.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

 For a situate which is entitled to the attendees of universities, consultation rooms, offices - a usually highly regarded and respected workplace – the food court sucks.

To escape the ‘cold’ weather us Dubaians are now exposed to in our rare winter months, occupants of Knowledge Village take shelter to regain energy in the food court - in hope for warmth and, presumably, food. However it seems the standard of hygiene and variety is not up to scratch. After a long and agonizing THREE HOURS of ongoing debating, I step in to the court only to be nearly knocked out by the pungent and nauseating smell it so kindly offers.

Putting the smell aside, and desperate for some form of food, I glance over to the few take out restaurants it has to offer. KFC, Subway, and a few unidentifiable others. I take my pick of the two I actually recognize. Subway it is. The queue is tediously long and the lack of staff is astonishing. If it’s lunch time and you are going to be expecting large orders I don’t see the point in understaffing, at all. I order my usual 6-inch Italian BMT (I like my sandwiches how I like my men) and go through the usual stages of choosing the cheese, vegetables and, lastly, sauces.

I, personally, enjoy my cheese dispersed evenly throughout the whole sandwich. To my dismay, the server had inconveniently placed the cheese so that they were not parallel to each other in a tessellating style. Alright I may be being picky here, but who isn’t when it comes to food.

Finally upon paying, I found that my 6-inch meal came to a sum total of 30dhs. A complete and utter rip off. Apparently I had agreed to ‘double meat’ in my sandwich, which obviously adds on an extra 10hs, silly me. Thankfully, the taste of the sandwich was in fact satisfactory.

I’m going to be completely honest here for all my readers to be advised: Avoid this food court. Go to Aswaaq, a five minute drive away, and buy yourself a pack of gum and it would be more adequate than what Knowledge Village has to offer.

Grab life by the tongue!

With the weather slowly creeping into Dubai ‘winter’ (aka it’s time to wear the biggest hoodies we own when it’s only 20 degrees), the craze for outside seating in restaurants and cafés is back.  At the Dubai Mall there is a large pool of different dine-ins-outside to dip into.  A good start would be the renowned mOre café.

The service from the waiters was nothing less than efficient and polite.  With some of them looking almost as yummy as the food to be served.  I was sat at the outdoor seating with the breath-taking view of the Burj Khalifa itself, and the dancing fountain.

Almost immediately after being shown to our table, the waiter offered us complimentary water with a fusion of a calming mint leaf and boisterous lemon slice.  Perhaps the wait for the meal itself was touching on lengthy.  However this could mirror the care and dedication the chefs denote to each single dish, and the wait itself can be easily overcome with some light conversation.

The plates sustained a hefty amount of edible goodness to them and undoubtedly the presentation of the food was artistically striking.  I had ordered a ‘traditional’ Anna Mari Se Kiep: Chicken Breast Filled with Ricotta & Tarragon, served with Roasted Baby Potatoes & Bell Peppers.  It was a mission and a half to actually devour the entire plate, what with each bite yearning for another – despite my stomach barely having the capacity to take any more than a drop of sauce.

When the bill had arrived it hadn’t even bothered my parents about the price – each dish costing an average of 60dhs each.  This proves the gratitude they behold for this restaurant – which is strange for me considering our usual Friday lunches consist of us only going to a restaurant if we have the voucher provided, where here we had already used all three by the time January was up.

Overall this place is a sure winner, and be sure to make a stop there before our winter is over!

Grab life by the tongue!

Stylish. Chic. Modern. The seemingly fit description for today’s target audience – even if it is only for a meal. Once entering the newly established restaurant by Sheikh Zayed Road, it beheld an ambience similar to a hotel in Europe. The colour scheme follows a simple black-grey-white and is complimented by natural decorations such as an open cheese cupboard, a fresh oils stand and fresh foods placed in windows for customers to gaze at awe. Already, the restaurant has made a very good impression.

