TAKE BRUNCH TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL ( LITERALLY)
Heard of a little corner shop or a hole-in-the-wall eatery that’s rumoured to sell the best burger, or the best sandwich, or the best kebab? Or another ‘littleknown place’ that ‘launches a thousand ships’? UAE’s Hidden Gems, our new weekly series, will feature one such place a week, every Thursday. In Episode 5, we visit 1484 by Puro overlooking Jebel Jais — the UAE’s highest peak in Ras Al Khaimah — to find out if their brunch is worth the drive up all the way.
Why is it named 1484? 1484 by Puro is named according to its height above sea level — 1,484 metres. Overlooking the UAE’s highest peak, this all-day dining restaurant boasts a magnificent panorama of Jebel Jais. It can currently seat 38 guests with all Covid restrictions in place..
So how do you make a real meal out of a triple-deck beef patty in a brioche topped with onion rings and served with mature cheddar salad, chipotle mayo and fries? Simple. Drive up to 1484 by Puro in Ras Al Khaimah, grab a seat in the open air, order their signature burger that goes by the same name — and soak in the endless panoramic beauty of the sun-kissed Northwestern Hajar mountain range, right from the lap of the UAE’s highest peak at Jebel Jais.
Heard of an elevated dining experience? This one is as good as it gets at the UAE’s highest restaurant, which officially opened just last week. And it’s not just about the triple-deck burger or the pizzas and pasta on the menu but the whole experience of driving up to this all-day diner that sits right next to the Jebel Jais Flight, the world’s longest zipline, at a height of exactly 1484m above the sea level.
But beyond the stats and trivia, dining at the country’s highest restaurant, as they call it, is about enjoying some unmatched views and sumptuous international favourites brought together at a gorgeous family destination. You could start with a big breakfast on the terrace, select something special from the a la carte menu, and top it up with a sweet finish over coffee before the restaurant closes at 6.30pm on a weekday (7.30pm on weekends).
If you came here just for food, leaving aside the beauty of the location for once, you wouldn’t be disappointed because there’s plenty to choose from. The Korean fried chicken and wasabi shrimps pack enough fire in the starters section, while mains like pan-fried seabass and duck confit lend a fine international touch to the menu that also boasts of a range of pizzas, pastas, and a decadent warm pecan nut brownie as the jewel of the desserts.
But would you go there just for the food? You could — but the real answer lies in the roughly 40km drive up one of the Emirates’ most loved and best-known mountainous driveways, with hairpin turns that show you around some of the UAE’s best-kept natural gems.