Per Te Ristorante – Truly Italian For You + Giveaway (200 dhs Voucher)

Per Te Ristorante E Café, is an Italian restaurant with a modern twist. It has opened its doors in the UAE on January, 14th 2015. Nestled in the by lanes of Jumeirah 1, away from the hustle-bustle of the modern day chaos. It is a quiet and serene corner haven with elegant and welcoming interiors. Per Te is tastefully designed to offer multiple dining experiences consisting of a cozy coffee lounge, an elegant dining section overlooking the open kitchen, alfresco terrace seating for exclusive corporate or private events. It’s serving authentic Italian cuisine made from fresh and carefully sourced ingredients mostly from Italy. While celebrating Italian Cuisine on Mahi Blog we decided to explore the taste at this venue and it’s splendid.

  

Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by Kaye and a very humble and ever smiling host & Manager Anushka, who then gave us a tour of the premises. He also introduced us to Chef Glady, who has an impressive list of credentials on his CV. I noticed him being so well-versed in Italian cooking and found him too involved in, and aware of every aspect/every ingredient in Per Te kitchen. We also noticed lots of coordination and team bonding he had with team of other chefs which is commendable. He has worked for the likes of Sheraton, Urbano Dubai, Carluccios and Ferrari World. Originally from Chennai, India Chef Glady has worked with big names in the Italian food business and his twelve year long career in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens has given him a sixth sense when it comes to Italian flavors. Chef Glady owes his success to Chef Samuele Crestale who helped him realize his true culinary strength.

STARTERs

Antipasto Classico

Tartare di tonno al frutto della passione

Tuna tartare with passion fruit

Fritto Misto

Mixed fried seafood and vegetables with rock salt and pepper served with pesto mayonnaise and lemon wedges

While we waited for chefs team to plump up above starters, we were served the squashy cubes of bread Focaccia stuffed mushrooms with three delectable dips and it was divine; Basil Pesto, Arabiata Sauce, and Sundried Tomato. All three were thoroughly enjoyable but the sundried tomatoes sauce was op notch. We even requested for chili oil and were promptly obliged.

First Starter had arrived  which has Beef bresaola, spicy salami, rocket and parmesan, black sesame tuna fish, grilled vegetables, semi- dried tomatoes, olives, focaccia, prawns wrapped with turkey bacon, sun dried tomato pesto and buffalo mozarella cheese, in short it’s a mini world on antipasti and Per Te does complete justice to it. It is full of taste and every minor details is been well taken care of on this black round slab. The Seafood Fritters were a big attention grabber, served in a stainless steal Colander it consists of Calamari, Shrimps, Broccoli and Fried Potatoes. This was just a regular dish you will find in other places too however it had lots of flavour and is cordially accompanied Tartar sauce. Next up, we received a numinous Tuna tartare placed on a bed of passion fruit and topped with olive tapenade. Hubby was a little undecided about raw fish, but as soon as I had a guarded little nibble, I just dove right into and couldn’t stop munching in anticipation of more passion fruit tangy taste with tuna . It was the such a tropical and invigorating amalgamation between the softness of the fish and the crusty sourness of the fruit. It is indeed a sensational starter ❤

MAIN COURSE

Orecchiette con Polpette

Typical Italian ear shaped pasta with spicy meat balls

Bistecca alla’ Grigilia

Grilled beef rib-eye steak with mashed potato and wild mushrooms

Pollo Piccante Pizza

Marinated chicken, red onion, roasted bell pepper, oregano and chili

Pure di Patate di Tartufo

Mashed Potato with truffle

The next spectacle, Grilled beef rib-eye steak from the main courses arrived, it is well done and the premium quality meat just presented itself very well being tender and juicy along with perfect concotion of spices and herbs. We tasted our main course steak with Mashed Potato with truffle along with that arrived Pollo Piccante Pizza being inspired by Antonnio Carluccio they kept it simple and concentrate more on core elements i-e great crust, fresh sauce and good quality cheese this pizza was very much like an attainable dream. Larger on size but compact on attainability.

DESSERT

Lieto di Cioccolato

At the end the chef himself came along with the manager to ask if we enjoyed our meal and well presented his unique Per te dessert platter. The whole presentation of the dessert was fantastic and it seems indeed prepared with special care and complete dedication.  It is 75% Cocoa smooth and shiny chocolate brick with roasted nuts, orange sweet zest (beautifully crafted and placed), creamy coffee sauce served with passion fruit semi freddo, vanilla semi freddo and mixed berry semi freddo.

Chef gladdy also shared his simple recipe of tuna tarter that we loved. Team Per Te also invited us to visit their newly opened branch in which we are heading to very soon. In actual fact their service was tremendously awesome. Per Te in it’s literal sense means ‘for you’! Kaye, Anushka, Chef Glady and the whole staff do make sure to make us feel that they are there for us by giving exceptional service and notice! The vision of the owners literally speaks in it’s true version by hospitality at Per Te and its presentable & best taste dishes. The portion size was decent and so were the prices. If I had to give some criticism, I’d suggest softening the lights in the Restaurant to strike out more into their wall hangings etc.  Though I love the variety of set-up and you may still choose a corner suiting your mood and gathering actually. Other than that, these guys need to just keep putting that awesome food on our plates and keep up the great service. After visiting Per Te I feel more vicinity Italian restaurants should definitely be introduced in Dubai with same temperament and this is indeed a hail toting up in the Italian cuisine

All in all, a great find and a new favorite for Mahi Blog. Can’t wait to go back and take friends and family with us.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: (1 WINNER)

Mahi Blog and Per Te have teamed up to offer One lucky reader “200 DHS value voucher valid for 2“ to spend at the restaurant.