Despite the menu having an awkwardly set breakfast, lunch and dinner meals – it was easy enough to follow and immediately choose. I opted for the ‘Classic Jones Caesar Salad’, seeing it stated it was a ‘Classic’ I assumed I had to try it. The waiter-with-the-charming-European-accent smiled and bade goodbye as he finished taking down the order. While waiting for my meal I casually sipped on some overpriced Voss water. Perhaps it was the unusually pleasing bottle shape, or just physiologically, but I swear the water tasted a little less tasteless than the usual Masafi or Oasis.

A solid fifteen minutes later the anticipation was over and the food had arrived on its own red carpet – a gleaming white bowl filled with bright flamboyant colours of greens, reds and yellows. The salad looked so alive as if there was a Mexican street party going on inside. I dug my weapon deep into the green goodness and captured a good serving of all the inhabitants. Into my mouth went the soft welcoming of the tomato, followed by the crunchy lettuce, complimented by the fresh taste of sweet chicken, the smoky bacon flavour, and lastly the delicious coat of Caesar sauce. The only mistake that may have been made within this dish would be the overpowering taste of bacon. Tip: Ask for no bacon.

Overall the restaurant deemed to be a successful visit. If any complaints – it would be that the staff are very sceptical when it comes to accepting vouchers. So here’s a note of caution for all of you, if you are expecting to use a coupon of any sort (and you probably should considering the prices per meal are touching on expensive), then make sure to haggle your way with the server until eventually the give in.

Bon appetite!

The Red Lobster. Easy enough to remember and, after tasting their signature dishes, almost impossible to barricade out of your new seafood-mad-mind. Think back to The OC – where did Ryan get his first job when trying to prove himself to the Cohens? The Crab Shack: With its friendly service from the local kids, to the tiny tank full of lobsters and crabs obliviously lazing around, to its cozy and tight seating booths. The Red Lobster is exactly the same, except completely Dubai-fied.

The restaurant itself is easy enough to locate – ground floor of The Dubai Mall next to the also recently opened PF Changs – another great franchise from the States. It follows the famous Boston-style design and seafood-heavy menu similar to the American outlets. As you enter through the “outdoor” seating I was greeted with a warm overly-ecstatic smile from a serving waitress who took near to no time to arrange a table. Whilst walking to the designated booth, I passed a large tank filled with silly naive lobsters spending their last few tasty moments together. There was a certain trust from the tank knowing that your food had a sense of freshness – a sense that is rare to cross paths with in Dubai.

 
An assuring smile sat me down at a tight and comfy booth, offered me a neat menu, and bade goodbye (“Ip you need anyting else just qall por me!”). It didn’t take long to decide the meal – what with the easily accessible layout of the menu and the lip smacking pictures, each one screaming out “Pick me!”. It was simple: I had a choice of either lobster, crab or prawns (with the odd exceptions for starters and desserts, because that could get awkward). I instantly rooted for the Snow Crabs – and straight away returned my menu in attempt to not get seduced into ordering any of the other gorgeous looking meals.

Yummy!

 
Despite having a fairly long wait for my meal to arrive, our helpful waitress provided us with free unlimited cheese bite-esque pastries. Yummy. Then the moment of truth had arrived and the crab legs were ready for their fate! The fifteen odd rich orange legs lined up one after the other was complemented by a fresh, green salad on the side, a bowl of dipping sauce I knew I was ready to dive right into, and finally a mighty simple slice of lemon. I tucked a clean white serviette into my shirt and took my first crack at the crab’s hard shell. It opened easily as if a key to a delicious locket. A thousand different flavours exenterated my tongue at once. First the exterior of the salty-butter dipping, followed by a comfortingly pungent crab which smoothly stroked the front of my tongue with its soft, alluring texture. 1-0. Five minutes later: 12-0. Quickly, the legs began to disappear as a mountain of shells and claws were building on another plate, struggling to withhold the remains of the flavoursome meal.

Finished, full, and exceedingly satisfied, I ordered the bill. The majority of the prices range from 30dhs-60dhs per meal (prices higher than those amounts are identified to be shared between two or more people). Overall, I would highly recommend paying a visit to this new restaurant to expect hearty portions of fresh scallops, jumbo prawns and lobsters with plenty of American style sides and beverages. Bon appétit!