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THE FOOD<br />
and Ena (Foodie District: The Pointe),<br />
which both offer refined Greek fare,<br />
there are some traditional taverna types<br />
which are truly excellent.<br />
Locals will point you towards Elia<br />
(+971 4 359 8888, dubaimajestic.com),<br />
a cosy restaurant with a lovely glass<br />
terrace surrounded by greenery in<br />
the somewhat incongruous setting<br />
of the Majestic Hotel in Bur Dubai.<br />
In the kitchen is Cretan head chef<br />
Poppy Kourkoutaki, while charming<br />
restaurant manager (and fellow Crete<br />
local) Margianna Mavridou heads up<br />
the front-of-house team. The menu is<br />
divided into Greek classics – the cheese<br />
saganaki and chicken souvlaki are<br />
standouts – and more contemporary<br />
interpretations such as slow-cooked veal<br />
cheeks with eggplant purée.<br />
From the same team, Mythos Kouzina<br />
& Grill (+971 4 399 8166, mythoskouzina.<br />
IN THE KNOW<br />
Dinner with<br />
a view…<br />
…OF BURJ AL ARAB<br />
Shimmers, Madinat Jumeirah,<br />
+971 4 432 3232, jumeirah.com<br />
A menu of home-style Greek<br />
favourites is ably supported<br />
by a casual, toes-in-the-sand<br />
atmosphere.<br />
...OF BURJ KHALIFA AND<br />
THE DUBAI FOUNTAIN<br />
Thiptara, Palace Downtown, +971<br />
4 888 3444, addresshotels.com<br />
Robustly flavoured Thai dishes in a<br />
magical setting - flame-lit and aside<br />
the Dubai Fountain.<br />
…OF DUBAI MARINA<br />
101 Dining Lounge and Bar<br />
One&Only The Palm Dubai,<br />
+971 440 1010, thepalm.<br />
oneandonlyresorts.com<br />
Drink in picture-perfect views while<br />
enjoying contemporary European<br />
fare from a menu rubber-stamped<br />
by super-chef Yannick Alléno.<br />
Bistrot Bagatelle<br />
com) feels like a little slice of Santorini<br />
hidden away in JLT’s Armada Bay Hotel.<br />
Kitted out like a traditional seaside<br />
taverna with whitewashed walls, rustic<br />
furniture and light blue banquettes, the<br />
simple menu is a mix of traditional dishes<br />
such as keftedakia (meatballs) and<br />
grilled calamari, together with homestyle<br />
favourites like moussaka.<br />
It's also whitewashed walls all the<br />
way at Opa (+971 4 357 0557, fairmont.<br />
com/dubai/dining/opa), at Fairmont<br />
Dubai, where the traditions extend to<br />
plate-smashing and Zorba dancing<br />
and the homely dishes are executed<br />
to perfection.<br />
FABULOUS FRENCH<br />
For decades Le Cirque was New York’s<br />
go-to spot for A-list celebrities and real<br />
estate tycoons (including a certain Mr<br />
Trump). Now at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC,<br />
Le Cirque (+971 4 372 2444, ritzcarlton)<br />
is proving equally popular. The menu,<br />
which comes with a hint of Italian<br />
inspiration, contains just the right number<br />
of dishes to suggest that each has been<br />
honed to perfection – the subsequent<br />
taste test confirms it. A superb lobster<br />
risotto easily ranks among Dubai's 'musttry'<br />
dishes, while soft-as-butter Dover sole<br />
and a chocolate soufflé so light it could<br />
float from your table are among the<br />
notable highlights.<br />
Regardless of the quality of the food<br />
they serve, it’s often difficult for Dubai’s<br />
many hotel-run restaurants to shake<br />
off that hotel restaurant vibe. So it’s to<br />
places like Bistrot Bagatelle (+971 4 354<br />
5035, bagatelledubai.com) we locals<br />
go for a hefty side of atmosphere to<br />
enjoy with our food at weekends. Let<br />
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