Liam Collens

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The Devonshire, London restaurant review. “It’s Fine.”

Uninvited Opinion. We have been told for so long that The Devonshire is extraordinary that we have stopped asking whether it is.
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Periodicals

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Amused Bouche 06
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue: Italian renovations, cookbook celebrations, restaurant openings, supermarket collaborations and my…
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 05
Bite-sized commentary. In this issue: Dubai's Industry Takeovers, Satwa discoveries, ticking restaurants off my long list, viral dumplings and a…
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 04
Bite-sized commentary. In this issue: re-focusing on the good out there, eating rescue food, ignoring Thai food purists, croutons as a life hack and my…
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 03
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue: a two-Michelin-starred shrug, delivery butchers, a "seven-starred" beach club, black sriracha and a…
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 02
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue, disappointment and delight in Dubai and the UK, and one of the best meals to ever pass these lips.
 • Liam Collens
2025’s Best Dishes: Hearts Across The Board
Restaurants, floors, kitchens and cheffing is a hard, brutal business. Send them your love.
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 01
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue: a collection of eats, stays and sips across Singapore, an absolute jewel in Asia.
 • Liam Collens
Something for the Weekend #23
Bringing in some structure. Are Saudi and Michelin perfect for each other? Instagram Channels. A bumper week for Eats, Writes & Substack Reads. So sit…
 • Liam Collens

Restaurant Reviews

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The Devonshire, London restaurant review. “It’s Fine.”
The Devonshire has been praised so enthusiastic, and for so long, that criticism feels almost impolite. After dinner in the Grill Room, I found myself…
 • Liam Collens
Orilla, Dubai restaurant review. “A glamourous night out in Jumeirah Village Triangle, but with room to grow.”
Uninvited Opinion. An opulent 27th-floor Mediterranean restaurant brings music and much-needed joie de vivre to Jumeirah Village Triangle, but not…
 • Liam Collens
Lowe, Al Barari, Dubai – Restaurant Revisited
“I am glad you ordered…” — returning to Lowe, where the best dishes are often the ones you didn’t mean to choose.
 • Liam Collens
MOLI by Shi, Dubai Hills - Restaurant Revisited.
Uninvited Opinion: I was teased with the promise of endless corporate frivolity. It never happened. MOLI by Shi comes close.
 • Liam Collens
TaoXiang Taiwan Hotpot, Dubai restaurant review. "Fortune favours the brave in International City."
Uninvited Opinion. TaoXiang Taiwan Hotpot is big on flavour and reminds us that some of Dubai’s best meals are not in obvious places.
 • Liam Collens
Kraken, Dubai restaurant review: "There is Real Skill Beneath the Theatre".
Pull back the maximalism to discover Kraken’s familiar tricks, but it does not want for ambition. Dive deeper and, perhaps, the best is yet to come.
 • Liam Collens
Middle Child, Dubai restaurant review: “Calm Cooking, Loud Opinions and a Bistro Caught in the Noise.”
The food is good. Sometimes very good, but the noise around Middle Child is hard to swallow.
 • Liam Collens
Hashmi Barbeque, Dubai restaurant review. "Where nyama choma meets the tandoor."
Uninvited Opinion. Elbows-on-the-table casual and finger-suckingly good. You’ll need to be rolled out the door.
 • Liam Collens

