Julia, Author at Gastroconnoisseur

Dubai Restaurants

Samad Al Iraqi-Iraqi cuisine in Dubai

October 31, 2022 No Comments

Samad Al Iraqi is one of the restaurants that you should visit if you are around Dubai if you want to try Iraqi food.

Samad Al Iraqi is a traditional Arabic food. Iraqi cuisine is one of the oldest cuisines influenced by Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian cultures as well as neighbour countries.

They have branches in other countries than Dubai, but I went to the one in Jumeriah. The restaurant has a nice Arabic style decoration and a very casual ambiance that feels homely and warm. The majority of people having lunch were locals or people from the region.

Food arrives quickly to the table even though the restaurant was almost full. The meal started with a good lentil soup, pickles, freshly made pita bread and tabbouleh. But the king of the of the table was the big lamb shoulder with rice. Just by the looks of it my mouth was already mouth-watering. So tender and juicy. The three different kinds of rice added an interesting combination of flavours that I really enjoyed.

Lentil Soup

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For desserts, I ordered baklava. To be honest, I didn’t expect so many of them but they were so good. Lastly, a nice cup tea to help digest all this delicious food.

If you haven’t tried Iraqi food and you crave homemade food then you should visit Samad Al Iraqi in Dubai. It won’t disappoint you!

7/10

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Dubai Restaurants

Gaia- the best Greek-Mediterranean restaurant in Dubai

October 31, 2022 No Comments

Located in DIFC, Gaia is one of the most renkown restaurants in Dubai. Chef Izu Ani brings to the city a greek-mediterranean. Gaia is the best greek mediterranean restaurant in Dubai.

Chocolate Eclair

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Gaia is where elegance and mediterranean-style meets thanks to the sailory wood touches, the whites and the blues of the interior. Fresh fish and seafood is displayed as if you were in a restaurant in the greek coastline. An excellent way to decide what you want to eat, it reminds me of authenthic seafood restaurants in Spain and I love it.

Frozen Yogurt

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The ingredients freshness is amazing, I don’t know how Chef Izu does it but he kills it. The restaurant is so popupar that you should make a reservation well in advance in order to ensure a table.

Service was incredibly fast, mindful and the waiters always recommended the best of the day.

I do recommend Gaia greek-mediterranean Dubai and will be coming back.

9/10

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Madrid Restaurants

DiverXo- the temple of creativity, innivation and passion

October 31, 2022 No Comments

Diverxo by Dabiz Muñoz in Madrid is undoubtly one place you shouldn’t miss if you are in the capital city.

Dabiz Muñoz is probably one of the most renowned chefs from Spain and the best chef in the world. Diverxo is his 3 michelin starred restaurant, one of the 50’s best restaurants in the world and one of the best culinary experiences in my life.

This is not your typical michelin restaurant as there is no place for stiffness or formalities here. A very casual and fun restaurant, with vivid colours surroundings and extremely comfortable chairs to enjoy the journey. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I really liked how different the ambience is from the same calibre restaurants.

Diverxo is the temple of creativity, innovation and passion, a place where high-quality products and complex, tasteful and beautiful dishes are delivered with success. Each dish was truly a piece of art.

There is only a set menu that changes every couple month. My menu was: XO rollercoaster- inspirations from Southeast Asia.

Thaipirinha

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My favourites were: the frosty salad with ocean side dishes (an unexpected, mind-blowing and exquisite dish), and the Galician lobster waking up in the beaches of Goa (mouth-watering and beautifully displayed). Desserts were delightful, I loved them both.

Timing between the dishes were simply PERFECTION. Not too quick and not to slow, they all arrived on time. And without even realising it, you’ve been sitting in the restaurant for hours enjoying all the good food.

Service at Diverxo by Dabiz Muñoz in Madrid was exceptional, very caring and friendly.

The experience in this restaurant is one that I will cherish forever. A rollercoaster of emotions and flavours.

10/10

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Asador Pelotari-Best meat restaurant in the heart of Madrid

October 31, 2022 No Comments

Asador Pelotari is a meat restaurant in Madrid and one of the best restaurants of the capital city.

It’s a traditional restaurant inspired by Basque-Navarre cuisine with a charcoal grill and a wine cellar. A must for meat lovers that offers top-quality products. A place where value for money is unbeatable.

The ambiance in Asador Pelotari is quite traditional. Inspite of being in one of the most prestigious neighbourhoods of the city, it is not a fancy place if we talk about decoration. Wooden and outdated furniture, but that is the charm of this place. Many locals stop by to have business lunch or family lunch at the weekends, so it’s better if you book a table. Don’t worry as the waitress know english!

