The 2008 Festival of Taste returns

Jumeirah, the Dubai-based luxury international hospitality management group, has announced the return of the much anticipated Jumeirah "Festival of Taste" event which will take place in Dubai’s leading hotels and resorts from 9 to 13 November 2008.
The biennial Jumeirah Festival of Taste will draw on the unrivalled experience from seven celebrity chefs from America, India, France and Great Britain. This year’s event will feature the UK’s favourite TV kitchen personalities including Ainsley Harriott, who will host "The Ainsley Live Show" at The Emirates Academy, Brian Turner and Cyrus Todiwala, one of the world’s foremost Indian cuisine chefs, who owns and manages Café Spice Namasté in London.

They will be joined by returning world-class celebrity chefs James Martin, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Michel Roux, who cooked up a storm during the inaugural event in May 2006 and are back by popular demand to deliver outstanding food at a series of interactive dinners and events held at a number of Dubai hotels.

The event will take place at Jumeirah’s hotels, kicking off with a grand opening event on Sunday 9 November at Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah. Over five days, nine events will take place including intimate dinners at destinations such as the Rib Room and Vu’s in Jumeirah Emirates Towers. A boat trip departing from the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and a grand gala dinner in the ballroom of the Burj Al Arab hotel is also set to be included in the festivities.

For reservations, call +971.4.301 7781

Ronda Locatelli among famous culinary names to choose from at Atlantis

The family is at the heart of celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli's business and nowhere is this more evident than at his new restaurant Ronda Locatelli at the Atlantis hotel on The Palm. The Ronda Locatelli eatery has a pizza oven at its very centre, with bar-style seating for children all around it.

But Locatelli, 44, is a Michelin-star chef – and a family man himself. He says his flagship London outlet, Locanda Locatelli, which counts Tony Blair and Madonna among its guests, is the only Michelin-star restaurant in the British capital to welcome children, and he wants to be able to do the same here in Dubai. "My business is about hospitality, and if we cannot deal with kids it is ridiculous. You can come to eat, but if you cannot come with your kids, forget about it.”

The 210-seater restaurant, finished in earthy tones to convey a country feel, the casual-dining venue will source organic ingredients regionally and import authentic products to serve up the traditional Italian food Locatelli specialises in.

When Kerzner International's Atlantis opened on September 24, 2008, 17 restaurants, bars and lounges were added to Dubai’s culinary. Besides Ronda Locatelli, there will be Nobu Matsuhisa's Nobu Atlantis, whose Asian-fusion cuisine has seen it become world-renowned with a celebrity status that is matched by its famous clientele; Santi Santimaria's signature seafood restaurant Ossiano and Rostang – The French Brasserie, by acclaimed French restaurateur Michel Rostang.

For Reservations, call +971 4 426 2626

MJ's Steakhouse a carnivore's haven !

MJ's at Madinat Jumeirah's Al Qasr hotel is a true carnivore's haven, where all the time-honoured steakhouse favourites are captured in authentic form under one roof.

Savour Wagyu beef; superbly subtle with a velvety taste, or the mouth-wateringly authenic Boston Clam Chowder. The ever popular Surf and Truf adds a seafood spin to the sumptuous menu with all meals guarateed to tantalise your taste buds. MJ's connects to the outdoor life through large windows and an enchanting terrace overlooking the waterways, pools and beach.

Opinion"Quite simply one of the best steaks I have ever had the pleasure of tasting"

Budget: Average price of a meal for two with a glass of house wine Dhs600-700.

Hours: Lunch 12:00pm - 3:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm - 11:30pm.

For Reservations, call (04) 366 8888

Flooka Mediterranean Seafood Restaurant

At Flooka, Located in the heart of the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, you will experience a unique dining affair, serving the best in Mediterranean seafood with a Lebanese twist. With daily catches enjoy your meal on the terrace while enjoying uninterrupted panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf. There is a relaxed feel to the restaurant; light wood ceilings and a combination of parquet and marble flooring give you the feel of a real Mediterranean seafood restaurant. The visual effect of the bar is a design feat of its own, made to look like a wooden boat being built, reiterating the fact that this place is for seafood food lovers. Flooka is a very special dining experience.

Insiders Opinion: I always enjoy the fresh fish catch of the day (from the ice display) fried in rock salt. The prawns, on the other hand, are big and infinitely more pleasant on the palate. Just sit down, indulge in your meal while you settle in and enjoy the decor and eclectic background music. This is absolutely my favorite place !

Budget: AED 300.00 (Meal for 2)

Opening Hours: Friday and Saturday 12:30pm-12:00am; Sunday to Thursday: 12:30pm-15:00pm and 07:00pm – 12:00am.

For Restaurant Reservations, call +971 4 3461111

The One and Only: Beach Bar and Grill

The beach bar and grill is at the One and Only Royal Mirage. The setting is better than you could possibly imagine. Out on the multi-level wooden decking, with chunky rope railings and a view out over the beach it does look like a holiday brochure come to life. There are palm trees, golden sand stretching out in front of you and clear water sliding up and down the shore.

Insider's Opinion: For main course the tenderloin is a fine chunk of ex-cow and cooked wonderfully with a rose pink centre and requisite tenderness. They also do the famedwagyu beef here but the steak is less than half the price and certainly better than half as good as wagyu. The sea bass is a tender and flavoursome piece of fish, it just felt a little to minimal to suit the surroundings. That said, the setting outside is just so perfectly relaxing it demands that you undo the top button, sit back a bit and loosen up a little.

Hours: 12 noon-3.15pm, 7pm-11.30pm daily

Budget: Meal for 2: Dhs370

For Restaurant Reservations, call (04) 399 9999

Al Hadheerah: Experience desert magic!

Al Hadheerah, the region's first open-air traditional Arabic desert restaurant. As the Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert resort's signature restaurant, Al Hadheerah offers diners a unique experience with scenes straight out of an Arabian legend featuring belly dancers, henna painters, live bands and a falcon display. The restaurant features ethnic cuisine from the Middle East, as well as live cooking stations with wood-fired ovens, spit roasts and Arabic bread ovens.

Insider's opinion The atmosphere is amazing.... Something completely different from the rest of the restaurant experiences. Amazing buffet and great entertainment. Definitely worth to visit!

Hours Daily: 7.00pm to 11.30pm

Budget Meal for 2 AED 650 (All beverages, henna painting & shisha are available at additional charges)

For Restaurant Reservations, call +971 4 8096100

Contemporary Seafood at Pisces

Pisces located in the Souk of Madinat Jumeirah; is the most upscale seafood restaurant in Dubai. Here, minimalism makes a sophisticated statement and choice takes on an oceanic scale. Fresh fare presented on a table of linear precision is complemented by crisp Chardonnay from the world’s mouthwatering Mediterranean selections, Pisces is ocean dining with stylish simplicity.

Insiders Opinion The views on the terrace overlooking the waterways are great. The seafood was excellent and I would really recommend it for food , service, atmosphere and views. The black eden mussel marinière starter is fantastic; which is an exclusive tender molluscs prepared in a half-shell under a sizzling sauce. Move onto the pan-roasted sea bream Provençal, which floats on a bed of risotto nero and is blackened by rich squid ink. A great dish is the pan-fried sea scallops and foie gras with sautéed spinach, wild mushrooms and truffle juice, the food is very flavourous and tasty. Don’t miss this one!

Hours Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm – 11:30pm

Budget Meal for two, AED 800.00

For Restaurant Reservation call +971 4 366 6730