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog,

2- LIKE & FOLLOW Per Te Dubai Facebook & Twitter pages and mention that @mahiblog has sent you.

2- Share this post using buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc

Tag Mahi Blog on FB, Instagram, Twitter to let us know that you share !!!!

“WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON MAXIMUM SHARES BASIS”

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on October 5th, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Anushka, Per Te’s Management & humble staff for coordination. We were invited however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Please do not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Congratulations – Mahi Blog #EID #Giveaways Winners Announced.

“CONGRATULATIONS”

Thank you for immense participation by all on behalf of Mahi Blog and our Clients, there were many shortlisted on participation basis as so many of you have shared day and night and on different social media pages and have also encouraged and liked our posts respectively.

 “Have a sneak preview of our upcoming Re-Branded website HERE ! “

Unfortunately not everyone can be a winner, however we do notice efforts from many other participants too like Sahar, Marsha, Ayat, Shameela, Shamee Khadija, Arham, Dina, Nabila (just to name few of them), don’t be disappointed as there are many more Prizes coming soon.

Also not to forget 5 beauty hampers are still there to Win.

You may find the Winners chosen for each category in their own post (Click the contest name- linked below)

Find Winners’ names here:

• PIZZA DI ROCCO (2 Winners ) – 200 dhs voucher for each

• PREGO’S @ Media Rotana – (1 Winner) – Meal voucher for 2

• Mahi Blog Thankyou Giveaway – Beauty Hamper – (Still 5 more winners to be announced)

• 60 Min MASSAGE – Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana (1 Winner)
  

THANK YOU 

 

Carluccio’s at YAS Mall – Win Meal Voucher worth 200 dhs #ItalianCuisineCelebrationonMahiBlog

Congratulations, And the winner is:

1) OMAR SAMI

– Thanks for sharing a lot – Please send us your full name and contact details on mahiblog.ae@gmail.com within 2 days to claim your prize. Incase of failure another winner will be chose.

Carluccio’s at Yas Mall:

Those who are following my blog are already aware of my love for this brand. I once read an interview of Founder “ANTONIO CARLUCCIO” where he has mentioned that Olive oil, flour, tomatoes and basil are the ingredients you can’t live without; yes we are talking about 78-year-old Italian chef and restaurateur himself who was in Abu Dhabi last year to open Carluccio’s in Yas Mall – his third restaurant in the capital. Having about 100 restaurants around the world, he shows no signs of slowing down, and his great concept of love for Italian Cuisine is beautifully cascaded to the recipes at Carluccio’s restaurant menu.

Super Gorgeous and our Ultimate Favorite Antipasti Mixed Board, it has each element of our liking ranging from home-baked Focaccia bread to roasted bell pepper with basil pesto.

 

Well, apart from covering their FESTA DELLA PIZZA offerings and tasting from the best pizza festival in town, we did taste their main menu items too, and this time in a different location i-e @ YAS Mall. It is quite a big and spacious venue. In the evening, Carluccio’s welcomes those who are looking for a more relaxed dining experience. Carluccio’s deli here is unrivalled – offering a scrumptious selection of fresh meats, cheese, salads, olives, tarts and baked food items, in addition to a range of take-away dishes, they even sell these handy gadget so you can make similar dishes at home! In short YAS Mall Carluccio’s is not just a food outlet but it is a food shop that offers a range of specially imported products from Italy to give it the authentic taste of Italy to this region.

I must say we had found our spot for comfort food that goes to our very heart. Our visit was memorable; we have been well greeted by the branch supervisor. Kids were well entertained with a customized kid’s pack they offer having a number of fun activities for kids aside from coloring too, I found myself well engross while they were solving the puzzle mysteries.

 

Starters were best to name few were Tomato, Pesto & Garlic Breads. We tried on our host’s recommendation their Ravioli and it is just divine, so full of flavors and the tiny pouches will do the magic mix in your mouth where sauce is so carefully coordinated with soft home-made ravioli which is filled with tender spinach and cheese giving the classic breakdown of each ingredients, it’s just absolute harmony. Being served in a traditional way with butter it kept it’s true essence.

LAGAGNA is also up there in this same category, baked at its perfection simply must-try item on the menu. My kids have thoroughly enjoyed the dish.

Hubby ordered Lamb Shank which is basically slowly braised lamb shank with herbs and vegetable, served with rosemary and mashed potatoes. Meat was well done and juicy at the same time the aroma of braised lamp just satisfies your taste buds and you will fall in love with this dish.  Uncomplicated ingredients, basic taste! It can even cater to my craving for lamb roast incase I am up for big challenges next time.

Kids enjoyed the very simple and basic Penne Pasta with pink sauce, which is too good and accurate to the taste and liking for the kids. The fact that the staff gave extra attention while taking your order you can actually customize your dish by requesting to add on or reduce the selected ingredients.

As for the Desserts, they have a lovely selection. We tried 3 in total, 2 from the new range and one regular.

