LE CIRQUE

Can the famous New York stalwart deliver in the UAE?

In New York, Le Cirque is a well-known circus-themed restaurant that has been a landmark in the city since 1974. It has since expanded to call Las Vegas’ Bellagio, New Delhi’s Leela Palace and New York’s trendy Third Avenue home. Now, it’s landed in Dubai, in the heart of the DIFC.

But there’s no clowning around at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC’s outpost. Instead you’ll find a rather elegant lounge filled with antique armchairs and floor-length drapery, where the closest thing to a circus animal is the elephant-grey colour scheme.

The menu runs the gamut of Italian and French dishes. The carpaccio de boeuf (Dhs70) was a good start, and we enjoyed the tasty combination of Parmesan, tiny droplets of chilli mayo and truffle vinaigrette. However, the loup de mer cru (Dhs80) ceviche dish was the star starter. Think raw sea bass doused in a coriander, lime and coconut dressing, sprinkled with sweet potato – of the chips and cube variety – and finished off with just a nudge of red pepper.

The cappelletti au crabe (Dhs100) was another unexpected highlight – a pert package of pasta filled with king crab and dressed in a bisque-like roasted apple purée.

Unfortunately, the mains were the key acts where Le Cirque failed to impress. On paper, the sole aux amandes (Dhs280) sounded like a seafood dream – almondcrusted Dover sole, sautéed until crisp. What was served up at the table, however, was a freshly boned fillet that tasted far too tough – and was just as hard to cut.

We tried again with the saumon mi-cuit (Dhs105), a slow-cooked slab, which was fine but forgettable.

Luckily, redemption came in the form of cake. The ‘frozen’ cheesecake (Dhs45), an anomaly in Dubai we are told, was so light we had to convince ourselves it didn’t mean we could eat five in one sitting. The chocolate cake (Dhs50) wasn’t really a cake at all, but was instead a creamy, layered globule of praline, caramel ganache and hot chocolate sauce.

A hit and miss meal that started and ended well, but the mains let it down. Could it be a case of teething problems before they properly get their act together? Only time will tell.

Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily noon to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3722444. Taxi: RitzCarlton DIFC. ritzcarlton.com