FACT Favourites: The best dishes we ate in June 2024
These are the best dishes to sink your teeth into this month.
Restaurants come and go in the UAE, but FACT’s unwavering passion for dining remains unchanged. The team can be found across the region, sampling the good, the bad and the exceptional. We eat at every kind of restaurant and experience every type of meal, from flash-in-the-pan novelties to iconic institutions. To spare you the guesswork, here are the best dishes we ate in June.
Black Pepper Beef: XU
XU, located on the second floor of the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, showcases Chef Min Wei Lai’s penchant for Asian flavours. The sultry space effortlessly fills the gap left behind by the closure of the FACT favourite Indochine, providing a venue that successfully bridges dining, drinking and dancing. The restaurant may be known for its Cherry Wood Peking Duck, but the Black Pepper Beef is another must-try dish. Perfectly seasoned and bursting with flavour, the meat is tender, juicy, and not too chewy — just the way it should be. – Shaheera Anwar, Staff Writer.
Burrata & Tequila Infused Peaches: Soul Kitchen Dubai
True to its name, Soul Kitchen Dubai has been designed as a social space to feed the soul. This restaurant-bar concept is anchored by a food and drinks menu that fuses Levantine and Latin American flavours while enhancing the storytelling around displacement. While I’ve become obsessed with the restaurant’s Caribbean Red Snapper, the local Burrata (AED 80) served with Altos Tequila-infused peaches, basil, and toasted almonds is a luscious and sweet treat that perfectly balances textures and bold flavours. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Costilla de Ternera: TATEL Dubai
Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal’s TATEL has fast become the talk of the town. It is a lively restaurant that draws inspiration from America’s prohibition era in the 1920s while offering an all-night party vibe in a sleek and sophisticated space designed for revelry. The marvellous Mediterranean menu includes stunning choices such as Arroz de langosta and the world-famous TATEL cheesecake. However, the beautifully lacquered Costilla de ternera (AED 225) captured my attention. Presenting superb, slow-cooked glazed short rib that melts at the mere fumble of a fork. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Crushed Milk Chocolate Cookies: NAC Dubai
Anyone who knows me will tell you I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I’d much prefer a cheese plate or even another appetiser rather than a decadent dessert. However, a recent visit to NAC in Al Wasl introduced me to the Crushed Milk Chocolate Cookies (AED 83). These moreish morsels are gloriously gooey, served warm so that the chocolate chips have begun to melt and topped with a fantastic Frosties soft serve ice cream. It’s a dessert that takes the childhood nostalgia of cookies and a glass of milk and turns it on its head. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Fried Chicken with Caviar: CÉ LA VI Dubai
CÉ LA VI Dubai is a FACT favourite and not just because of its skyline swimming pool, superb shisha and Burj Khalifa views. Following a recent video shoot, Chef Howard Ko introduced me to a new menu item: gloriously golden fried chicken with a generous dollop of caviar. The crisp chicken is superbly seasoned with a sprightly spice that is elevated by the slight saltiness from the caviar. Look out for this mix of casual and refined fare when it hits the menu later this summer. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Light Smoked Salmon Carpaccio: Three Cuts Dubai
As the name suggests, this restaurant on the rooftop of Nakheel Mall specialises in three cuts of meat. If you struggle with long menus, you’ll be pleased to hear that the one-page menu takes you back to basics with sirloin, tenderloin and ribeye. While the meat and impressive three-meter grill may be the focus, the Light Smoked Salmon Carpaccio (AED 75) should not be missed. This pretty plate of salmon slithers topped with dill sour cream, pickled shallots, and dill oil is a splendid showcase for the premium smoked salmon from Le Fumoir By Bassili, which is also owned by the father-son duo behind the restaurant. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Spicy Duck and Sriracha Pizza: Osteria Funkcoolio
If you haven’t heard of Chef Akmal Anuar, surely, you know his concepts. He was behind the acclaimed 3Fils, which ranked at number one in the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022. He is currently behind 11Woodfire, which holds one MICHELIN Star and also Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori. His latest passion project is Osteria Funkcoolio, an Itameshi restaurant offering a funky fusion of Italian cuisine with Japanese influences in a pretty waterfront spot at Port de La Mer. Fusion often leads to confusion, but Osteria Funkcoolio’s Spicy Duck and Sriracha Pizza (AED 78) is a fiery treat. Baked and blistered to achieve the perfect char, resulting in a crisp crust and fluffy interior, this pizza may be wholeheartedly Italian, but topped with distinctly Asian ingredients, each slice is a moreish morsel (spoiler alert: we ordered a second to take home). – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Torta Di Rose: Leña Dubai
Things are heating up on the Dubai dining scene with the arrival of Spanish chef Dani García’s acclaimed concept Leña at St. Regis Gardens. Leña means “wood” in Spanish and is a fitting name for the superb steakhouse which showcases the power of cooking over charcoal. The menu spans starters, robatakayaki, jewels from the sea, and fire-grilled steaks. Yet, the limited edition Torta Di Rose (AED 99) should not be missed. Designed for sharing, the dessert is shaped like a flower and is served in a basket of black roses. It tops a sugary, almost marshmallow-like dough with a generous dollop of brown butter ice cream. – David Tapley, Editor-in-Chief.
Tortino Al Gianduia: Zest
If you’ve ever eaten Nutella out of a jar, then this dessert is for you. Zest in One&Only The Palm in Dubai prides itself on its authentic flavours. Tortino Al Gianduia succeeds through its simplicity. Tortino translates to tart, and gianduja refers to chocolate and hazelnuts. On the surface, it’s a chocolate and vanilla ice cream. On first scoop, it’s a creamy combination of warm gooey gianduja with cold vanilla. It’s a safe space. Order one or two each. We’re not judging. – Kohinoor Sahota, Deputy Editor.
