There is definitely a table to request at Tasca Dubai. Perch on one of the prized al fresco spots overlooking the infinity pool, endless blue in front of you, watching the sun to set on the horizon, you’ll feel an instant sense of serenity. The perfect setting to break your fast, be thankful for your upcoming feast and start iftar.
This eatery, helmed by famed chef Jose Avillez, is usually known for plating up his signature Portuguese dishes but the sixth floor space’s iftar has a distinctly Arabic accent.
Once the call to prayer comes, and you’ve sipped on your mint lemonade and sweet date milk, you start off your feast with a selection of five starters that include a pine nut topped creamy yogurt, spiced fruit salad, garlic and coriander curried prawns, lupini bean hummus and roast beetroot. A delicious bowl of bean and lentil soup, teamed with warm bread rolls, provides added sustenance.
Mains hark back to the restaurant’s roots; a delicious chicken piri-piri comes alongside roast cod ‘bacalhau’ and more traditionally Middle Eastern Josper-grilled lamb with a pomegranate and mint sauce that’s so tender that it literally falls of the bone. Saffron rice and grilled vegetables complete this set.
For me, the highlight of this meal, aside from the spectacular scene, was fittingly a custard tart that was the star of the dessert trio. Perfectly crisp pastry teamed with a rich, creamy filling – it apparently took three months for Chef Jose to perfect in Dubai, and the proof is literally in the pudding. On the streets of Lisbon, this is usually teamed with coffee at breakfast, and in a playful nod to its origins, a cup of coffee ice-cream is its companion piece. A multitude of textures and temperatures combine in the decadent chocolate cone, with added salted caramel and popcorn adding further layers to the third, and final, sweet treat of the night.
The set menu iftar at Tasca Dubai is served to the table, from sunset till 8pm, and priced at AED265pp including soft drinks and mocktails.
Find further information on https://www.mandarinoriental.com/dubai/jumeira-beach/fine-dining/restaurants/portugal-cuisine/tasca-by-jose-avillez or call +971 4 777 2231.
