live Tabule salad station and different kinds of shisha. They have both outdoor and indoor seating, but owing to the weather we chose to sit outside amidst the beautiful lights. 






What made the outdoor setting even more perfect was the placement of heaters. I'm most comfortable when I'm warm and toasty and the heaters just made the place very warm and comfortable. It was the best of both worlds. 

As soon as walked in, we were greeted warmly by the staff. They were ever so friendly and ensured that we were seated comfortably before placing the menu. Personally, it makes a world of difference when the staff is polite and understand the need to not hurry up their patrons. Both Karim and Sheryl ensured that our time Tabule was comfortable.  

We started off with a refreshing welcome drink and complimentary starters. The lime drink with crushed ice was indeed refreshing. Vine leaves weren't that appetizing, but when they were served as cold mezze, it was better.  





Tabule is known for its live salad station and I couldn’t be more thrilled to start off with the same. Murad, the Outlet manager was more than happy to prepare the salad for us. The use of avocado was intriguing. Murad used a lot of fresh ingredients like parsley, mint, quinoa, avocado etc. I'm a fan of theatrics and completely enjoyed the show. The Tabbouleh was fresh and was just perfect. I loved how the avocado merged with the Tabbouleh and it was scrumptious. 




For our drinks we opted for Wine and it complimented the meal really well. 



For cold mezze, we had Hummus, Moutable, Fatoush, Shanklish, Hindbeh and Vine leaves served with fresh warm bread. 







It was such a delectable spread, leaving me confused as to where to begin. Hummus and Moutable had a nice thick creamy consistency and was perfect with the freshly baked warm bread. 

What I kept going back for was the Fattoush. Fatoush essentially is Levantine bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of Arabic flat bread combined with mixed greens and other vegetables. It was fresh with the right amount of crunch. The salad's are definitely a must try especially if you are on a diet and even if you are not. They are so fresh and sapid, that you can't not keep eating them. 

Hindbeh is essentially sautéed chicory leaves. it was my first time trying Hindbeh and I’m so glad I tried it at Tabule. Although it is a side dish, its perfect to scoop up with some bread. 
Vine leaves is a popular vegetarian mezze in Levantine cuisine. Though I’m not really fond of it otherwise, I enjoyed the ones at Tabule. 

For the hot mezze we had Fried Kebbeh, Meat sambousek, cheese sambousek, Batata harra, Soujouk and Spinach Fatayer. 





The lamb kibbeh was crispy and delectable. Both the sambouskek was delectable. Batata Harra was well cooked and seasoned, however it was a little too tangy for my palate but combined with bread it was palatable. 

How could we not eat Saj when at Tabule. We had the meat Saj with cheese and it was the one I kept going back to. It was scrumptious and crispy with the right amount of meat and cheese. It was complete on its own and didn’t need any dip to go with. If you love Levantine cuisine, then you should definitely try the Saj here. 




The lamb soujouk was scrumptious, it's definitely a must try for Lamb meat lovers. It was perfectly cooked. 

Continuing the roll of great dishes we moved to our main course. (it was surprising we did have space after all the food). For our main course we had Levantine Mix Grill. Shish tawook, Oriental Vegetable, & Lamb Tomato. All the mains were sapid, but what stood out was the creamy chicken in white sauce. Succulent pieces of chicken were served in a creamy base. It was simply moreish. 







Levantine grill was served with rice and french fries on the side. It had both Lamb and chicken kebabs, that were well cooked and seasoned. Don't forget to try the grill when you do visit Tabule.





We wound up our wonderful dinner with not one but three desserts. Kareem was ever helpful and assisted with choosing our desert menu. We had Cheese Kunafa, ice cream with candy floss and chocolate with biscuit layer. 




The Tabule Special dessert was a very novel concept. The combination of candy floss and ice cream was definitely something that teased one’s taste buds. I loved the presentation of the dessert - ice cream was hidden under a layer of candy floss topped with pistachio. It was a toothsome dessert. 

The chocolate with biscuit layer looked like a piece of art, one that you feel guilty to destroy. Personally I like my soft and warm chocolate brownies, and this was neither. For those who love their brownies otherwise, would definitely like them. 



What the chocolate with biscuit layer lacked was made up by the Cheese kunafa. It was served in a skillet with sugar syrup. It was the right amount of sweet and was the perfect end to the evening. Cheese Kunafa was apt for the weather, It's one of those desserts, i'd want to curl in my bed with while watching a rom-com.  




Tabule is a hidden gem and is amazing if you want to enjoy a relaxed evening with friends over delectable Levantine cuisine. The service, ambiance, food and presentation are all top notch.

Contact:

Location:  Roda Al Murooj, Al Saada Street, Downtown Dubai, Dubai.
Timings: 12:00 pm to 02:00 am
Cost: AED 150 for two
Reserve your table at: 043211111

I was invited to Tabule and all views and images are © Urbanmodish, unless stated otherwise.


Tabule - Roda Al Murooj Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato 

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