ZuMa JapaneSe $$$
Map p216 (%04-425 5660; set lunches Dh 120,
mains Dh75-120) This dramatic bi-level res-
taurant attracts power-lunching execs
and the sexy crowd for low-light dinners.
There’s a sushi counter and a robata grill
and an immensely popular Friday brunch.
la peTiTe Maison Fren Ch $$
Map p216 (%04-439 0505; http://www.lpmdubai.ae;
bldg 8, Gate Village, Sheikh Zayed rd; mains Dh75-
95) It has been said that France’s famed
cuisine Niçoise (cuisine of Nice) is so hard
to master because it’s essentially so simple,
relying mainly on the freshness and sea-
sonality of the ingredients. A relative new-
comer on Dubai’s continental dining scene,
La Petite Maison has got it right and has
fast become one of the most talked-about
new restaurants. It serves exquisite classic
dishes like onion tart and pasta with beef
ragout and mushrooms. Don’t miss it. Res-
ervations essential.
eXchanGe Grill STeakhouSe $$$
Map p216 (%04-311 8316; Fairmont hotel, Sheikh
Zayed rd; steaks Dh185-245; h12.30-3.30pm
Sun-Thu & 7pm-midnight daily) One of Dubai’s
premier steakhouses, Exchange Grill has
a clubby feel, with oversized leather arm-
chairs orbiting linen-draped tables and big-
picture windows overlooking the glittering
strip. You’ll have a fine time spiking your cho-
lesterol level with trendy Wagyu beef or the
less pricey but actually more-flavoursome
aged Angus prime. Seafood rounds out the
menu, but beef is definitely the big draw.
There’s a respectable wine list, too. Reser-
vations recommended.
Vu’s Fu Sion $$$
Map p216 (%04-319 8088; 50th fl, boulevard
at Jumeirah emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed rd;
3 -course business lunch Dh165, dinner mains
Dh150-230) The highest restaurant in town,
with stellar views. The formal, white-linen-
tablecloth dining room is popular with the
Rolex crowd celebrating the inking of a deal.
The menu changes fairly frequently but the
dishes cut no corners, with super-fresh in-
gredients and an assured range of dishes:
Irish organic salmon, milk-fed veal chop,
‘line caught’ sea bass... you get the picture.
Pricey wines. Reservations essential.
specTruM on one inTernaTional $$$
Map p216 (%04-311 8316; Fairmont hotel, Sheikh
Zayed rd; mains Dh100-245, 3-course menus
Dh190; h6.30pm-1am; c) Spectrum competes
for top honours as Dubai’s best live-action
buffet. The food is solidly good and a visual
feast, with no disappointments from its
eight kitchens cooking up six distinct cui-
sines from around the world: Arabian, Indi-
an, Thai, European, Japanese and Chinese.
It’s also great for kids. Signature dishes
include sliced mixed teppanyaki, black-
pepper beef, yogurt-marinated chicken and
warm molten chocolate cake. There’s also
a fantastic Friday brunch (see boxed text,
p110). Reservations recommended.rib rooM STeakhouSe $$$
Map p216 (%04-319 8088; boulevard at Jumeirah
emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed rd; mains Dh115-
160; h12.30-3pm Sat-Thu, 7pm-midnight daily)
Surrender to your inner carnivore at this
power-player hangout where the air is prac-
tically perfumed with testosterone. The
yummy cuts of aged steaks, juicy prime rib
and chateaubriand speak for themselves,
but even more-complicated dishes like
braised Wagyu beef cheeks in port wine ar-
rive without needless flights of fancy. Res-
ervations essential.al-nafoorah lebaneSe $$$
Map p216 (boulevard at Jumeirah emirates Tow-
ers, Sheikh Zayed rd; mezze Dh35-70, mains
Dh100-120; h12.30-3pm & 8pm-midnight)
Tucked away in the base of Emirates Towers,
Al-Nafoorah’s clubby, wood-panelled din-
ing room feels like a Wall Street power-
lunch spot. The mezze stand out – try the
kibbeh (meat-filled, cracked-wheat cro-
quettes) – more than the kebabs on the clas-
sic Lebanese menu, but really, the kitchen
does everything quite well. It’s quieter
and more formal than most Lebanese res-
taurants, making this a great choice for a
dressy-casual night out without the noisy
fanfare of the big Lebanese party places.noodle house aSian $
Map p216 (lower level, boulevard at Jumeirah
emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed rd; mains Dh30-
66; hnoon-midnight; c) The concept at this
reliably good, always-packed pan-Asian
joint is simple: sit down at long wooden
communal tables and order by ticking
dishes on a tear-off menu pad. There’s great
variety – laksa (coconut-based curry) to
pad thai to roast duck – to please dispa-
rate tastes. Some dishes even come in small
and large sizes to match hunger levels.
Wines by the glass and several Asian beers,s
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