CASSATA which is Semifreddo Sicilian Dessert with Chocolate pieces (I hardly felt any in mine), pistaccio ice-cream and candied fruits (as it’s comparatively hard to chew dint give me much of my dreamtime while enjoying this dessert.)

 

CHERRY SUNDAE: Being a die-hard fan of cherries I had no reasons not to fall in love with this awesome treat, very well proportionate dessert made by simple amalgamation of Italian Amarena Cherries and Vanilla Ice-cream and the syrup was there to balance the sweet ratio too. Love it!

Last but not the least Chocolate Fondente a warm chocolate pudding served with Ice cream. It was a chocolate lovers dream. Thick, chocolaty goodness all over with a layer of ice-cream. If you want a drinking chocolate version, try the Ciccoletta fiorentina.

WOW Factor:

• On weekend they are serving new Nutella e Banana so go for it!
• If you looking for real taste of Italy at home their colorful cornucopia of fantastic fresh food, Keep sake & store cupboard items and gifts you should definitely pass by their deli.
• Their fondants are mind blowing – pure choco lovers, welcome.

Buon Appetito!

I loved the romantic ambiance and an extended space where you can enjoy with your loved ones or close group of friends for a special dine-outs. There is even possibility to get variety without giving up on your Italian cravings. Categorically worth next visit, maybe even after to try some more Gnocchi next time 😉 I would rate my overall liking for Carluccio’s 4.6 on 5. And it can take mouth-watering 5 for just deli itself as it’s too good to ignore.

Find more info on their FB page here or go to their Website.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: 

Mahi Blog and Carluccio’s have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Gift meal Voucher worth AED 200” to be used at any Carluccio’s outlet across UAE

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the PIZZA offering at Carluccio’s during FESTA DELLA PIZZA?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on September 10th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to CARLUCCIO’S Management, Andjelka Pavlovic and our host staff at restaurant. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Pictures are owned by Mahi Blog. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi Hotel Review & Win ‘Wok with Me’ Friday Brunch for 2 at Urban Kitchen.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

Congratulations “link2reema” you are a winner for Friday Brunch for 2 at DUSIT THANI ABUDHABI – Urban Kitchen themed brunch “Wok with Me”. Send an email with your full name & contact details at mahiblog.ae@gmail.com within 2 days to claim you prize.

Enjoy the Brunch and lovely Friday !! 🙂

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“Luxury Thai Hospitality at Dusit Thani ABU DHABI”

Location:

Centrally located close to the city’s Eastern Mangroves habitat and a short drive from the Corniche, near to new business and government district, adjacent to the CERT Technology Park. The hotel is also an ideal choice for business and leisure travelers. It had perfect location from where you can explore the graceful capital of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is close-by while Abu Dhabi International Airport is a mere 20 minutes drive from here. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle bus service to key points of interest / entertainment and shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.

Theme and Decor Inspiration:

Blending the best of both cultures, the hotel exudes Arabian opulence instill with strokes of Thai warmth with a well-known stature and unique architecture design. Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi Hotel has 402 rooms and suites combined. Each room has a wonderful mix of Thai influences and modern lifestyle and has been beautifully designed with the savvy traveller in mind, hotel is daunting with Skydome spanning extensive pre-function areas that can host up to 1,000 guests and is already a preferred location and home for many educational and Industrial seminars and Company hosted Events.

Arrival and Check-in:

You will reach the venue easily via markings of Muroor Street (4th Street), opposite the Mohammed Bin Zayed football stadium. The area is nested with business and government buildings, and there’s a convenient footbridge from infront of the stadium. If by car and coming from Bus Station toward stadium you will take a U-turn from signal and then 2nd exit will go on Ramp to arrive right infront of the Hotel’s main lobby entrance. The valet staff (I must mention very humble and greet you with smile) will take your car and luggage as you arrive in the beautiful lobby (which is impressive and by some means homely) from glass-fronted hotel tower, you can’t miss the soaring atrium which is indeed one of the best elevations (Art Structure) in UAE . To the left is the reception desk and to the right is Orchid lounge with a grand piano and a coffee bar.

F&B:

Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi offers an array of exquisite restaurants including Benjarong – award-wining Thai cuisine, The Capital Grill – offering steaks and Mediterranean specialties and Urban Kitchen – international all-day dining. The hotel’s signature restaurant is the Thai Benjarong.

During our stay, we enjoyed our breakfast in Urban Kitchen and had attended “Wok With Me” theme based Friday brunch at the same venue. Aside from the all-day dining restaurant, the hotel also has The Capital Grill, a sophisticated New York-style steakhouse and bar.

Wok with Me Brunch :

I totally love the idea and concept of this food extravaganza. No need to book a flight ticket to indulge in Asia’s unsurpassed gastronomy. Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has got his guest at Urban Kitchen covered with an exclusive Asian Wok with Me Brunch in Capital! Guests can create their own favourite Thai curry made-to-order, which we thoroughly loved, Mahi Blog Instagram Fans can enjoy the video HERE.

In this month’s promotion you will find delight in a wide spread of Asian specialties from Thailand, Japan, China and India.  Live cooking stations include French raclette with an Asian twist (what a fine concept), tandoori, seafood bar, wok noodles, Pandan and coconut flavored crepes.

