Everyone who is anyone Knows the extraordinary reputation of London’s West End restaurant The Ivy, as well as the extreme difficulty one must go through to get a seat in this preppy chic venue at a reasonable hour. So when we heard The Ivy would be launching their British institution in our very own Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai, we literally bounced at the chance of getting in and sampling their culinary delights.
See our review below but before hand, a little pinch of Ivy history for you: "When owner Abel Glandellini and Maître d'Hôtel Mario Gallati joined forces in 1917, their modest cafe soon made friends and gained favour amongst the theatre community and The Ivy was born. Subsequent redevelopments over the years have evolved the dining room as we know it today, a space closely resembling the grand restaurant created by the original duo back in their heyday". Dubai's Ivy is thankfully very similar to the original despite its somewhat odd position in the boulevard area of Emirates Towers, it does stick to the original feel and decor of its London sister. During our meal we observed couples coming and going, wealthy business men chuckling over endless bottles of red and tall, modelesque beauties swanning by in there stylish attire to nibble on salads and sip champagne. This aspect is somewhat reminiscent of the original as well as the fabulous artwork and robust, masculine interior.
If the only thing we are missing out on is the painful guest list I would say we have been blessed with a drool worthy opportunity here.
Our Take:
Making a booking was surprisingly (almost disappointingly) easy. Over the phone, table for 2 at 8pm, done. On arrival we were greeted by the friendly staff however despite giving the booking name and number they were not able to find our table. Regardless we were led through the grand dinning room which stimulates evocative memories of a rich Old English luxury club room, to our comfy (British racing green toned) leather couch table for 2. Once seated we were promptly offered the cocktail list from which I chose the famous bubbly mix of The Ivy Royal. My partner went for the less conventional option of a Caprioska, both were delightful and up to our expectations. For my starter I went for the Beetroot and Feta salad with mint, pomegranate and cucumber. A delicious concoctions of sumptuous rich flavours with the tarty zing of pomegranate, this
option now comes highly recommended by me. My partner chose the artichoke salad with truffle dressing, also a great choice however just could not compete with the Beetroot Salad.
Moving onto mains we both decided we were in the mood for a little fruit de mer (seafood) so I chose the Thai-baked sea bass with fragrant rice (on the waiters recommendation) and my partner tried the fillet of Cod with braised artichokes and mussels. My sea bass was a melt in your mouth success story. True to the waiters recommendation this dish is a famous favourite amongst the regular Ivy Elite. The combination of herbs and spices including chilli, ginger and LOADS of coriander made for the perfect combination of exotic flavour without drowning out the meatiness of the pure fish fillet. Once again my partner had oderers envy. No question, his fish was great... Mine was just much better (to my delight).
To top it off, we could not finish the night without trying the desserts. after feeling fairly heavy from our 2 course meal we decided to go with the light option of sharing a plate of Scandinavian frozen berries. Light and citrusy it was just the ticket to cleanse our palate and be left feeling refreshed after a big meal. With the cheeky little dressing of hot melted white chocolate sauce, this dish also satisfied our ever present sweet tooth.
The Bill:
1 beetroot salad - 60
1 artichoke salad - 60
1 thai sea bass -130
1 cod fillet - 140
1 iced berries - 40
1 caprioska - 55
1 Ivy Royal - 120
Total: 605
My suggestion: Book tonight! before to many people discover this little gem and its guestlist turns London on us :)
Happy Eating!
