Finally! A gem in Sharjah

If anyone asks me which is the most gorgeous restaurant in Sharjah right now, my answer will be immediate: Shababeek. Located at the picturesque waterfront of Al Qasba in Al Khan, the restaurant employs a green and brown colour scheme that's really easy on the eye, a life-size tree with casual seating around it, and mirrored walls designed to give the illusion of curtains of glass. The restaurant is really well lit, and even though we walked in at night, the interiors were so airy and bright, it could just as well have been daytime. All in all, the newly relaunched Mediterranean- Lebanese restaurant is a far cry from its previous avatar (which, to be honest, was a little drab).
We loved the attention to detail, especially their playlist - which contained all the popular numbers of the day, from Shooting Stars to Despacito, played on Arabic instruments! Brilliant.
But let's not forget the food. Super fluffy breads accompanied our starters, and the wait staff were happy to 'top up' our bread basket as required. If you're looking for a good Arabic meal, served with finesse, this is the place to go to.
The restaurant scored on so many levels (see below) that one thing is for sure: they've definitely upped the fine dining game in the emirate.

Taste
Starters and drinks were top notch: we greatly relished the Trio Hummus, Mini Kebbeh Sajieh, and Kabab Bil Tahine. Our salmon was grilled to perfection, while the Pot of Baked Potato & Cheese was true comfort food. The desserts were nice enough, but not enough to send us to sugar heaven.

Ambience
The interiors are 'unfaultable'. Super classy stuff. Staying true to its name (meaning windows), large, floor-to-ceiling windows let in gorgeous natural light, and the 'nature' theme even extends to lovely origami bird lampstands at various tables (you can spot one in the picture above!).

Service
It wasn't too busy inside (most were opting to sit outdoors), so we enjoyed some fairly undivided attention. Being given tablets with pictures of the dishes made our lives much easier. Loved the staff's efficiency - but we'd need to see them in action on a much busier day to grant a full score!

Presentation
Some really great plating here; every dish made us want to tuck right in - which is exactly the kind of feeling we believe food should evoke in us. I particularly loved the golden brown baked layer of cheese over my main course, and the presentation of all the starters.

Value for money
You get starters for about Dh20, mains for about Dh50 and desserts for about Dh30. For the experience we enjoyed, I'd say those prices definitely justify themselves. It's the kind of place you'd go to if you're looking for a 'nice evening' out around town.

Fact box
Location: Shababeek, Block 'B' (near the Big Wheel), Al Qasba, Al Khan, Sharjah
For reservations: 06-5540444
Average cost for 2: Dh350
Rating: 4.5/5
karen@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining