Taste of Dubai
Posted by Jackie Hewett on Sat 10th January 2009 at 12:19 PM, Filed in March
Continually trying to position itself as the Middle-East destination to visit, Dubai now has quite a number of festivals and events to help lure visitors in. Taking place in March (this year 11th to 14th) a Taste of Dubai which only started in 2008, is probably one of the better and more glitzy ones.
Undoubtedly the main attraction is the high number of celebrity chefs, who fly in from around the world (this year including Gary Rhodes, James Martin and Matthew Pickop) - whom you may get the opportunity to meet and taste their creations. There is also the following going on:
• See demonstrations at the Chefs Theatre
• Learn from professional chefs at the Spinneys Cookery School
• Browse the marketplace and taste / buy many premium branded goods from 50 carefully selected gourmet companies
• Go to the MMI Beverage Theatre – all about beverage tasting
• Visit the Momotaro lounge where you can try the finest Japanese food and drink
• Enjoy live music – including Jazz, and Latin sounds
• Take your ‘munchkins’ to the Kiddies Kitchen
The action takes place in Dubai’s Media CITY AND 22 different restaurants and tickets go on sale from Sunday 11th January. Signature dishes can be bought using ‘Dellas’ (the event’s currency) and vary from 4 to 8 Dellas each. You can buy different standard tickets for the event – Standard Ticket (entry only), Premium (includes 100 Dellas) and VIP tickets, (150 Dellas and access to the VIP lounge. Under 12’s go free. The sessions run from 7.30pm to 11.30pm daily – and addition sessions from noon to 5.00pm on the Friday and Saturday. You can book by calling their box office on (Dubai) 04 367 6699.
Reviews from last year are mixed – some state they have rarely had better food, but others say the signature taster dishes were expensive and very small (a couple of bite-full’s) and the VIP reception didn’t feel as welcoming as it could have been and the portions of champagne meagre for the price. Others state that to buy the dishes in one of the chef’s own restaurants would have costs several times the price.
Please note, this festival differs from the Dubai Food Festival which is held in January and if free.
If you go this year it would be interesting to hear what you thought regarding value for money as most people seem to agree that the food itself is excellent.
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