Travel Reviews

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The Chedi Muscat, Oman: It Was Well Worth The Wait (Archives)
We waited 10+ years to experience The Chedi Muscat. It was worth it. The Chedi Muscat’s tasteful luxury is a benchmark for other Middle Eastern resorts.
 • Liam Collens
The Greatest Dining Spaces
Of views, history and art, you could come here to eat nothing and leave utterly satisfied. These are some of my most memorable dinings rooms.
 • Liam Collens
Ascending God's Rooftop, Pt 2: The Journey to Himachal Pradesh, India’s Himalayas
Ascending God's Rooftop is a multi-part series about my recent travels to India, particularly Himachal Pradesh. This time I talk about Kasauli and…
 • Liam Collens
Ascending God's Rooftop, Pt 1: A Journey to Himachal Pradesh, India’s Himalayas
A multi-part series about travelling to India over the years and, most recently, to Himachal Pradesh.
 • Liam Collens
The St Regis Abu Dhabi
The St Regis Abu Dhabi's Grand Deluxe Suites overlook sweeping views of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche within moments of the city’s most-loved sights.
 • Liam Collens
13 Unconventional Travel Destinations to Consider this Eid
There are MANY travel guides recommending the same places, but this guide finds some of the best and unique options out there.
 • Liam Collens
48 Hours in Copenhagen: Where to Eat, Sleep and Play
The land of Carlsberg, mermaids and Hans Christian Andersen offers more than enough for a weekend getaway.
 • Liam Collens
Maldivian-Style Villa Stays at the Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah
A brand-new weekend waterfront stay in Ras Al Khaimah challenges you to ask: do I need to go to the Maldives?
 • Liam Collens

Recent posts

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Amused Bouche 06
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue: Italian renovations, cookbook celebrations, restaurant openings, supermarket collaborations and my…
 • Liam Collens
London, Three Years On: A Return by Fork and Footstep
A whistle-stop tour of London by mouth, three years on, that rekindled a distant affection for a city I once called home for the better part of a…
 • Liam Collens
Order The Rise of Indian Food 📕
Get A Copy of The Rise of Indian Food Today! Here is a handy shortlist of links and shops where you can order the book.
 • Liam Collens
Translating Trèsind Studio: When Writing a Cookbook.
A special series that looks behind the scenes at Trèsind Studio and Chef Himanshu Saini's first book. Here, we cover the complicated business of…
 • Liam Collens
Amused Bouche 05
Bite-sized commentary. In this issue: Dubai's Industry Takeovers, Satwa discoveries, ticking restaurants off my long list, viral dumplings and a…
 • Liam Collens
Orilla, Dubai restaurant review. “A glamourous night out in Jumeirah Village Triangle, but with room to grow.”
Uninvited Opinion. An opulent 27th-floor Mediterranean restaurant brings music and much-needed joie de vivre to Jumeirah Village Triangle, but not…
 • Liam Collens
Lowe, Al Barari, Dubai – Restaurant Revisited
“I am glad you ordered…” — returning to Lowe, where the best dishes are often the ones you didn’t mean to choose.
 • Liam Collens
Why Neighbourhood Food Hall in Motor City is worth checking out right now
A timely update on Neighbourhood Food Hall in Dubai’s Motor City, from burgers and udon to Thai, tacos and Indian grills, and why this homegrown food…
 • Liam Collens

Featured In

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Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, Dubai Hills: We Deserve This (Archives)
Reif Japanese Kushiyaki Dubai Hills expands Reif Othman’s success, reminding imitators that he’s still the yardstick to beat.
 • Liam Collens
Consorzio, Turin restaurant review: "Fergus Henderson's doppelgänger is an Italian woman."
Consorzio tastes bold and edifying in modern times, making light work of unsexy, overlooked cuts. The squeamish will still eat well, and eat you should.
 • Liam Collens
The Greatest Dining Spaces
Of views, history and art, you could come here to eat nothing and leave utterly satisfied. These are some of my most memorable dinings rooms.
 • Liam Collens
Potong, Bangkok: restaurant review. "No One Should Cook Duck This Well"
Potong is Chef Pam’s ode to her family and heritage; skilfully cooked, wrapped in class and served with charm. The storyteller all families would want.
 • Liam Collens
Tasca restores joy in Dubai's brunches
It took the Portuguese, a birthday and a slather of sophistication to Make Brunch Great Again.
 • Liam Collens
Tresind Studio x Gucci Osteria
Dubai continues to show the world that it's a world-class destination for creative cooking, eye-catching collaborations and a progressive melting pot…
 • Liam Collens
The St Regis Abu Dhabi
The St Regis Abu Dhabi's Grand Deluxe Suites overlook sweeping views of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche within moments of the city’s most-loved sights.
 • Liam Collens
Gaggan, Bangkok: restaurant review
Weeks later, I cannot decide how I feel about Gaggan, but that seeded, restless stir is precisely where Chef Gaggan Anand wants me. Welcome to one of…
 • Liam Collens
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