Raff tomato salad

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Although every dish was amazing, the most outstanding plate was the grilled meat. A breathtaking ribeye which melts in your mouth and well made: roasted on the outside, tender in the inside and perfectly seasoned.

Asador Plotari offers fish, seafood and classic spoon dishes too. Wine menu is very large and changes every 6 months. It has a wide selection of Spanish and foreign wines.

The service was remarkable, the waitress were very helpful and accomodating.

9/10

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Madrid Restaurants

Dani Four Seasons Madrid- the ultimate restaurant

October 30, 2022 No Comments

Dani Four Seasons Madrid is one of the several restaurants offered by Dani García Group where elegance and design meets with the flavours of andalusian cuisine. Located inside the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel and has a big dining hall and a beautiful terrace.

Wondeful interiors with cheerful and beautiful colours and vintage style restaurant. The terrace is a great option if you prefer eating in a open space, I enjoy eating here during early spring days where it is not too cold or too hot. It’s also suitable during summer as they have water refreshers.

IMG_7504.HEIC

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Food at Dani Four Seasons Madrid is an exquisite experience full of tasty dishes. High-quality ingredients and not crazy fusion dishes. I loved the simplicity but at the same time well elaborated food.

Natural Oysters

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Rossini burguer was by far the best dish for me. Wonderful brioche bred, strong flavoured meat done to perfection which complements perfectly with the bull sauce and the melted and creamy parmesan cheese. The ribeye was also a great option, but I think other restaurants in Madrid are way better for meat.

Chocolate and almond éclair is by far the king of the desserts, it was very light and fluffly. Unlike the apple tart that I wouldn’t recommend, something was off and it really disappointed me.

Chocolate Eclair

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Champagne selection at Dani Four Seasons Madrid was great but small. They offer by the glass and by the bottle. This time, we opted for some Louis Roderer. They offer Krug by the glass aswell which is a nice option to have in case you want a higher-end champagne.

Service was good but could be better. More often than not, waiters will be running around making your meal a bit stressful.

8/10

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Dubai Restaurants

Orfalis Bros- where different cuisines meet

October 30, 2022 No Comments

Mohamad , Wassim and Omar are the three Syrian brothers settled in Dubai that broke all the rules with Orfalis Bros regarding traditional levantine cuisine that recently entered the category of Bib Gourmand. Taste, texture and ingredients makes this culinary experience unique, a tribute to cultural diversity.

Orfalis Bros Bib Gourmand have a minimalist, industrial and casual ambiance. Most likely you will see Mohammad in the dinning hall explaining with pleasure and pride the origin of the dish and making sure everything is on point during your meal.

Every dish have a mix of ingredients from different places in the world, ingredients you wouldn’t mix and match but Mohammed did and blew my mind. How did he came with such genius inventions?

Keep in mind that the menu changes every couple months, so maybe you won’t get to try everything I did.

OB Croquettes

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Famous OB Croquettes with celeriac, comte cheese and truffle mayo

Remarkable food that made every bite an absolute treat. I recommend trying a bit of everything to get an idea of what you like. The burger is one of my top three burgers in Dubai, you must order it! I found the pide a bit to strong for my taste, it was very intense and a new flavour. But I have tried other pides from the menu and were amazing. You just need to find the one you enjoy.

Make sure you leave room for dessert, they are beautifully made and so good!

I went before the Michelin Guide came to Dubai for the first time and I inmediately knew that it was one of the top restaurants from the city. Really recommend it, I loved the whole concept and experience. I felt that something new and fresh was brought to the table.

10/10

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Madrid Restaurants

Saddle- A Michelin star restaurant in Madrid

October 30, 2022 No Comments

Saddle is a one michelin star restaurant by spanish chef Adolfo Santos García located where the famous restaurant Jockey once was.

A very sophisticated and glamorous place that has a big dining area with a panoramic view of the kitchen, a bar focused on a more relaxed setting and reserved rooms located upstairs.

Saddle is inspired by classic and contemporary cuisine, a place to taste dishes with traditional flavours, seasonal and high quality ingredients. We chose the set menu to try many dishes. Each dish was elegantly displayed and most of the times they were finished on the table.

Saddle can proudly boast of having a complete and extensive wine menu. I highlight the champagne menu and the outstanding recommendation by sumellier Israel Ramírez.