While doing brunch during our stay we even enjoyed at the Cheese counter and our drooling Instagram video has been featured on #SimplyAbuDhabi page too.. Have a look here, it might make you hungry! You can make it a cheese platter the way you like on the display where fruits and dry fruits as well to be accompanied by melted cheese.

  

Staff & Services :

Majority of the staff we noticed in Hotel are from Thailand, always meet you with warm gesture and smile and carry themselves in a delicate, heartening and distinguished manner and will greet you in their traditional thai style by greeting “Sawasdee”. Check-in and check-out were fuss-free and prompt.

Stay:

Though I notice this hotel has more business than leisure guests in weekdays however the trend is totally mix during weekends and especially holidays and vacation breaks season. This is one of the best Staycation and is liked immensely amongst the families. I found the lobby and lounge areas filled largely by very elegantly-dressed Emiratis conducting meetings, while there is Salon and Gym being very famous in locally & near-by areas residing people and hotel guests.

Rooms

My room, a one-bedroom suite, has an excellent view while floor-to-ceiling windows offering beautiful views of the Capital, but don’t forget to close them at night else the flashing airline warning lights attached to corner of the building might bother you. The large marble bathroom was an extravagance. The rooms and hanging art pieces in them and on floors alley are theme co-ordinate with carpets and furniture.

Other facilities:

A host of facilities and services, including Namm Spa and DFiT Fitness Centre, allow guests to cultivate their minds and bodies, they can enjoy a workout at the fully equipped state-of-the art gym, enjoy swimming in the outdoor swimming pool, relax in the Jacuzzi or indulge in a signature massage treatment in spa, where we had enjoyed our amazing treatment, see complete review of Namm Spa HERE.

Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is an exciting and exclusive addition to a sophisticated global group where we had a complete Thai experience with luxury and astonishing eye-soothing designs. Standing at 37 storey’s, boasting the third highest hotel atrium in the world, it is well on its way to achieving landmark status. In short it is one of the best locations we stayed and reviewed. Mahi Blog will rate this stay 4.7 over 5 on likeness & comfort.

Find more info on there FB page here or go to their Website.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: 

Mahi Blog and Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Wok with Me – Friday Brunch for 2 at Urban Kitchen”

     How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following: 

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the restaurants at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on September 4th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi Management, Gehan & Rami and our host staff at restaurant. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Pictures are owned by Mahi Blog except few which are provided by the Hotel itself. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Thankyou #Giveaway on Mahi Blog – Beauty / Skin care / Lifestyle

We will have One winner each week! Winner’s name will be displayed here on top of this post !!

“Congratulations”     Guess what ! Contest is Still on….. Good Luck – 4 more weeks to go 🙂 but we will give 5 more boxes 🙂

THIS CONTEST WILL CONTINUE ON WWW.MAHIBLOG.COM NOW !!!

CLICK HERE !

Week 1 Winner – IRMINA TEODORO

Week 2 Winner – Fatema Nooruddin

Week 3 Winner – Shruti Mathew

Week 4 Winner – Saman Nasir

Week 5 Winner – Rabia Sameer

Week 6 Winner – Shamila Mehtab

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And it begins. Thank you very much readers and followers for giving such an immense response over our social media and Mahi Blog. Sine we promise once we hit 2k mark on FB we will announce a mega #contest. Here it is; we will be giving away “10 Thankyou beautiful hampers” (each per week) full of goodness from beauty / hair care / skin care and lifestyle world. It has mix of makeup products / samples / full size / pocket-size, minis of my favorite brands products. Also some simple day-to-day items which we like (Jewelry, notes diaries etc).

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog (Make sure to confirm you subscription through email which you receive in your mailbox (inbox), when you press follow button on top right side on the page after mentioning you email id)

2- Share this post on as many social widgets as you can. (Use only buttons below at the bottom of this post, of FB, Twitter, IG, Pinterest etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on each Saturday starting August 29th, 2015 .  All UAE fans can take part.

#Share #Repost & #Tag friends through below social media buttons

The more active you are the greater the chances. We will choose winners on varied basis each week.

– Most active ones,

– Randomly Chosen

Even if you not sharing each hour/day but have liked and subscribed on all above you can get lucky via random picker application too. So let’s get started and if during this campaign we hit another milestone of 3k on FB or any pretty number on any of our pages, we will bring in more prizes!! Now that’s called.. JACKPOT of #giveaways. There will be regular routine reviews (Food / Restaurant / Hotels / Spa / Events / Salon / Fashion Brands / Lifestyle) with contest on our blog through out hence more you share each review . those reviews too you will even increase the chance here too.. (We are keeping a keen eye on how active you are !)

First winner will be announced this Saturday!! All the best to all. All UAE fans can take part, Incase you are outside UAE and still wish to participate please mention in comments too, if you can arrange for shipment via friend/ family / courier, we shall keep your prize for only 2 weeks (as we face some difficulties previously as some winners and back home in their countries and are planning to return after months), if not claimed in 14 days another winner will be chosen.

Once again, ❤  THANK YOU ! it’s possible because of YOU !

P.s. Product may vary from the pic as we might kept including more brands and more hampers will be made, not all products / items are displayed here. We will have some surprise entries too ❤

 

FUKUROU HOUSE – Intuitive Dining at its finest + WIN #Free Dining Vouchers of 200 dhs

CONGRATULATIONS !!

