The ‘LAZY GRAZING LUNCH’ every Saturday at the Graze Gastro Grill will have you enjoying a relaxed and rather unusual dining experience with an endless flow of delicacies served at your table. With floor to ceiling French windows, rustic urban decor and indoor-outdoor seating, this restaurant creates a welcoming atmosphere despite the lack of diners (which I am amazed as to why?). Head chef, Juan Pablo Dominges, has put together some wonderful dishes using locally sourced ingredients with a dash of his Mexican heritage thrown into the mix. The menu changes week to week but a few crowd favorites stay on.
Alright, lets get down to business… and what better way than to start with some of their signature cocktails. We were first served the Roses are Red – fragrant distilled rose, spiced with chili, sumac and pomegranate championed with crémant. Unique, tasty and oh so pretty! Next up was the Gold Souk – signature bourbon mixed with creole bitters, absinthe, freshly pressed apple juice and rose syrup dusted with a veneer of gold – lets just say it is not for the weak. And finally the Graze Craze – Blanco tequila peppered with sumac, chilli, pomegranate, pink salt and fresh lime – yes, it has tequila, but it isn’t as strong as one would expect. Quite tasty actually!
When you are ready to begin feasting all you got to do is let your servers know. From then on its unlimited food for 3 hours! Have a favorite? Order as many times as you like. Here we start with the amuse bouche.
First up the Cheese Ballotine – brie and talegio cheese with a homemade fruit compote and raspberry sauce. What bold flavors! Then came the Cured Smoked Salmon with nori and the Guava and Chilli cold soup. We ordered three plates of each. Couldn’t get enough of it.
Moving on to starters… another delicacy – the Beef Tartar – marinated black Angus beef with a Graze secret sauce. Beautifully executed dish!
This is the Roasted Guacamole with roasted onion on a lavash bread. Such simple ingredients but together made for a morsel of great flavors.
Another favorite (which we ordered more than once) was the Roasted Brisket Tostada – 12 hour brisket with an onion puree served in a tortilla shell.
Crispy Calamari is the only way I like calamari. This was crunchy and flavorful! The Asian citrus sauce added just the right amount of zing.
Before moving on to the main courses we had these Sweet Melon Sorbets – sweet melon with a white balsamic reduction served in a sesame ice cream cone. The perfect palate cleanser.
On to the main course. These, for me, were the stars of the entire meal.
Homemade Pasta in a roasted bell pepper sauce with perfectly tender and succulent shrimp. I could have this err-day! Really!
Grilled Seabass – 24 hour marinated Seabass with tapenade, fennel and zucchini noodles. Beautifully cooked fish boasting some really robust flavors.
Angus Beef Striploin – striploin with balsamic red cabbage, butternut puree and a purple cabbage gel. The meat was cooked perfectly pink, just how I like it.
And last but not least, make sure you leave room for dessert! A selection of signature sweets – the churros were my favorite – with some espresso martinis was the perfect end to a wonderfully satisfying and almost food-coma inducing meal.
LAZY GRAZING LUNCH is priced at AED 199 for unlimited food with soft beverages, AED 299 for unlimited food with grape and hops, AED 399 for unlimited food with premium beverages.
Restaurant: Graze Gastro Grill
Location: La Ville Hotel, Citywalk, Dubai
Timing: Guests can select a 3-hour block between 1-6pm on Saturdays
Contact: +971 54 309 5948 or email laville.dining@autographhotels.com.
Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own.
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