I thought I'll be really free during July, but my workload's pretty much the same as the past few months. I've also been coming out to play quite often, trying to do less shopping and more eating! Getting friends out for meals seems really easy - and I've been trying to visit the restaurants listed in Timeout.
Dressed up to head to Kisaku restaurant, a renown restaurant also featured in TimeoutDubai
love the details of the keyhole top i bought from Seoul.
Situated at the top floor of Al Khaleej Palace, Deira, this restaurant serves up very good and fresh sashimi.
raw meat delights.
Brought my italian friends to the meal: meet Vittoria and Curry (Karim), whom I've also blogged on the Shangri-la's entry.
Curry's favorite California Maki (with crab meat and fish roe)
This chap really loves his asian food :)
Curry's fried salmon set meal;
My katsu cutlet set;
These breaded fillets make me wanna come back for more :)
Breaded prawns - otherwise known as ebi tempura
Thumbs up for the good service and the good quality Japanese meal - it has to be one of the best places to have authentic Japanese food here in Dubai :)
* * *
On the first day of Ramadan (yesterday), Erika and I went to meet our ex-housemate and friend, Shimi-chan for a meal. As it's Ramadan period, before the sunsets, to respect the Islamic culture in Dubai, no one eats or drinks in "public's view". I would say Dubai's not as strict as its Saudi counterparts due to the big foreign expat community here, so some restaurants are still open before Iftar (the meal after dawn, after breaking fast).
Restaurants will pull their curtains close though they do stay open for lunch and early dinner. It is after Iftar when they can keep the curtains open.
This picture is a good example of Royal China having their curtains closed before dawn.
Erika and I are looking forward to dine at Royal China when it's here in Dubai!
The other franchises are in London and Hong Kong, China.
Its oriental interior and fine dining plating and intricate draws attention, even to Asians like us.
Its glorious wine cellar.
The restaurant does very good tea and all of them practice the true art of making chinese teas.
The imported Oolong Tie Guan Yin tea, for instance, cost S$30 for the 3 of us, which is inexpensive for such fine tea.
Having met Chef Wong, who did work in China and Raffles Hotel before coming over in Dubai, did the honor of doing us the Turnip cake with XO sauce. Dim Sum items are usually not served at night and only for lunch, (with the exception of a simple dimsum platter), but he did make it an exception for us to have the fried turnip cake :)
The dimsum platter (S$30) consisting of selected steamed dimsum and we chose:
- 3 x har gow
- 3 x siew mai with prawns and chicken
- 2 x parsley chicken crystal buns
Pretty good stuff, but I really like the last item because it's very well made - the parsley is fragrant. You know how dimsum is usually made with pork - and Royal China, as well as Da Shi Dai (entry), does chicken like how it would taste as pork, the right moisture to steamed dimsum.
The best duck crepe rolls I've had.
And for main courses, we had garlic kai-lun and yang chow fried rice.
Everything was well-plated for us so we didn't really have to move an inch besides to eat our share. Hahaha, fine dining is indeed for lazy people.
I would say the quality of food is akin like Da Shi Dai in Jumeirah but the service is excellent. If I were to compare to the Royal China in Singapore, I would say the prices are of a big difference, and we indeed do pay more for asian fare here. However, the service, the ambience RC does for this Dubai outlet, has to supersede what they have in SG.
The restaurant does very good tea and all of them practice the true art of making chinese teas.
The imported Oolong Tie Guan Yin tea, for instance, cost S$30 for the 3 of us, which is inexpensive for such fine tea.
Having met Chef Wong, who did work in China and Raffles Hotel before coming over in Dubai, did the honor of doing us the Turnip cake with XO sauce. Dim Sum items are usually not served at night and only for lunch, (with the exception of a simple dimsum platter), but he did make it an exception for us to have the fried turnip cake :)
The dimsum platter (S$30) consisting of selected steamed dimsum and we chose:
- 3 x har gow
- 3 x siew mai with prawns and chicken
- 2 x parsley chicken crystal buns
Pretty good stuff, but I really like the last item because it's very well made - the parsley is fragrant. You know how dimsum is usually made with pork - and Royal China, as well as Da Shi Dai (entry), does chicken like how it would taste as pork, the right moisture to steamed dimsum.
The best duck crepe rolls I've had.
And for main courses, we had garlic kai-lun and yang chow fried rice.
Everything was well-plated for us so we didn't really have to move an inch besides to eat our share. Hahaha, fine dining is indeed for lazy people.
I would say the quality of food is akin like Da Shi Dai in Jumeirah but the service is excellent. If I were to compare to the Royal China in Singapore, I would say the prices are of a big difference, and we indeed do pay more for asian fare here. However, the service, the ambience RC does for this Dubai outlet, has to supersede what they have in SG.
lastly, dessert at S$10 a bowl - sago with rice pudding and coconut milk on the right,
grapefruit and pomelo in mango sago
the extremely satisfied people :>
Met up with Michael and he brought us to the Burj Khalifa residence to take a look. Up to date, Burj Khalifa is still the tallest building in the world, standing at 829.84m. While the observation deck is at level 124, we went up to the residence lounge at level 123.
What an experience I must say...
Looking at Dubai at the tallest view and marveling over how Dubai was once just an empty dessert - to how much construction and work done over just 30 years, pushing the limits of architecture arts world.
Took some pictures while we visited the washroom, even the ladies is crazily pretty :)
Having a cuppa coffee and chilling out @ the residence lounge.
Went on to level 43, where the pool is.
There is also a outdoor pool that looks quite like the infinity pool we have in MBS.
The MI4 scene, where Tom Cruise was depicted climbing the glass panels of Burj Khalifa.
And we had a sneak peek at the residence bedroom of the Burj - a master bedroom overlooking the scene of The Address hotel - one of my favorite structures in Dubai.
Ending our little private tour of the Burj - thanks Michael for the experience! :>
xx
grapefruit and pomelo in mango sago
the extremely satisfied people :>
Met up with Michael and he brought us to the Burj Khalifa residence to take a look. Up to date, Burj Khalifa is still the tallest building in the world, standing at 829.84m. While the observation deck is at level 124, we went up to the residence lounge at level 123.
What an experience I must say...
Looking at Dubai at the tallest view and marveling over how Dubai was once just an empty dessert - to how much construction and work done over just 30 years, pushing the limits of architecture arts world.
Took some pictures while we visited the washroom, even the ladies is crazily pretty :)
Having a cuppa coffee and chilling out @ the residence lounge.
Went on to level 43, where the pool is.
There is also a outdoor pool that looks quite like the infinity pool we have in MBS.
The MI4 scene, where Tom Cruise was depicted climbing the glass panels of Burj Khalifa.
And we had a sneak peek at the residence bedroom of the Burj - a master bedroom overlooking the scene of The Address hotel - one of my favorite structures in Dubai.
Ending our little private tour of the Burj - thanks Michael for the experience! :>
xx
