Tag Archives: Dubai

Walking into the IVY the first thought that comes to mind is “Thank God this looks NOTHING like Scarletts”. Sorry Scarletts but you wuz Uglayy. The second thing I notice is that I am the ONLY non British customer within a 10 meter radius of the restaurant. This clearly demonstrates the pull power of the IVY brand – an export from the UK. If I step in the IVY Dubai a couple of months from now and see that it’s still brimming with return British customers, its success would be proven by its domination of its British inspired menu rather than by its brand name. Can the IVY London be compared to the IVY Dubai? The IVY London is known as the place to eat for the who’s who of celebrities. Other than the Dubai residents who act like celebrities (but aren’t) celebrity sightings would be like finding a parking in the Marina – next to never. With that being said rather than being a sister of the IVY London, I’d say, the Ivy Dubai is going to be its distant cousin. I’ve said this a million times and I’m going to say it again, I like… wait Love, short menus. I’d rather a restaurant do a select number of things perfectly than a never ending list of everything half assed. The Ivy’s menu is well fitted, to the nines and concise – just like a beyond your budget designer suit. Iced Tomato Soup As a lover of soup, and a less than lover (my life is too short to hate, hence the less than lover) of the hot/sticky/humid did I say hot... summers of Dubai, the Iced Tomato Soup is a pleasant remedy to my catch-22. Basil, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheerfully bathing in a fresh iced tomato pulp/juice. If you love your Bloody Marys you will love this soup. If tomato juice is too much for you I’d recommend something else. Warm Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce Asparagus is such an earthy, fresh veggie that I feel the more than ample dollop of thick, full bodied hollandaise sauce is too much for me. Though cooked to perfection, I find myself scraping off the excess Hollandaise to reach my beautiful green Asparagi (is that the plural of Asparagus just like cacti or is asparagus already plural?) Fillet of Cod I’m usually not the biggest fish fan. For example when I have quality fish my reaction would be “If fish were my thing I would enjoy this dish”. Taking a bite of my fillet of cod my reaction surprises me. I like! But how can I like? I don’t like fish – but I like this dish… There is something about the smoky, woody, caramelized undertone of a cod that, to me, makes it an un fish and actually delightful. A splash of lemon is all you need. Shepherd’s Pie                                                                                                        I have to admit – I’m a Shepherd’s Pie virgin. While ordering my pie I start to imagine pastry dough stuffed with minced meat. When my pie arrives I have a mini paradigm shift “This is what it looks liiiiikkkee” No dough rather mashed potatoes on top of minced meat placed in a shallow pool of sauce. To me, a Lebanese who has nothing to do with this dish, the secret that brings everything together is the sauce; deep, rich and fruity. Taking a bite constitutes of sliding my fork through the pie and swirling it around the plate to soak up as much sauce as possible and then enjoying. Crème Brulee Is that even British? After a quick Google search on my phone I realize that the question I just posed is actually a hot and heavy debate dating back 100s of years ago. Supposedly the British, French and Spanish are all laying claim to the crème brulee. Either way it’s a delight. Iced Berries The picture says it all. Iced berries topped with warm white chocolate. I know it’s a tradition that the chocolate be white, but deep down inside, while enjoying the amalgamation of hot and cold in my mouth, I secretly wish the chocolate is dark chocolate. The Result The Ivy is the new life line for the ghost town that used to be the Emirates Tower’s restaurant scene.    My personal cooking likes tend to diverge more to French inspirations rather than British – but that’s just me. Do I crave British food – not too often – maybe because of my lack of exposure to it – but I know more than half of Dubai craves/wants/needs it. Do I think the IVY will be a success in Dubai? No… I think it will be a Huge success. Quality food with quality service all at a price your credit card would love.