• Home

What goes around comes around

The Hyatt Regency Dubai’s Al Dawaan revolving restaurant offers diners a room with a view

It doesn’t matter how many times you travel up to the peak of invariably an established hotel to their revolving restaurant (there’s one in every city), you always expect it to be whizzing round like a theme park attraction. Whether it’s a result of cartoon situations, or wishful thinking, once you take your seat you’re always surprised by how the dining room creeps round its central column.

The good reasons for such slow progress are two-fold. One, you don’t get ill and can enjoy the food and two, the 360 degree view of the surroundings – this case Deira and the seashore – can be admired as it looms into sight.

With the view needing to be seen to be admired, it’s time to get on with describing the food. Until the end of Ramadan, the Hyatt Regency’s Al Dawaan eatery is serving up a traditional Iftar buffet. Including all your favourites, this all-you-can-eat extravaganza is pretty good indeed.

The dishes on offer are pretty self explanatory if you have been reading these pages over the last few weeks. There’s ouzi and rice, all the salad trimmings and a few Indian specialities for good measure. One thing this establishment does a bit different is it throws in a few more Asian options. For example, next to the poppadoms are prawn crackers. There’s a spicy beef dish, some noodles and minced beef dish that is (okay Moroccan) but rather nice.

Dessert-wise there’s not a huge amount to go for but what they do, they do well. I’d thoroughly recommend the mini crème brulees. They’re spectacular. Adorned with the usual baklava and some cherry ice cream, the dinner goes down very well. Finish the night off with a cup of mint tea and watch the world pass by.

Prices for the Iftar are Dhs190 per adult, including traditional Ramadan drinks and Dhs95 per child (aged 6 to 12 years).

For more information or to make a booking, call 04 317 2222.