A place for the beach but not to eat.
But there’s La Parrilla you say, but I say it’s remarkably overrated and peppered with bad service and dated dishes.
Expectations for lunch are low, but high for post lunch, oil bathed relaxation on the shorefront.
I push open the doors of JBH which take me back to the 80s, a then vs now charm. I walk up to Dhow and Anchor which swiftly brings me back to the present.
Well designed with black metal and wood tones, it’s apparent that every inch of the space has been attentively used up.
We take our seats by the window as we stroll through the menu.
On par with Friday traditions, I order the chicken roast for an internal hug.
The bread, so worth commenting on, arrives crispy on the outside and awfully fluffy on in the inside. The kind of fluffy you’d want to fall and fall into.
The service, attentive. On more than one occasion, our waitress approaches the table to take our drinks order. Each instance we respond with, “No drinks for today, thank you.” and receive an amusingly dumfounded reaction.
The fresh green salad arrives, shiny and youthful. With one taste, a hint of garlic shows through, perhaps in the sauce. Alas with evening plans already secured, the garlic infused salad was set aside.
And so to the roast, a well cooked chicken cocooning deliciously mashed potatoes in a pool of gravy. Every bite is indeed a hug.
Based on the waitress’s recommendation, we order the apple tart for dessert. A step down from the main course, but not disappointing, but also not exciting.
Having beautiful roast chicken at D&A, I summoned my mother to give the restaurant a try, a hard woman to please she is. Happy with her grilled fish, but unhappy with the soggy fish and chips my father ordered she returns with mixed reviews. Contrary to recent reports, the fish and chips seem to be a hit and miss for the classic British restaurant.
And now a place for the beach and potentially to eat. Also relatively newly opened in JBH is Jamie’s Italian. Well done to them for giving their F&B offerings a well needed rejuvenation.
Will I return, yes! I was very happy with the experience of the space and the dish I ordered. When will I return exactly, I’m not quite sure, on what occasion or what time of day, again, I’m not so sure…
Location: Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Cuisine: British
Price per couple: 250 AED