2 Winners are:

Parveen Sheikh

Chrisfarrales

Send an email asap with your full name and contact details at mahiblog.ae@gmail.com. You have 3 days to claim your prize, incase of failure we will choose new winners.

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Me & Hubby went for a Colorful plate and Vibrant Dinner Date to Fukurou House, located in the ground floor of Emirates Financial Towers, behind the Financial Metro Station. I was totally impressed by the picture in link over an invitation by Fukurou House and planned to visit later that month! This is an Armenian place, However restaurant’s name (signifies an old wise bird Owl) doesn’t give out anything regarding the cuisine & it is relatively new in town as well.

Ambiance:

Loved the ambience of the place. A very contemporary look with vibrant decoration made it extra glam. If you go in events time the mood in the restaurant will be brilliant with the classical jazz music playing and dimmed lighting associating with the type of event they are having. The purple hue to the place with the orange table tops  are complemented well by the large wall drawings in black & gold. A very unique fusion of colors and retro type I would say.

 

Management, Service & Staff: 

The staff was quite friendly, services were timely. Each course was well-timed basis, the expected time to finish the dish was continuously communicated by them. The Chef was giving the short description of the dishes making it a very pleasant service experience, I love the fact how the MD himself was involved as he is a great chef himself and his passion for food and cooking just gave him this whole inspiration of making him dream project to come to life and standing its base in DIFC  Dubai today.

Indeed we are talking about Managing Director, Mr. Armen Kostanyan, you will strained to become fraction of his vision once you chat with him regarding his dream project, how he blend in and did fuse the whole concept of Armenian food, contemporary health and Art all under one roof. Once you enter you will witness gallant shades of either colors or lights, don’t worry it won’t blind you, but in fact attract you to move forward and glaring at the walls on left which is so rouge and bling . Striking art pieces and frames from around the world, specifically focused on women empowerment. Freedom, and Soul, creates responsiveness. There is a classic stage with retro mic been placed making it a perfect and ideal location for Art, Brands, and book launches and, presentations or open mic sessions.

We were seated on prim and porch sofas along with our host Armen, while he gave a brief info about the concept. Origin, food, creativity behind FH and then gave us electronic menu to order. I loved the whole idea of browsing through their iPads for menu as I loved the stylishly dressed images and description of each dish, I would envy my hubby if he would order a better looking dish than me, but luckily both our dishes were to look on. It was customer-friendly and easy to navigate thanks to tech savvy UAE.

Food:

We had sampled 2 appetizers and they were so appealing and vibrant in colors and texture and are served completely fresh and gorgeous. To grind our craving we were served complimentary freshly prepared eggplant caviar with Armenian bread. The bread was fresh from the oven.

The first appetizer was smoked salmon roll with zesty orange portions, avocado and organic dill and red capsicum in it, it was served with tangy lime and ginger sauce and gave that extra oomph to this fresh appetizer.  It was indeed spot on! Armen explained us about the quality of the Salmon which is actually sourced and smoked for the restaurant specifically.

2^nd appetizer was Chicken Crepe served a bit warm, it sounds avenue food, but delivered way higher on the appetite as the crepe was soft and crispy at the same time and is also flavored with some extra spices, the crunch of carrot pieces added the shredded chicken’s flavor. This is the first time I have tasted my crepes with yogurt dip with walnuts chunks on it and every bite of that was a journey to fantasy. It looks big in portion for an appetizer but tasted very light.

My favorite dish in the restaurant is the main I have ordered on owner’s recommendation it’s Portobello chicken with a side of tangy salad, while hubby had lamb chops with sweet potatoes puree, Mine was one large mushroom stuffed with oven-baked grilled chicken, cheese and a pineapple salsa side. The dish was brought to the table by Armen, unfortunately I did not find this dish on recent menu but it truly was the captivating factor of that night and would be worth re-visiting for and to order on demand 😉

 

For their carbs portion what I loved is that they serve quinoa or spinach as side with mains too.

In desserts we have tried their cake of the day which is so yummy.

Extra:

In case you are not being a wine drinker, you won’t get apprehended as, they will quickly ask and quell it by this very rich concentrated flavored drink, non Alcoholic Red & White Wine. Hence if you are in a party with friends and are a non-alcoholic it is the perfect way to go about with your meal.

WOW Element:

• Organic, healthy, gorgeous and soulful food . 
• Eggplant Caviar.
• Gleaming chandeliers.
• Bespoke Art Venue; Art gallery is changing dynamically and on Sunday for example it has live painting event, the main column will be changed into street art piece, guests can enjoy their food and witness its creation, starts at 1 pm.
• Large jeweled rack with Mystique and Imperial bracelets and accessories.
• They also have Lunch Specials with 7 types of salmon, 3 types of authentic stews, meatballs, chicken and vegetarian options, starting AED 45.
• Good news is they’ve launched delivery service as well 🙂

Price:

Price is not too less, but excellent value for money. As all items in menu were healthy, fresh and calorie conscious.

