November/December 2024
A TASTE OF DUBAI | 59
that either. This is an experience of a lifetime that I cannot recommend enough. And if you can afford to book The Royal Mansion (£100k per night) then you’re practically Beyonce, who stayed there for the opening last year.
Now, you’ve
heard of Nobu. A famous restaurant chain
whose
One place you won’t expect to find yourself eating dessert is in the desert, but I did. That was of course after an adrenaline fuelled drive through the sand dunes. And after losing a full Birkenstock sandal in the sand, then retrieving it like some sort of claw from a machine in an arcade, we settled in the main camp for some authentic Emirati cuisine and a belly dance. A proper belly dancer, by the way. I wasn’t belly dancing. Not for lack of trying mind you. I, of course, didn’t want to
let a trip to Dubai pass me buy without ingesting actual gold. It would seem rude not to. So off I popped to The Burg Al Arab. After having a jook at the £31,000 a night suites, I was treated to a cappuccino. But this isn’t any Cappuccino This is a Burj Cappuccino With actual edible gold on top, which doubled up as some shiny lipstick for the next 3 hours. Gold is surprisingly delicious. I’m going to drink diamonds next time, I think. Now, for the big guns. I checked into
Atlantis The Royal, which is the stuff dreams are made of. This is where I realised that the self-flushing toilet in my previous hotel had spoilt me rotten, and now I had to go back to the old way of doing my own flushing. A sad day for the parish, really. The breakfast buffet here in Gastronomy is bigger than most shopping centres. Yes, fine, I had a pick n mix for breakfast okay? Don’t tell my kids. This hotel
was more than a hotel… it was my new home. It’s also the home of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and if you have a TV you’ll know this guy takes food to a whole new level. A scientific approach that messes with the senses in a full-on journey through history. I ate a chicken liver pate that looked EXACTLY like an orange. It even had dimples. I then watched ice cream get made in front of my eyes. Don’t tell my kids about
clientele include Rhianna, Leo Di Caprio and The Kardashians but have you heard of Chef Mervin from Nobu By The Beach who gave me a private Sushi making class? At first, I was unsure about the raw fish situation, but it’s one of the things I’ve returned from Dubai, liking, This speaks volumes for the quality of the food there. After a few hours hanging out on a
yacht (wait…AM I RIHANNA NOW?) and swimming in the warmest waters I’ve ever swam in, besides a bath, we headed
to Le Petit Chef. This was an interactive experience, and whilst tasty was probably my least favourite of all the dining experiences. I was very much still hungry after and for roughly 750 Durham (£125 ish) each, I would have loved a bit more grub. Even just a few chips on the side. A mini computerised chef pops out from your plate and there are dancing carrots and it all gets a bit trippy. In saying that, I was with others who absolutely loved this, so it may be the meal for you. As a quick highlight of my favourite places to enjoy in Dubai I’d recommend breakfast at Arabian Tea House, lunch at Arfali Bros, Dinner at Hestons, an exclusive swim in Cloud 22 at Atlantis The Royal and a quick scoot up to the View at the palm to take in the breathtaking architecture of the landscape. If you’re after some cracker photos go to the marina for a sunset yacht trip, head to the Infinity Pool at The One and Only Za’abeel or do the tour of The Burj
Al Arab. I’d go back in a heart beat. You’ve got my number, Dubai. Hit me up!
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