restaurant review

Lebanese Feasting at Grand Cafe Boulevard

The word ‘cafe‘ is getting a major face-lift in the Dubai foodie scene. From what one would presume to be a simplistic setting for catching up over cups of coffee and a pretty pastry, you have the likes of Indian import Farzi Cafe offering a lineup of much talked about molecular gastronomy treats, and then I had the pleasure of dining at Grand Cafe Boulevard, a Lebanese fine-dining cafe that treats its guests like royalty.

Grand Cafe Boulevard Dubai review by The Tezzy Files UAE food and lifestyle blogger Lebanese Levantine fine dining restaurant (39)

Where else in the world do they roll out a red carpet for guests entering a cafe? This was the VIP welcome we received at Grand Cafe Boulevard! The cafe is located diagonally opposite The Address Downtown Dubai, and you need to drive up the Dubai Mall Fashion Parking ramp to get to the valet service offered right outside the red carpet.

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Bloggers’ Feast at Chawlas 2

Chawlas  2 (pronounced ‘Chawlas Squared’) has all the makings of an epic rags to riches story. With humble beginnings in Ludhiana (in India’s Northern state of Punjab), the very first branch was christened Chawlas, and earned a reputation with its one-dish menu serving their signature Cream Chicken.

Till this very day, their Cream Chicken remains on the menu, yet the options have multiplied to include an extensive range of North Indian favorites. Over a span of 56 years, the restaurant stays true to its roots, keeping the flavors unabashedly authentic, sans any commercial frills and has over 100 outlets worldwide including India, Australia, Canada, the United States and is now open in Dubai. With a wider menu and a global presence, this 56 year old eatery now equates to Chawlas squared!

Chawla's 2 Bloggers Meet Up Food Review by The Tezzy Files Dubai Food Blog (5)

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Dinner at The Cavendish Restaurant & Terrace (Bonnington Hotel, JLT)

When I walked into The Cavendish, exuding the charms of old-school grandeur (white starched linen, immaculate tableware, a grand piano… the works!), I felt rather out of place. There I was in my ‘Boho meets Soccer Mummy’ getup, a breezy floral tunic paired with super-comfy slacks, when I really should have donned my pearls, red lippie and LBD.

Google has a major part to blame for this wardrobe malfunction. You see, I usually do a Google scan before I visit a new place, and this time round, this trusty search engine spat out a very colourful room that resembles a play pen: Picture16.jpg

 

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Cocktail Kitchen: The Vinyl Brunch

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of being invited to a bloggers’ brunch at Cocktail Kitchen by the lovely Monica Kapila from the Do In Dubai blog.

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Image taken from the Cocktail Kitchen website.

We tried out their Vinyl Brunch, a three-course menu inclusive of drinks.

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Mexican Fiesta at Rosa Mexicano

A walkathon around Dubai Mall one busy weekend had us craving for some seriously good, authentic Mexican grub, and this is how we found ourselves at Rosa Mexicano.

rosa mexicano dubai mall review mexican food on the tezzy files food and lifestyle blog uae (4)

Founded in New York way back in 1984 by Mexican immigrant Josefina Howard, the restaurant has two franchises in Dubai. One is located in Mirdiff Mall, and the other, where we dined at, is located on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall.

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Ayamna: Atlantis The Palm’s Newest Addition

Last week I got invited to the media launch of Atlantis The Palm’s newest addition, a Lebanese fine-dining restaurant called Ayamna. Keeping up with the classy decorum of Atlantis, the interiors of Ayamna reflect on the intriguing romance of a bygone era. Walking down the winding, majestic staircase, the restaurant resembles an enchanted mansion where the hospitality of the glorious Lebanese past has been magically brought to life. ‘Ayamna’ translates to ‘Our Time’, a forgotten time of solace and merriment, of good company and great food.

ayamna atlantis the palm review

 

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Breakfast at Comptoir 102

‘Comptoir’ is French for counter, and is often associated with fancy little canapes at a casual bar scene. However, Comptoir 102 has nothing to do with late-night drinking. On the contrary, this groovy little nook on Jumeirah Beach Road is all about healthful, nutritionally sound eating.

Comptoir 102 Jumeirah Beach Road food blog review breakfast menu (2)

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Fuego: Fine Dining The Mexican Way

Fuego translates to ‘fire’ in Mexican, and is the aptly chosen name for Souk Al Bahar’s contemporary fine-dining Mexican restaurant. I am always game for a Mexican fare, what’s not to love about spiced up taco pockets stuffed with spiced up beef, and loaded with guacamole and cheese? At Fuego, I learnt there is far more to Mexican cuisine than street-food equivalent tacos.

fuego contemporary mexicn restaurant souk al bahar dubai uae food blog review frida kalho guacamole recipe fine dining food blogger (3)

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