Reem Al Bawadi – Lebanese fine dining with Marina views
One of the most notable Lebanese restaurant chains in the UAE, Reem Al Bawadi is not a name you wouldn’t have heard of or seen around. But being famous also means it has to live up to that reputation by consistently delivering high quality both in terms of food as well as service. Last night we went to find out what makes Reem Al Bawadi one of the most recommended Lebanese restaurants in Dubai. And to begin with, we were greeted with the most humble service and taken care of like distinguished patrons.
Reem Al Bawadi located on Dubai Marina Walk spans across 3 floors and can accommodate up to 900 diners at a time! The wood and plants decor that is prevalent across the restaurant, makes this place a garden of sorts. Most of the dining spaces are designed in a compartmentalized structure to give your party a sense of privacy, which personally I really admire. We decided to make the most of this weather and chose an outdoor table on the ground level overlooking the Marina Bay all the way up to Cayan tower. As a photographer, outdoor seating often means low light and bad pictures, but continue reading to see how beautiful the photos, and the dishes turned out to be.
Cold & Hot Mezzeh
Before I begin, let me tell you, these were just the starters. It was amazing how in a matter of mere seconds, our table was filled with a spread of hot and cold mezzeh and salads. All these basking in their own glory for their individuality and distinct flavors.
As far as I have known, Hummus has always been my favorite part of Lebanese fare. And I am sure it’s the same for many others too. No wonder hummus has gone beyond its traditionality and has adapted to various global flavors like Indian hummus, Mexican hummus and so on. Coming back, this classic hummus at Reem Al Bawadi was impeccable. So much so, I could simply survive on this hummus and bread alone. But well, that’s not really the case.
After the hummus came another classic salad Tabbouleh. This was followed by a spicy chilli mix of Mohammarah, creamy eggplant moutabal and the tarty baba ghanouj.
The vine leaves were next, which I am not a very big fan of. So I gave them a miss. But my dinner buddies who tried these found them quite good.
My favorite of the lot was the Jarjeer Salad. Also known as Rocca Salad, it had a leafy base, topped with tomatoes, onions, and stringy cheddar cheese. The dressing and the cheese together just added lots of oomph to this one.
Then came spicy potatoes (batata harra) which were so irresistibly spicy, they were off the plate in no time.
Finally, we ended our starter course with a grand platter of mixed hot mezzeh. Dotted with kebbeh, assorted sambuosek and calamari rings, these come in a portion that’s good enough to share. Eat this all by yourself, and you won’t be having mains (or lunch the next day)!
Which part of Lebanese mezzeh do you love the most? Tell me in the comments below👇🏻
Grills
Surf or turf? Which one would you choose?
Like most other Lebanese restaurants, Reem Al Bawadi knows how to do their grills really well. And they treated us to not one, but two mixed grills. I couldn’t possibly start describing how good the quantity and variety in these grills is, but I can definitely vouch for their affordability. Plus they are good for sharing between 2 or 3 people, which makes these mixed grills a really good option.
The first one was the original meaty mixed grill, which also happens to be one of their specialties. It came with a well done assortment of Lamb Cubes, Kabab Halabi, Shish Tawook, Lebanese Kafta, Kabab Khash-Khash, Meat Arayes and Lamb Chops. All these meats are grilled over hot charcoal that gives them an authentic smoky Middle Eastern taste.
The seafood mixed grill packs quite a punch too. And it’s perfect for seafood fans because its got a little of everything. This includes grilled hamour fillet, locally caught threadfin bream (also known as Sultan Ibraheem), jumbo gulf shrimps, calamari and even mussels!
Both these grills are served with a garlic or mayo dip on the side – and it only adds more depth to the flavor of the meats.
Arabic Sweets
What’s not to like about Arabic sweets? They’ve got cream and cheese, and nuts and puff. It’s like a roller coaster for your taste buds, albeit in a good way. And honestly, despite their richness, they’re quite hard to resist.
The friendly folk at Reem Al Bawadi made sure we get our ride right. They brought us an all-in-one Mixed Arabic Sweets platter.
The platter came with traditional classics like Kunafa, assorted Baklava and Halawat al Jiben (sweet cheese puffs). The treats were not only plenty, but also slightly difficult to finish, especially for 3 people. Although if you’ve got a large group or your cravings for these sweets knows no bounds, you couldn’t have asked for anything better.
Moroccan Tea
Anyone want some Moroccan tea?
I guess more than the tea itself (which by the way is exceptionally soothing after a heavy Lebanese meal), I love the little details that go into the silver teapot, the painted glasses and the style of pouring the tea. Are you a fan of Arabic tea or would you rather prefer some Arabic coffee?
Reem Al Bawadi
Location: Opposite Spinneys, Marina Walk, Dubai Marina, Dubai
Contact: 04 4522525 | 04 5593033
