Mediterranean dining in the traveler’s cove – Verdura
Adding another jewel to Ibn Batuta’s fine dining scene, Verdura presents a beautifully done interior and outdoor space, spelling out Mediterranean in its very decor – think blue and yellow seating, brick accents, handmade plates, lush green walls, and of course, a faux tree at the entrance.
Offering the cuisine from the same region, Verdura offers a combination of Lebanese, Turkish and Syrian fare on its menu. While the interiors fascinate with their mix of warm and cool hues, its really the food that makes or breaks the deal. Stay tuned for some upcoming posts with insights into everything we tried at Verdura.
Mocktails & Bread
Wheatgrass Shot
That’s one shot we should all have!
One of Verdura’s unique offerings is the wheatgrass shot. This healthy potion is served as a welcome compliment to all diners. What’s interesting though, is that this is made absolutely fresh. A big fridge doubles up as a nursery for the wheatgrass, and everytime diners walk in, a brunch of these are processed in their special juicing machine to extract the good stuff out.
The wheatgrass blend is topped off with a squeeze of lemon to cut through the mildly bitter taste. And the taste itself is a mix of strong and herby flavors – a lot like fresh garlic, sans the pungency. I honestly wouldn’t mind having an entire glass of this. But let’s keep that for next time.
Starters
Our selection of starters at Verdura were plenty. Swipe left to take a look at all of them and scroll down to read about each dish:
Smoked Salmon with Labneh & Za’atar Pesto: the creamy labneh and pesto were definitely the stars of this smoked entree. They instantly upped the flavor of salmon.
Hummus with Smoked Red Pepper: this isn’t your regular hummus. Also smoked like the salmon, this creamy bestseller was lightly flavored with pepper and topped with chickpea mash.
Crispy Shrimp with Sumac & Chilli Mayo: my absolute favorite! I have always loved crispy shrimps and continue doing so. These were the highlight of the night for me. Must must have.
Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Vegetables & Dukkah Spices: this was one hearty bowl. I loved the fact that this one salad could make up for an entire meal, and a very healthy one at that!
Special Verdura Moutabal: it was fun to see how a little twist can add so much drama to a classic dish. Served in an eggplant boat – the main ingredient in moutabal, this one was topped with figs, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds blending in sweet flavors with crunchy textures.
Which one is your favorite?
Mains
The main course dishes at Verdura left me with a mixed bag of feelings. Let’s be honest here, while the staff member was taking our order and inquiring about anything that we didn’t like, I mentioned it twice or thrice that I don’t want anything that has fish. And, well, the very first appetizer was salmon, but I let that pass.
However for mains, they got me a whole sea bass! Yes, I was highly disappointed since I was expecting something with chicken or lamb. But I didn’t want to send the fish back, so I just pecked on the roasted sweet potatoes and zucchini on the side. This Whole Grilled Sea Bass was covered in a tahini based sauce that tasted somewhat like salsa.
The next on the mains list were Grilled Tiger Prawns with Za’atar Potatoes. These were quite interesting. Topped with cheese, which was torched on serving to give it a melted garnish, these cheesy prawns were fresh, juicy and fulfilled my craving for a proper main course. These were served with roasted potatoes and corn on the cob.
The next set was the Mini Trio Kebbeh. These came with two of each: Meet Kebbeh, Cheese Kebbeh and Blue Sea Lobster Kebbeh, with a creamy portion of Pistachio & Feta Cheese Sauce. A very unusual but rather interesting combination. Although these were not really the mains, and more like hot mezzeh, since I missed out on one of the dishes, these were the saving grace. The lobster Kebbeh were the winners!
Have you ever come across such a situation – being served something that you just don’t like? What do you do then? I’d like to hear your views.
Desserts
Moving to the final set of our experience at Verdura, we were treated to two of their bestseller desserts, which we quite enjoyed.
Churros with Chocolate: not your regular Mexican ones, these churros were comparatively thinner and not as sweet. In fact, there was a hint of saltiness and a slight pretzel like texture which I really liked. And that chocolate sauce was just right.
Kunafa Roll: stuffed with orange pastry cream and garnished with cotton candy, this was topped with hot caramel sauce. The sauce melted all the cottony bits to reveal the creamy cheesy kunafa pastries beneat. These rolls oozed sweetness in every bite. This dessert was too heavy and indulgent for me, so I stopped after a couple of spoonfuls, but I’m definitely going back for more.
Verdura
Location: Near New Metro Link Persia Court, Ibn Battuta Mall, Jebel Ali Village, Dubai
Contact: 04 2753049
