Dinner at the world’s newest Ritz

Having dinner at one of the world’s great hotels is always bound to be an occasion. But dining at the newest Ritz-Carlton property in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre is quite an experience, and they have even managed to raise the bar yet again on the traditional steakhouse concept.

This is a formidable hotel of superlative quality. There are no less than 341 rooms and many of them are suites in this 14-storey limestone building, and 124 serviced apartments. The standard of finish, down to the all-glass and marble bathrooms is up with the best in the world.

Signature style

The signature restaurant of such a hotel has to be rather special and make an impression. The Center Cut steakhouse manages very well. Its interior mirrors the modernist opulence of the hotel with a soaring glass sculpture as a centre piece. However, the biggest impression is made by the food.

ArabianMoney started with seared fois gras, perfectly cooked and nicely presented. There were two amuse bouches of wagyu beef and salmon. Then came the moment of glory, the delicious steak with a choice of Australian or US prime cuts.

We agonized over the choice of sauce only to be presented with all six of them, from truffle and mushroom to creme of fois gras to a more typical barbecue sauce. The baked potato on the side came with a scoop of soured cream, and the fresh wild mushrooms were particularly good as was the cauliflower gratin.

You also have the choice of one of Dubai’s most extensive cellars whose bottles are displayed in a glass wall to one side of the huge upstairs lobby. How many restaurants could offer a choice of 12 Spanish reds and rather more for some nationalities?

Original dessert

Some steakhouses abandon their clients by the dessert and struggle to offer an apple pie. Center Cut does no such thing. The mango no-egg concoction was superb, an egg-shaped ball of chilled mango and cream, not a dessert we have encountered before.

Originality in a steakhouse, whatever next in Dubai? But then you would expect no less when dining at the world’s newest Ritz. We can only acknowledge a very classy restaurant worthy of the reputation that comes with this name, and the usual fine service for which this chain is famous.