All in all Armen’s passion is clearly apparent from his amusing menu, commendations about ingredients and practical loom, an unusual find in Dubai. Fukurou House most definitely offers value for money with soaring quality, ingenious and artistic dishes. Their menu changes on regular intervals and they substitute less selling dishes with newly created ones hence I am willing to return to taste soon. We would rate them 4.4 / 5 on our likeness meter 🙂

For more information or reservations, please contact Fukurou House or visit their FB & Instagram pages

Fukurou House – Ground Floor of Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC in Dubai, UAE

Phone +971 4 552 1540

Email armen@fukurouhouse.com

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION:  (2 WINNERS)

Mahi Blog and Fukurou House have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers“2 Dine-in Voucher for 200 dhs each”

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the main course item at Fukurou House?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on August 17th, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part in contest.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Fukurou House Staff &  Armen. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Iftar Review – “Layali al Baraka” at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers – #WIN Iftar Buffet for 2! (INSTANT GIVEAWAY)

IFTAR AT “LAYALI AL BARAKA”

Like each year Jumeirah at Etihad Towers have their special set-up of Ramadan “Layali al Baraka” in their diversified and multipurpose venue (Mezzoon Pre Function Area). You can Experience the joy of the season with friends and family in the lavishly decorated venue and  immerse yourself in the Ramadan spirit with your family and friends

It is predominantly Arabic food however non-Arabic dishes are also there and been chosen carefully as been best in the menu and also strike a great balance to par the taste of Ramadan menu. Jalab, Karkadh, Laban, Kamar Al Deen & Erk Sous all of these varieties of Ramadan Drinks are available however if you wish you may order for the soft drinks and fresh juices chargeable out of the Ramadan buffet menu.

We loved the set-up of house Water, some juices, Nuts & Dates available on your table pre-arrival; as it’s much convenient you don’t have to rush to the main food area to find the glasses for juices or to start munch-in soon as you break the fast.

This might be our last outdoor Iftar this  Ramadan in UAE, but we can’t get enough of our very favorite “Lentil Soup” with Lemon and Zaatar Crouton; oh yes the infusion of Zaatar added that extra zest to this great creation. There was soup of the day also however it’s was not been able to take our attention away from lentil one!

Another reason I love food at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers is their Condiments; we loved the fact how keen observation and special care they gave it to the small portion of menu; we had noticed the same at our previous review of “ROSEWATER”. Cornichons, shaved Parmesan and marinated Mushroom with grilled Eggplants were tasty.

There is a huge salad bar and of compound salad having Lollo Rosso and Oak leaves with complete range of dressings, balsamic being the best. We also loved Baba Ganoush, Mohamara and Warak Enab, in Cold Mezzah section.

We noticed a large presence of non-Arabs diners too at their Iftar Buffet. How they cater to that in menu, well to mention Thai Green Chicken Curry with Basil and Stir fried Vegetable Rice were indeed top-notch Asian items in “Layali al Baraka” menu and we were fond of it.

To keep a mix they had few western dishes on menu too; Mediterranean Style baked Mahi Mahi, Tomato, Grilled Chicken Breast with creamy Mushroom Sauce, Potato Gratin with Celeriac and Buttered Peas with Lettuce and Shallots. On a side Indian note their Tandoori Jhinga is a must-try.

Live station for Churros preparation. it was divine..

WOW Factor:

Guess what we found at Hot Mezzah Chicken Wings & Chicken Liver Pomegranate jus which was very well done and juicy too. Ouzi with Oriental Rice kept its soul along with Emirati Station having Lamb Harris, Vegetables Salona and Lamb Majbous.

The traditional Oud player sets a soothing ambience with his notations and you will enjoy the whole ambiance even louder.

Main Course consist of Arabic Mixed Grill (Shish Taouk, Lamb Kebab, Kofta Kebab), Laban Emmo, Dajaj Bel Batata (it has become our favorite potatoe dish now)

Other main courses includes Samak Makli with Tarator sauce, the Kousa Mahshi (very simple in taste unlike its name), Yaknet Bazella with Lamb Stew and very popular Vermicelli Rice, very appetizing.

• There is large variety of Arabic Sweets to name what we tasted were Koulaj, Kataif Ashta with nuts, Cheese Halwa, Aysh al Saraya and of course Umm Ali along with Tangy Lemon Meringue Tart and yummy Red Velvet sliced Cake.

Tamar Hindi being served via Traditional Dallah Style.

Live station of Kunafa was also in progress. We rate it 4.5 out of 5 for being an exquisite buffet of regional delights including live cooking stations. From sumptuous seafood grills to a live Saj station and customary Ramadan beverages served with the traditional dallah, each appetising dish will enchant your palate.

In the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan, they will be donating AED 2, for every person attending their Iftar, to Emirates Red Crescent in support of children in need.

Location: Podium Level 4
Timings: As per Iftar timings
Price: AED 175* per person

For more information or reservations, please contact us:

FB, Twitter , IG

Telephone: +971 2 811 5666
Email:  JADrestaurants@jumeirah.com

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: 

Mahi Blog and Jumeirah at Etihad Towers have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers“Iftar Buffet Voucher for 2”

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the restaurants at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on July 14th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Jumeirah at Etihad Towers Management, Maria our lovely host staff at restaurant. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Iftar Review: Sufra – Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights+ “WIN Table for 2 for Dinner Buffet”.

We have been invited to dine-in at a luxurious location at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights. This the first year they offer Iftar Buffet in Ramadan at their all day dine-in restaurant “SUFRA”.

