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A meaty Iftar treat by the Dubai Creek

Fancy a relaxed Iftar by the creek with the family? Look no further than the chic Doors Freestyle Grill that sits facing the magnificent Al Seef waterfront. The settings - a broad view of the creek, sunset and dhows plying the waterway in the background - make for a wonderful Iftar out. And if meat is the first thing on your mind, then  Doors, with its Turkish fusion dishes, will certainly not fail to satiate your taste buds; that being said there's plenty of choices to make it a vegetarian Iftar too.
We were welcomed with a tamarind drink -  a sweet and sour refresher that's great for hydrating, and if you've been 'off liquids' for the entire day this is the drink to go for. Next up was the lentil soup. Similar to the popular Indian dal curry  in taste, it had a spicy twist to it.
Our starters featured a humongous spread of salads including eggplant and pomegranate, Al Nazik (roasted eggplant with beef tenderloin bits), Mucever (Zucchini cutlets) Lakerda and a rice pilaf.
We guess Turkish cuisine does use eggplant liberally, and Doors being inspired by the country's delicacies, takes this veggie to a new level. They chargrill the eggplant in a manner that gives it a smoky yet sweetish touch, bereft of any bitterness usually associated while grilling this vegetable.
The Lakerda, a popular  pickled fish eaten as a mezze in the Balkans, however, didn't go down well with us. We guess the raw taste and saltiness did not suit our palates. The mains was very much what you'd have on a regular day at Doors -  having been there a few times. It featured a variety of cuts of grilled meats, including Lamb Chops, Beef Kaymak (or tenderloin), Sheesh Kebabs with red onions and Grilled King Prawns.
The chefs at Doors know their meats well and also know to turn the cuts into succulent, mouth-melting dishes. Our pick was the Beef Kayamak - strips of juicy Angus, full on flavour and done just right. Served with a Turkish sauce that was laced with oregano, chilli and coriander, it went well with the oven-hot Turkish bread topped with sesame seeds (similar to a naan).
The dessert featured a melange of Turkish fusion dishes that included Baklava filled with nuts and sweetened with natural honey, the traditional Turkish Kemal Pasa, a celebratory special Tri Leche (cake made from three milk varieties -  Goat, Cow and Buffalo), Revani, vermecelli and slices of fresh fruits. The desserts were not too sweet which gave us an excuse to indulge in more than a portion. Our pick from the lot was the Revani, a classic semolina sponge cake from the Ottoman period that's drizzled with sugar syrup and topped with pistachio and desiccated coconut.
And just before we could say our goodbyes, we were adviced to try out some refreshing flavours from the Sheesha counter. We took up the offer  to end this wonderful experience with a puff or two. The apple-cinnamon hubble-bubble left a wonderful after taste.
The Iftar at Doors will surely spoil carnivores with their fabulous choice of grilled meats but that's not to leave out vegetarians. Well, Mediterranean veggies are said to be among the healthiest choices anyone can make. Try it out!
michael@khaleejtimes.com