DEMOISELLE BY GALVIN

The famous Harrods restaurant opens in Dubai

iss the Rivington Grill? Craving the bistro fare of the defunct Ivy? Well, we’ve found a replacement: and the good news is this unlicensed spot is friendly on the wallet, too. Demoiselle By Galvin is the first of many GCC outposts from Frenchcuisine-loving British brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin (there’s also a Demoiselle in Harrods) – and the food is excellent.

The salmon starter (Dhs66) came with fresh rye, giant capers and eggs, and the Faroe Island fish tasted more like trout than salmon – the flavour isn’t one-note-fishy. The cheesy Comte croquettes (Dhs42) were delicious – but it’s not hard to make deep-fried-cheese taste good, so the real star was the tart walnut pickle on the side (like Branston, just way better). Order the Wagyu short rib to share (Dhs186) – the buttery soft beef sits in an umami-filled mushroom sauce and came with a crisp, cheesy crust.

MSave room for dessert – the apple tarte tatin (Dhs42) is an example of pastry perfection. It was like eating a rich toffee apple, minus the sore teeth.

The triumph of the meal was the date and chocolate gluten-free cake (Dhs42): like a fondant but with more balance of flavour. The bitterness of dark chocolate played against the punch of coffee and the sweetness of dates. We would order this again. And again.

Definitely go up to the second floor where Birds Of America illustrations (by US painter John James Audubon) adorn the ceiling, and wood, steel, tiles and marble create a rich and textured environment. We’ll be back.

City Walk, 8am to midnight, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (04) 5905076. Taxi: City Walk, near the cinema. facebook.com/demoiselledubai