DAZZLING DUBAI DIARIES
A captivating voyage through the city of opulence and innovation – welcome to the Dazzling Dubai Diaries. Join us as we embark on an exploration of this dynamic metropolis, where modern marvels meet cultural richness, creating an enchanting tapestry of experiences that redefine the essence of luxury travel.
So, 2023 presented a good opportunity to travel to Dubai and it would have been foolish to miss it, so, I booked Air India flights for the return journey and got my visa sorted. First, getting UAE visa was a breeze (I applied online) and took no more than 2 days.
My journey began with long queues at Delhi Airport for baggage check-in, which made me instantly regret choosing Air India. The aircraft looked jittery and old and they maintained same level of expectation with food as well.
However, in the excitement of visiting Dubai, I chose to ignore all that and after almost a 3 hour long flight, landed in sun kissed Dubai.
Day 1
First day began by checking in to the Hotel. I picked Hyatt Centric at La Mer Beach, which is not too far from the airport.
This has got to be one of the most beautiful hotel I have seen. The location, the decor and the room, everything is a treat for the eyes.
Hyatt Centric, La Mer has an amazing restaurant called Eunoia by Carine, where I got to try their Poulet Roti, Olive Verts which essentially has roasted chicken pieces served on a bread base, beautifully paired with sliced green olives, bathing in a dark alcohol based sauce with a tint of honey.
I strongly recommend this dish to be tried at least once.
I was surprised at first when I saw that the hotel does not have buffet breakfast but they have an elaborate a-la carte menu and everything was made to perfection. Especially this avocado toast with poached eggs
Oeufs Benedict – Poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce and smoked salmon.
All fancy things kept aside, this is what I enjoyed most. Bircher Muesli with almonds, blueberries and green apple. Crunchy, delicious and nutritious at the same time.
Day 2
The next day, it was time to explore Jumeirah and stumbled upon this quaint little restaurant near Jumeirah (Al Hudaiba and Around) and tried their Doner Wrap, Turkish kebab and Chicken wings in Hot sauce and absolutely loved everything.
The wings in hot sauce were just lip smacking and pretty much irresistible.
Day 3
After spending 2 days in Dubai and tasting some of the best food, my expectations were very high and today was the day to explore The Dubai Mall.
This is one of the oldest and biggest malls in Dubai and yet hasn’t lost its charm. The mall has an inhouse aquarium and is home to all world class brands in retail, electronics etc.
The Dubai Mall also has some amazing restaurants and I did get to try some of them.
The mall is huge and nestled right at the footsteps of Burj Khalifa, giving a majestic view from any corner.
First stop was Wafi Gourmet.
The place is at lower ground floor, near the fountains and moment you walk in, you will see various dates, chocolates and other desserts.
This place has really comfortable seating right next to the fountain, so you can enjoy their food and the fountain show at the same time.
I tried their Chicken shawarma with Hummus and fell in love with it. Perfectly balanced Hummus and well roasted Chicken shawarma served with softest and fluffiest Pita breads (bottomless). Food was so good, I almost licked my plate clean.
For those with a strong hankering for something sweet, there is this amazing place called Kadayifzade.
This place authentic Turkish desserts ranging from Baklavas to Kunafas, Kadayifs and custom made chocolates.
Another hidden gem in Dubai mall is Uncle Fluffy. A small outlet on the top floor, on the way to metro station where you get super soft and fluffy Japanese cakes.
These melt in mouth cakes are a must have.
Ended the day with a beautiful view of the fountain show and it was mesmerizing. The show runs just for 5 mins, but is a must watch.
Day 4
Next day, we went to Mercato Mall in Jumeirah and decided to try Paul this time. It is a subtle looking cafe and serves some really nice salads and went for a Quinoa Citrus salad.
Though I am not a “Salad” person, I did enjoy it, as it was well balanced and not too heavy on the dressing.
What really stole the show was this Tiramisu. It was completely different from any Tiramisu I have ever had, while retaining all the basics of one.
coffee-soaked lady fingers, topped with mascarpone cheese and garnished with cocoa powder and dark chocolate. Soft, yet crunchy, mix of coffee and chocolate flavour. Each bite just melted in mouth. This was simply a 10/10 dessert.
