Where I Ate in Dubai

Normally, I am more of the sort to get out and explore and traipse from one end of the city to another in search of lunch and dinner. (I can’t tell you how helpful Foursquare has been when traveling. Don’t know where you are but need someplace for lunch?  Foursquare yourself. Awesome.)

This time around, due to a crazy work schedule and a massive sandstorm on my only free day in town that had all of the hotel staff walking around outside in face masks, I rarely left my hotel except for work meetings. (More on the hotel later.)

Here’s where I did eat though…

La Petite Maison, DIFC: When my colleague ditched me for lunch, I decided to head over to a place The Dubai Guzzler had recommended last time: La Petite Maison. Located in a corner of the Dubai International Finance Center, the restaurant is very pretty and bright. It’s also very corporate-y, which is a shame because I think it would be popular with a larger audience if not for its business-district location. I had a very lovely roast chicken and some thick cut chips, much to the disappointment of my very sweet server, who also wanted me to order a starter. Not at these prices! Verdict: Lovely. Pricey.

Tokyo @thetowers, Jumeirah Emirates Towers: Dubai seems to love all things Japanese, and my hotel had not one but TWO Japanese restaurants. I too tend to love all things Japanese, so I hit up Tokyo @thetowers for some mediocre and overly greasy yaki soba and indifferent service. Verdict: Meh.

Et Sushi, Jumeirah Emirates Towers: Nothing but not predictable, am I? So I wasn’t supremely hungry–jet lag is about the only time in the world when I can’t eat–but I hadn’t eaten in something like 12 hours, So I headed down to the Jumeirah’s upscale version of Yo Sushi, the popular UK sushi-by-conveyor-belt chain. Service was extremely attentive but not cloyingly so. They really wanted me to enjoy my meal, which ended up being one unagi roll and two salmon nigri. Seemed more reasonably priced than Tokyo @thetowers, but that could also be because I didn’t eat anything. Verdict: Not a destination, but nice just the same.

That’s all I’ve got for you this time, friends. Not sure I’ll be back to Dubai anytime soon, but I said that last time and was back less than two months later so you never know…