smoked tandoori salmon, wild mushroom
biryani and the chocolate samosas. Note
that, unlike most Indian cooking, plates
here are delicately composed and not de-
signed for sharing. Reservations essential.TiffinbiTes i nDian $$
Map p220 (The Walk at Jbr, Dubai Marina; mains
Dh30-60, tiffins Dh49) Despite the name, a tif-
fin is considerably more satisfying than a
mere bite; it is an entire meal comprising
three separate bowls containing a curry,
a vegetable dish and rice. Choices include
butter chicken, palak paneer (with cheese),
chana masala (with chickpeas) and lamb
rogan. This place pushes the ‘we serve real
Indian food’ tagline and it seems spot on.
Prices are fair and the quantities gener-
ous. The decor? Best described as a cross
between a Bollywood set and an ice cream
parlour, but it somehow works. There is also
terrace seating.Maya Me XiCan $$$
Map p220 (%04-316 5550; http://www.richardsandoval
.com; le royal Meridien beach resort & Spa, cnr
Murjan ave & Dhow St, off al-Sufouh rd, al-Sufouh,
Dubai Marina; mains Dh110-235; h7.30pm-
midnight Mon-Sat) Richard Sandoval, the man
who introduced modern Mexican food to
America, is behind the menu at this sophis-
ticated restaurant where you’ll be treated to
a piñata of flavours. Start out with creamy
guacamole, prepared tableside of course,
before moving on to such authentic mains
as mole poblano, salmon azteca or finger-
lickin’ costillas ahumadas (smokey short
ribs, that is). The rooftop bar is a delight,
as well. Sandoval’s second Dubai venture,
Toro Toro (Map p220; Grosvenor house, al-
Sufouh rd, Dubai Marina), opened in late 2011
with a similarly enticing menu. Reserva-
tions essential.nina i nDian $$
Map p220 (%04-399 9999; arabian Court,
one&only royal Mirage, al-Sufouh rd, al-Sufouh;
mains Dh60-145; h7-11.30pm Mon-Sat) Fol-
low the locals to this lush den where the
floor-to-ceiling purple fabric, red-orange
light and beaded curtains set a seductive
backdrop for the dynamic cooking on offer.
The chef combines Indian with a touch of
Thai and tempers it with European tech-
niques. The results will perk up even the
most passive proboscis: rich spices means
flavours develop slowly on the palate with an
elegant complexity that demands savour-ing. Choose the chef’s selection of starters
and curries for a sense of his broad reper-
toire. Reservations essential.buddha bar aS ian $$$
Map p220 (%04-317 6000; Grosvenor house,
al-Sufouh rd, Dubai Marina; mains Dh155-295;
h8pm-2am Sat-Wed, 8pm-3am Thu & Fri) At
last a restaurant that knows the power
of good lighting. So what if the pounding
music requires you to shout over the table?
You’re in the shadow of a giant Buddha,
rubbing shoulders with Dubai’s beautiful
crowd, and you look fabulous in that new
outfit. Oh, the food? It (nearly) measures
up to the room – a mishmash of Thai and
Japanese with a dash of Chinese. But really,
who cares – unless you forgot to bring your
platinum card, that is. Make reservations
several days ahead, even during the week.bice iT alian $$$
Map p220 (%04-399 1111; hilton Dubai Jumeirah,
The Walk at Jbr, Dubai Marina; pastas Dh80-210,
pizzas Dh70-90, mains Dh150-220; hnoon-3pm &
7pm-midnight; c) With a reputation for being
one of the best Italian restaurants in town,
BiCE’s elegant, continental dining room is
often fully packed, so reservations are es-
sential. Head chef Cosimo continues to add
his creative touch to traditional dishes by
using just a few top-quality ingredients and
letting them shine. Beef carpaccio, veal Mi-
lanese, house-made pasta, wild-mushroom
risotto, linguini with seafood... There are
few real surprises on the menu, but no one
is complaining – particularly about the
tiramisu, reputed to be the best in town.splendido iT alian $$$
Map p220 (%04-399 4000; ritz-Carlton hotel,
The Walk at Jbr, Dubai Marina; pastas Dh80-120,
mains Dh140-220) Tall palms sway in the
breeze around the outdoor patio at the Ritz-
Carlton’s northern Italian restaurant, creat-
ing the perfect atmosphere for romantics.
It’s also not as formal as you’d expect, given
the setting and pricing. In fact, the cooking
is more upmarket trattoria style; it’s earthy
and rich as in the ravioli alle noci (walnut-
and-mascarpone ravioli) and agnello ar-
rosto (pan-roasted lamb loin). Reservations
essential.aquara SeaFooD $$$
Map p220 (%04-362 7900; Dubai Marina yacht
Club, Marina Walk, Dubai Marina; mains Dh100-
190; h7.30pm-10.30pm Sat-Thu, noon-3pm Fri)n
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