A stroll through the hotel’s lobby and down across its seductively lit grounds leads to the restaurant. Look up to catch a glimpse of the towering Burj Dubai and the world’s highest fountain in full flow, but be careful not to get too wet before dinner!

My dining companion and I were a little too eager to see the dancing waterworks and both ended up a little soggy, thanks to the high winds which whipped up the water. However, this was not going to put us off our evening.

So the restaurant looks great, but, like my granny used to say, the proof is in the pudding, and Thiptara doesn’t fail where it counts most, the food.

After being seated we were presented with the menu. It’s safe to say Thiptara doesn’t cater for those looking for cheap eats.

The price of some dishes on offer is a little steep, to put it lightly, but if you opt for the family-style set menu, you won’t break the bank too much.

The beauty of this  menu is that it serves up plate after plate of delicious dishes, cooked to your choosing of mild to extra spicy. We ordered a bottle of white wine and prepared ourselves for the starters. A precession of dishes arrived at our table, including steamed shrimp, chicken and crab.

The pick of the starters was, for me, the steamed vegetables with chicken and tuna dressing. It was so good I would have gladly accepted it as a main course. The combination of meats with a sweet sauce was fantastic.

My companion, meanwhile, was delighted with the shrimps wrapped in rice with chicken, peanuts and plum sauce.

Knowing this restaurant’s reputation for fine dining, I was looking forward to tucking into the mains, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The crispy seabass fillet with sweet and sour chili sauce was so good, my friend and I fought over every last morsel! The delicate fish contained within the crispy outer skin was so light it almost melted away in your mouth, and was complemented wonderfully by the chilli sauce.

The juicy stir-fried beef with hot basil leaves and green chicken curry with coconut milk were also both delicious, and we struggled to finish the portions that were placed in front of us.

Now, I’m not usually a big eater, but when food of this calibre is being served, it would be silly, and rude, not to tuck in and at least get a taste of every dish that comes your way.

After both eating more food than we should have, we appeased our sugar cravings with a bowl of ice cream and fruit. A sweet ending to a fantastic meal.

We finished our evening with a nightcap in the restaurant’s bar, where we again watched the Dubai Mall’s fountains explode into the air, but this time from indoors. One soaking is more than enough, thank you.  

What we liked: The fantastic setting and the equally fantastic seabass

What we didn’t like: Being soaked by the fountains!

Dh 800 for a meal for two

Thiptara Restaurant,

The Palace Hotel,

 04-4287942