 

Venue Details:

The venue was pleasant and startling. It’s been ornamented with amazing interiors and bits representing great sense of leg room and being chic at the same time. While you are being seated in one corner can actually have a fair view of overall restaurant. The ambiance was quite bright compare to other fine dining restaurants. Incase you prefer not to open sitting they have a wide Private chamber for customized group booking, private reservation and gatherings

 

Iftar Buffet:

They were “Live action stations” preparing Lamb Shawarma (was best), Falafel, Cheese Rokkat, Kibbeh, Chicken Ouzi and Lamb and Iranian Jeejeh Kebab which were the most delicious of all the BBQ items. In their hot dishes my favorites were Chicken Tagine and Ajwani Prawn Masala. Aloo mutter (potatoes and Green peas curry) tasted so good with Steamed rice. Fish tasted very tender and juicy along with mashed potatoes. Arabic dishes were not in abundance though however the few which represent it did not disappoint us either. (Harissa rubbed Lamb Chops, Bamiya bill ahem, shek almahshe were tastiest)

Steaks were scrumptious and WE LOVED Cheese and Zatar condiments at Saj Station.

  

Breads were prepared fresh and were served to the table. Buffet was not too large however items have been carefully selected and each tasted delicious. I love Shorbet Adas Soup along with Croutons.

   

Salad and Cheese counters were to be commended it has a variety of seasonal salads as well as chef attended live salad preparation for Fattoush. Assorted round bites of plain Labaneh, with dry mint and with Paprika were mouth-watering.

Desserts were great especially Um ali, macrons, Baklawa and Ash alsraya. Fruit cakes and Lintzer tart were yummy. Ice creams made my kids really happy as they loved variety of toppings long with their favorite desserts.

It’s a simple buffet but indeed very tasteful. Staff gesture was great we even noticed they were clearing up table and folding napkins for kids each time we went out of our seats. Staff alertness was very evident as they go an extra mile to serve to your table.

For more details, check these pages for Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights: FB, INSTAGRAM

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: 

Mahi Blog and Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Dinner Buffet Voucher for 2 at SUFRA”

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the restaurants at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on July 20th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights Management, Leenu and our host staff at restaurant. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Time-Out at Pool and Dinner @ ‘SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT’ / Giveaway

CONGRATS Krithigha and Nadia Victor. You are choosen as winners. Indivisual msgs are been sent to both in how to claim ur prize.

I had visited SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT along with my family where we enjoyed Pool & Beach Access plus refreshments at Azure Pool. From the moment we entered we found the staff much courteous and even at the reception they made us felt very welcomed.

While we were waiting for our lovely host Sofia, took a trance look at the lobby and admired its elegant structure. After a brief meeting another host has guided us to our way to Beach side of the resort.

 

Pool & Refreshment at Azure Restaurant:

There we reached Azure restaurant & Pool which is very big and spacious, adjacent to same is the kid’s pool, showers and changing rooms are situated nearby.

   

 The pools are temperature controlled while life guard is available throughout to assist further. Azure Pool bar and restaurant is located connected within the pool hence swimmers can enjoy sitting in the pool and enjoying their snacks. However the very prompt and courteous staff will bring your order to you while you are even sitting in the big gardens just in front of the pool full of beach benches & relaxing chairs. You can relax under sun or under tree overseeing the calm sea and jet skies splashing the water. We enjoyed our refreshment i-e Mini Burgers, pizza and Fish and chips, what actually takes all our attention were the refreshing drinks and shakes.

 

All in all it’s a great out-door locations where guests enjoy the outdoors as well as snacks, mezzeh, salads, sandwiches, barbecue, and refreshing drinks as light fare cuisine and in quite a laid back and fun environment. Kids have enjoyed their banana Ice-cream split with chocolate sauce on top.

PLUS POINT: Setting is along the pool side, however being a resort  you have a large area to choose a spot and rest your head on to the relaxing chair, if you are going with the kids they have inflated slides fun area for those mini-goers, do check in the closing time though.

After enjoying a mesmerizing view of sea and sun-set, we relaxed in the lobby for a while and enjoyed their speedy internet services; you can’t live without updating social media.. yeah!

Dinner at the Palm Garden Restaurant and Terrace

It is all day dining restaurant serves delicious meals originating from such destinations as Lebanon, Italy, Germany, and India. It is also home to one of the best themed nights on Jumeirah Beach.

It was Spanish & Portuguese theme night the day we dine-in. Food was good, menu spread is quite interesting with some hot mezzeh. As meat dishes are many, salad bar comes to rescue it is so hefty and full of variety of them. For main course it’s a round station that has predominantly Spanish and Portuguese dishes, the chef is on hand to assist you with any content details & choices that you might need  to  make.

 

I loved the Fried Calamari in Oriental spices and another knock out dish was “Sirloin” A Portuguese Style. The food is luscious and delectable, full of flavor. The staff is caring and knowledgeable and will assist in anything from changing your seat to helping you with the buffet selection or to bring Mocktail of the day to your table, it was “Wake Up” Minty Strawberry flavored drink which we really have enjoyed.  Live music was there to entertain the guests.

We even had witnessed their earth hour activities on another visit and it’s quite interactive and awareness campaign.

 

Cuisine:                International

Dress Code:          Smart Casual

Parking:                Free parking is available.

Atmosphere:         Garden View

 

The hotel has lush trees and a good stretch of beach. It was admirable location, finer service where the front desk was particularly helpful and very courteous. Food was special as it was a new cuisine we had tried. One of the best times I have spent in throughout the summer with kids in splash and joy. You can have more information about the property via their social media pages FB, Twitter & IG.

