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With love, from Morocco

If you're looking for Arabic cuisine at a family-friendly joint, say no more. Bab Al Mansour steps right up to the plate in that department

When someone says 'Arabic food', my immediate association tends to be with Lebanese cuisine. But a new Moroccan restaurant is in town - the Downtown Dubai part of town, no less - and the call to try something different was strong. So, off we went, an old friend and I, to find out what the buzz was all about.
Bab Al Mansour gives you the VIP treatment right from the moment you roll up. There's no parking in front of the restaurant, since it's right by the road, but a bevy of valets are on hand to guide you into the temporary parking bay and whisk your car away, while you go on - car- and worry-free - to enjoy their fine food.
The interiors, I have to say, are gorgeous. I love the colour combinations - I admit I'm severely partial to teal and gold - and the intricate lattice work that speaks to elegance and luxury. On the gorgeous night we were out though, we opted to sit outside, for what we knew would probably be one of the last few evenings we'd enjoy the lovely breeze before summer strikes.
The place sees a lot of locals and Arabs (naturally) and positions itself as quite the family restaurant, with servers not so much as blinking an eye when they thought we wanted a party for 20, not two. That gave us a laugh. But what of the food? Well, read on.
Taste: Anyone with an adventurous appetite would love this place, as they serve everything from brain to tongue to pigeon. While the mixed grill wasn't our favourite, the signature salad and chicken tagine with olives were the highlights of the evening. The pastilla dessert is a must-try!
Ambience: Don't let the fact that the restaurant is by the roadside put you off. It makes a world of difference when that roadside is in lovely Downtown Dubai. Add a gentle breeze playing with your hair as you enjoy great conversation over a good meal, and that's a lot of ticked boxes.
Service: Service is prompt, although we did think it strange that our table was being loaded with mains when we weren't done with our starters. They don't mind kids running around here though, and the staff is not averse to getting playful with the kids either, which was sweet.
Presentation: Care is taken to give dishes that extra Moroccan touch, with tagines being served in traditional ware and coffee being served in colourful little glasses. The grilled meats come on a grill, instead of a plate. Overall, dishes were plated and presented well.
Value for money: Yes, this is one of the swankier parts of town, so one supposes prices will fall along those lines. It might be a little hard to swallow a salad that costs Dh85 though - even if it's a signature dish. You can also expect to shell out Dh100 for a tagine and Dh50 for dessert.
AT A GLANCE
Bab Al Mansour, Downtown Dubai
Reservations: 04-3509440
Avg cost for 2: Dh300
karen@khaleejtimes.com