BAMBOO KITCHEN

Can it take on the city’s finest Thai restaurants?

o reach Bamboo Kitchen, guests must hop into a golf cart from the lobby of Habtoor Grand Resort. You’ll race through the winding pathways of the resort, reminiscent of a tuk tuk ride through Bangkok, which is fitting, considering Bamboo Kitchen is the hotel’s new Thai restaurant.

The scent of lemongrass and jasmine wafts through the very Thai-inspired entrance, and just as we order our drinks, a traditional Thai performance begins. It’s a nice touch of entertainment that avoids

Tbeing tacky, and instead breaks up the time between courses. The menu is quite extensive, but places emphasis on sharing family style. If you find the menu confusing, the staff are more than happy to help you.

If you plan on learning any Thai before you visit, make it these: Nue Prik Thai Dam (Dhs75), Kaeng Ped Yang (Dhs75), Poh Pia Ped (Dhs75), Pad Pak Choi (Dhs35) and Pad Thai Goong Sod Hor Khai (Dhs75). Order that little lot and you’ll have a table of dishes including black pepper beef, roast duck in red curry, shredded duck crêpes, stir fried bok choi, and one of the tastiest pad Thai’s outside of Thailand. The roast duck in red curry was another highlight – a knockout combination of rich flavours with just enough kick to make you sit up and take notice.

We finished the meal with a chocolate brownie topped with avocado ice cream – a dessert that pretty much summed up the entire meal: a classic take on Thai cuisine, with enough of a delightful twist to make us come back for more.

Grand Resort, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 12.30pm to 3.30pm, 7pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3995000. Taxi: Habtoor Grand. habtoorgranddining.com