Tag Archives: Mums in Dubai
Chef Heinz Beck | Social | Waldorf Astoria | Quintessentially
Chef Heinz Beck was in Dubai for two nights last week to cook in his kitchen on the Palm at Social located Waldorf Astoria. The chef is one of Europe’s most respected three star Michelin chefs. The German chef moved to Rome, Italy in 1994 to take over La Pergola and is the city’s only three Michelin starred restaurant so it was a real honour to be eating whilst he was in service at his Dubai restaurant, Social.
We tried the the chef’s specially created menu, and the food was unique and exquisite. The restaurant was first introduced to us by the Quintessentially team when Social first launched, and now we are back to try it with Heinz Beck himself in the kitchen. The food is extraordinary and filled with surprises with delights like molecularised olives that pop in your mouth; you can feel that science and food have exploded in the kitchen. The pictures of each dish really do speak for themselves. My dish of the day was the pesto tortellini that just melted in your mouth, made with ricotta and almonds rather than the usual pine nuts and parmesan. A receipe traditionally from the South of Italy, but with Chef Heinz’s special twist. His home made tortellini skins were crepery thin not to mask the flavour of the tortellini fillings but served as a the perfect vehicle to the pesto and ricotta blended with almonds..
Everything was on time, the service was incredible, and for a minute I felt I was back in Europe. The main course was lamb, which was not pink enough in the centre for me and a little tough but my husband thought it perfect so to each their own. The best occasion for a restaurant would be a small group or better still a date night on the Palm, far away from the regular crowds to obtain maximum privacy, and you need to be a foodie to appreciate the evening. With a Michelin chef cooking, the bill was not cheap but we thought it was good value especially with three starred Michelin chef heading up the kitchen. It will be worth asking the restaurant when his next planned visit to Dubai will be.
Spring Camp at Le Petit Palais | The Dubai Mall | Dubai
Hashi Japanese Restaurant | The Armani Hotel | Burj Khalifa – Best in Dubai
We are totally spoilt in Dubai with some of the world’s most famous contemporary Japanese restaurants on our doorstep. Japanese has to be my all time favourite cuisine but as a total foodie I am always seeking something unique. Hashi is that place.
Now that I am sharing this I don’t think I will be able to ever get a reservation again because Hashi will be totally booked out going forward. We were blown away first by the restaurant’s outside seating. Some of you may have remembered the previous restaurant when it first opened, it didn’t get much traction because of the cold restaurant design, but the new GM of the hotel has done wonders by creating outdoor seating underneath one of the world’s most famous buildings. The other magical feature is that Hashi has a stunning view of the fountains with the The Address Hotel Downtown as a backdrop.
Chef Jimmy, from Japan, heads up the restaurant. He is a brilliant eccentric chef and brings to the table literally unique dishes and is creative in his flavouring of all his dishes like octopus tempura, wagyu beef served on a hobayaki leaf topped with foie gras and truffle and has introduced to me a part of the tuna that is far better than the usual sought after toro. I don’t often care much for desserts but go for his coconut pudding. Divine. Moorish.
The restaurant is still some what of a secret (not after this post), as everyone still remembers the old restaurant. But I do raise my sake glass and toast the good works of The Armani Hotel to turn round Hashi into one of the best Japanese restaurants in Dubai. Two words: Date Night.