Wait, We Still Out Here?
The unusual spectre of a second (full) newsletter
If we are being honest with ourselves (I am included in our), the sheer prospect of this third post in a week seemed destined to remain an idea. And yet, here we are. Modern-day miracles do come true. Let’s get into it, shall we?
L’Amo Bistro Del Mare
This week took me to L’Amo Bistro Del Mare in Marina Harbour (see here). An Italian seafood restaurant that vyes to threaten my otherwise resilient loyalty for Alici (more on them below).
A work colleague’s birthday required L’Amo’s chic pastiche: those flowing translucent drapes like the train of a wedding dress. An incandescent bar, where for a moment, I felt like I was back in London. Imported fish lay prostrate, buttressed by crushed iced. In no other circumstance would these Mediterreanean species be found within a mile of Dubai Marina (albeit dead) if they were not delicious, especially in good olive oil. And, I haven’t even mentioned (but, quite obviously, now I am going to) those panoramic views looking back onto Dubai Marina as oligarch-level pricey yachts bob lightly in the water.
L’Amo Bistro Del Mare is not cheap, but nothing about it remotely suggests it would be. However, it is not remorselessly expensive like some other restaurants. It sits in special occasion territory. However, the midweek business lunch is a great way to check out the menu at a lower price point. Like what you had? Then bat in dinner’s big leagues. It is the business lunch that I recommend in this part of town - can you recommend another?
Our favourite dish? It’s a tug of war between L’Amo’s crudo selection, Le Tre Tartare (AED 215), of Italian red prawns & caviar, tuna with capers, seabass with mullet roe, lime & celery salad and the “Ti…Amo…Su” made fresh tableside, which makes up in artery-clogging richness what it lacks in beauty (see below).
Tresind Studio x Belcanto, #invited
Tresind Studio continues its successful stretch of collaborations with one of Europe’s best chefs fronting one of Portugal’s best restaurants, José Avillez from Belcanto in Lisbon. Both restaurants sport two Michelin stars and feature in 2023’s World 50 Best Restaurants List (no. 11 & no 25, respectively). José Avillez also runs Tasca here in Dubai’s Mandarin Oriental hotel.
A fourteen-course cohesive dinner saw both chefs produce some sublime dishes. There were no crumbs left from me. Here are some photo highlights:
From top to bottom, left to right:
Beetroot tartare with pine nut milk, a beautiful balance of temperature and texture. I was worried but completely won over (Belcanto).
Roasted chicken skin served in stamp-sized crispy planks that snap to release sweet prawns (Belcanto).
A fragrant bowl of crab cafreal inside a delicate turban of ros omelette with green curry leaf sauce, glorious (Tresind Studio).
The Tresind Studio dining room.
Slices of duck with rice and rosemary ashes and a thing fresh sing of orange. Imagine a French cassoulet that beached onto Portuguese shores and stayed for the summer (Belcanto).
José Avillez signing the chef’s wall at Tresind Studio.
Tresind Studio’s long-held tradition of pani puri lives on with this curd rice pani puri with a curry leaf kombucha (Tresind Studio).
A scarlet pudgy prawn that waltzes beautifully over the line between raw and cooked in a curry sauce (Belcanto).
The sheer eye-candy of sev tamatar nu tartare with pickled sea urchin (Tresind Studio).
Quick Lunch Bites
Some fast lunches this week at 21grams, Dubai’s preeminent Balkan soul kitchen, for a slab of their unapologetically good goat’s cheese, thyme and honey phyllo pie (AED 56) washed down with the cool company of Stasha Toncev, Chief SoulKitchen Officer. (Read a glowing review here). Plus, a quick nip into Splendour Fields in JLT as Mrs EatGoSee required a dietary administering of croque monsieurs (AED 37) and blueberry and hazelnut cheesecakes (AED 22): arguably, one of JLT’s best restaurants IMHO.
Did I Publish Anything This Week?
Yup! You can still read this review of Noma in Copenhagen and check out this Instagram Reel about it.
What Am I Drinking This Week? 🍷
🇺🇸 La Crema, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021. Continuing with the red wine this week. It’s a cherry and raspberry forward, light red wine. Some dried leaves and oak on the palate taste, with a medium finish. Easy to drink on its own, especially slightly chilled. Follow me here on Vivino if you’d like!
The Week Ahead? 📅
I may be going to the Jun’s x Tresind Studio collaboration on Monday, but I have two things coming up next week that I cannot talk about now 🤐 but I will share more about next week (check my Instagram for more).
I Can’t Make It, But You Should Go…
👉🏼 BOCA x The Tasting Class // Spanish Tasting & Tapas Menu, lunch tapas serving with five Spanish wines for tasting (think Cava to Rioja). It’s 385 dhs between 2pm - 4pm. One of my favourite Dubai restaurants. Book here.
👉🏼 Alici White Truffle Menu kicks off this week. You can book here.
Thank you 🙏
I hope you stick around for the next one, and if you liked this, please rub that little share button below to tell a friend.