I also tried the Mango and chia pudding which was pretty good (and filling) but after that Tiramisu, everything else looked pale in comparison. Chia seeds and coconut milk base topped with mango coulis, fresh mangoes and pomegranate along with almond shavings, did work pretty good.
If there is one thing that was on my “definitely have to try” list, it was a Shakeshack burger and lucky me, Mercato Mall had an outlet.
Went for their chicken burger and immediately found it to be better than prominent chains in India like McDonalds or Burger King. Burger was paired with cheesy fries and a vanilla milkshake.
Day 5
Today was the day I explored City Walk in Al Wasl. This place has a different charm, not very crowded and colorful.
Massimo’s claims to serve authentic Italian food. Went for Gamberetti Aglio Olio which is shrimps cooked in garlic and olive oil. Main course was Tagliatelle Alfredo – Tagliatelle with chicken and mushroom in white sauce.
Food was nice, ambience even better. Overall, an enjoyable experience.
Coming to Dubai and not experiencing desert safari is almost a sin.
Interesting bit is, if you want to enjoy good dune bashing on proper soft sand, head to Sharjah desert instead of Dubai desert. Disclaimer, this is not for the faint hearted or those with a back pain as these drivers literally push these vehicles to the extreme on sand dunes.
Day 6
Today was the day, I checked in to Hilton Al Habtoor Palace. Located right next to Sheikh Zayed Road and the creek, this is a huge property, close to Downtown and has some pretty good restaurants to dine and enjoy the view.
It is linked to the V hotel and of-course, the Al Habtoor Palace, providing various restaurants to choose from and access to multiple pools.
The USP, however, of the hotel is the scintillating view it provides.
Hilton has a restaurant called Babiole on the 44th floor. This restaurant has an amazing (almost 360) view of the entire Downtown and serves a 3 course business lunch for AED 125, which begins with some complimentary breads, olives and home-made butter.
This is followed by a starter, I went for the fried calamari which was served with a delectable sauce and then the main course had a fried chicken dish with a strawberry cheese cake for the finish. Everything on the table was good, specially the dessert.
Day 7
After enjoying the food at Hilton, it was time to taste some authentic Indian food in Dubai and headed straight to a place called Bombay Borough in DIFC.
First, this place has an entirely different feel, while it does look like a financial center, but has lot of good options for food as well.
Bombay borough is a decent sized restaurant with classy and elegant interiors. Once you move past the well decorated place, you notice the fine details in their menu, emphasizing key details of Indian cuisine and details around each dish the restaurant prepares.
These folks are kind enough to serve some palate cleansers before you even order. Post these, I went for Aam Papad Paneer in starters which has cottage cheese in gorkeri pickle sauce, served with aam papad and crispy lotus stem. with a sweet-salty-tangy taste, this dish is sure to tickle some taste buds.
Next up were some Bengal Grilled Prawns in daab chingri style served with coconut mayo and nimbu mirchi foam. I loved the nuttiness that each bite presented with perfectly grilled prawns. Overall, it was a great experience and I enjoyed every single dish served. This place is strongly recommended if you want proper Indian food with a bit of innovative touch.
My last day of the trip, I went to Ibn Battuta mall and was mesmerized by the beauty of this place.
This is clearly one of the best looking and well designed malls I have ever been to. It is not just a mall but a work of art. If you visit this place, please keep a day spare to enjoy the beauty and the multiple food courts.
After enjoying Ibn Battuta mall, it was time to head to Atlantis. There wasn’t sufficient time to enjoy the waterpark, so I settled for Atlantis The Lost Chamber and found it to be way over-rated.
First, the place was overcrowded and with very limited number of windows, it did not give a very good view of the marine life, also, it seems there weren’t a lot of exotic varieties of fish. Few displays I enjoyed were the Jellyfish and the electric eels but overall, it was not a good experience, I for one would not recommend this.
In the end, the trip finally got over and I enjoyed every single inch and every single moment I spent in Dubai. This is clearly the place to be.
#dubai