Signature restaurants

Hotel openings in the city mean one thing: lots of new restaurants to try. Here are some of the latest Is the Great British Restaurant at Dukes Dubai really that great?

When you think British restaurant, chances are you think ‘pub’ – maybe ‘gastropub’, if you’re feeling fancy. But GBR, or Great British Restaurant, the first dining offering from Dukes Hotel, is from the James Bond school of British – stylish, sleek and partial to a well-mixed martini.

With its checkered monochrome floor, retro pictures and dark blue drapes, it’s an elegant spot on The Palm.

The food is comfort food without the stodginess, and proudly British in the best way – grass-fed beef from Britain, Dover sole, salmon from the Severn & Wye Smokery and lamb from Wales (“I know the farmer,” chef Martin assures us). We started with the dry aged steak tartare (Dhs75), served with tangy horseradish and a wafer-thin slice of sourdough. You could taste the high quality of the beef. The English pea soup (Dhs45) was a musttry too – silky, creamy and flamboyantly poured at the table, into bowls containing a healthy dollop of sour cream. We also recommend the smoked salmon (Dhs60), which was complemented well by the crunch of radish, fennel and rye toast.

Fish lovers should go for the Dover sole (Dhs170), which was tender, flaky and firm, and swimming in lemon caper butter. We weren’t impressed with the steamed potatoes though – much better to get a side of the duck fat chips (Dhs25) with fried garlic and rosemary. The fillet of beef (Dhs220) was well-cooked and served with a sweet, treacly sauce and beef cheek fritters. The fritters weren’t as melt-in-the-mouth as we like our beef cheeks. When it comes to dessert, GBR’s menu is very traditional: steamed syrup pudding (Dhs35), cheeseboards (Dhs40 to Dhs75) and cherry bakewell tarts (Dhs45) feature. We went for the walnut whip (Dhs55), a mix of meringue, raspberry and candied walnuts, served in a chocolate dome that melted when the waiter poured hot chocolate sauce on it. Keep in mind if you’re dining with someone with dietary requirements – this menu doesn’t have many light options aside from sorbet (Dhs20) and you can expect serious food envy at your death by chocolate pudding.

Dukes Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 6.30am to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4551111. Taxi: Dukes Hotel. dukesdubai.com