    

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: (2 WINNERS)

Mahi Blog and SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers the following vouchers:

• 1 for pool access and refreshment (2 pax)
• 1 dining voucher for Palm Garden (2 pax with soft drinks included)

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the restaurants at SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on July 20th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

 

Ramadan at SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT:

Embrace the Spirit of Ramadan at the Hotel as it brings to town the true “Ramadan Nights”. This year they offers a delightful Iftar Buffet at The Palm Garden as well as Iftar and Suhoor A la Carte at Hadiqa Tent during the Holy month. Buffet has wide selection of Arabic and International dishes.

WOW Factor: Supervises kids’ activities are available throughout Ramadan during Iftar, where kids will be busy at Kids’ Club near the Palm Garden Restaurant.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to SHERATON JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT Marketing Team & Management, Sofia & all Staff. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

Iftar Review: Horizon-Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana+MEGA Contest #WIN

Marina , Mustafa & rpfbcrec you are the winners. Please send your contact details to mahiblog.ae@gmail.com asap. As the voucher is just valid till end of ramadan. If you won’t send email within today another winner will be chosen tomorrow.

CONGRATULATIONS.

It was a great pleasure accepting a Ramadan invite for Iftar from “Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana” at Horizon Restaurant and it was indeed a great experience. The Iftar Buffet setting at Horizon is not clustered, I like the idea that they set-up the main course counters at 3 locations, catering to the needs of diners who are spread-out till their lobby.

First being the starter or mezze (Hot & Cold) sections which has an array of what looks like over 12-15 menu items to get the Iftar started. There is everything from salty pickles to baba ghanoush, mixed salads, Kibbeh , spinach fatayer, cheese sambusak etc. What tempted me most was Eggplant moussaka in Oriental and Poached Gulf prawns Smoked salmon in International.

There is a soup and bread station (Oriental Pita was so good!). You can choose from a selection of lentil or clear chicken noodle soup. Also the Lamb ouzi with Oriental rice station is hidden beneath the staircase make sure to take a walk along the wide menu before fatoor (iftari)  so you would know where it’s placed.

Before you get too full on soup, don’t forget to get your own Shawarma, made fresh at the counter.

Syrian style Mix grill and falafel were prepared live along with the shawarma live station in the centre of the main dining chamber of Horizon. The chef is on hand to assist you with any menu choices that you might need to make and the junior chef will also assist you to pour in Tabouleh Rotana and Fattoush in bowls over the counters specifically made for these items.

Oriental & International Cuisine Mix Balance was another strength of menu at Horizon in Khalidiya Palace which we enjoyed over other After reviews we did.

Harees Chicken / vermicelli rice (Emirati style) Arabic Lamb shank Fasoulya, Chicken Frikkeh (Jordanian style), Kibbeh Bil laban & Baby marrow and vine leaves with lamb chops were all at par, I couldn’t decide which tasted better as they were all made to perfection.  Seafood chili, Cumin roasted potato, Steamed vegetables & Ratatouille in International cuisine has kept a great balance. I loved Grilled sherry Fish with honey mustard sauce.

  

Make sure you do not miss out on ‘the desserts counter’ as it is located at the end of the hallway. It has a large variety of desserts and was our favorite, you would find everything ranging from Arabic sweet (Um ali & Kunfa roll were tastiest) and a lovely cake selection I must say and the Blueberry panna cotta was to die for, our other favorites include Linzer Cake, lemon trifle in glass. Just in case you are not yet satisfies you can enjoy ice-creams in cone or cup which was equally enjoyed by kids and adults.

WOW Factors:

• I simply haven’t had taste such tastier Lebanese salad “Fattoush” ever before. It is so aromatic and crispy with croutons. The Chef “Abu Halab” will make it just right in front of your eyes and will mix and toss it and you won’t just stop tasting on it.

• The dates and nuts setting in the main lobby under giant Palm trees structure. Kudri Madeena and fresh red & yellow rotab was a treat to my taste buds.

  

• Traditional dishes “carving” was another highlight of their menu for Kebbe sajiyeh & Chicken mousakhan rolls.

• The Ramadan Drinks and Assorted Juices been places in circles, those who are following my reads know my favorite Ramadan drink, Jelab Thamar! Yes and it was best I got in Khalidiya Palace.
• The involvement of Chef in the whole Iftar Buffet along with the staff and management was something really impressed me as its being so interactive.

All in all the food  we tasted at Ramadan After Buffet at Horizon – Khalidiya Palace is succulent and delicious, full of essence and made us happy 🙂

For More information on Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana click these pages here: Facebook, Twitter, IG.

GIVEAWAY/ COMPETITION: (3 WINNERS)

Mahi Blog and Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana have teamed up to offer Mahi Blog readers “Three Iftar Buffet Vouchers for 2 at HORIZON“

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Answer the following question in comments; Name any one of the restaurants at Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana?

2- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog, Share this post on social widgets. (Use buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc)

3- Like, Follow, Share us on following:

• Facebook (/mahiblog)
• Twitter (@mahiblog)
• Instagram (@mahiblog)

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on July 9th, 2015.  All UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana Marketing Team & Management, Faten, Judy, aff at Horizon & Outlet Manager, Dhammika. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.