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Certo
Overlook the dining room (reminiscent of an office-tower lobby) in favour of the house-made pastas, properly cooked al dente, and tender thin-crusted pizzas with inventive toppings. But the real standouts are the mains - go for the lamb alla bracce, four chops with wilted romaine, fava beans and pancetta. Some dishes fall flat - if a dish sounds too starchy, it is - but it's worth coming if only for the succulent prosciutto, a rare treat in pork-shy Dubai.
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China Club
Lunchtime yum cha - especially on Fridays - is the big draw at this red-silk-fancy dining room that's an aesthetically smart, but faded holdover from the Dynasty era. At dinner, the classics are spot-on, including a standout Szechuan-style boiled lamb and a crispy-delicious Peking duck carved and rolled tableside. Private dining rooms are ideal for a group, with lazy susans in the middle of the tables.
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Chopstix
The surprise package of this unassuming four-star hotel, chef Richard and his attentive staff serve up classic Chinese dishes alongside more creative dishes inspired by his mother's cooking. Try the salty flavour sensation of his crackling spinach, devour some salt and pepper squid, and don't miss his crispy chilli potatoes.
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Coconut Grove
Fragrant curries and biryani pack in regulars who love the authentic Keralan and Goan cooking - the Goan fish curry is thick, creamy and spicy, with hunks of supple and tender fish. Alas, waiters are pushy, always trying to upsell and force more beer on you. Overlook this in favour of the stellar rooftop views and reasonable prices. Call early to book a window table.
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Creekside
Despite its name, there are no Creek views at this austere Japanese restaurant with overly bright lighting. But sushi cuts are thick and meaty, the chef's signature rolls inventive, and the tepanyaki table great fun for watching chefs throw knives as they cook. We like the expansive bento box at lunchtime, but at dinner the service needs help.
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Curry Leaf
Hoppers - crispy rice-flour pancakes with fried egg - best accompany the smoky-hot, spice-rich curries at this food-court Sri Lankan place in an electronics mall. A few Dutch colonial dishes round out the menu; try the lumpries (spiced rice with meat, egg and aubergine). There's zero atmosphere, but kids love to play in the adjacent fountain.
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Eauzone
The premier dining room at our favourite resort sits atop a vast free-form swimming pool, with decks jutting out over illuminated blue water like little islands. (Sit outside. Period.) The menu is decidedly California-Asian, incorporating European technique and drawing heavily on the flavours of the Pacific Rim. This is smart cooking, some of the best we've tasted in Dubai.
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Emporio Armani Caffé
The revolution in Dubai's mall food offers no better example than this outpost of the Armani empire. The coffee is as smooth as an Italian waiter, the food is as stylishly presented as the staff, and the Italian flavours so good we wish they had a liquor licence.
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Exchange Grill
Dubai's top steakhouse has a clubby feel, with oversized leather arm chairs at giant linen-draped tables, and big picture windows overlooking the glittering strip. The classic American menu features Wagyu beef, which may sound attractive, but is more than twice the price of the more-flavourful USDA prime: save your dirhams.
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Fire & Ice
If Michelin gave stars in Dubai, they'd surely consider bestowing one on Fire & Ice, Raffles hotel's floor-to-ceiling-brick dining room that feels strangely like a styled-out New York warehouse. The menu plays on opposites (hot-cold, sweet-sour etc), and though the highly composed presentations can get too theatrical (think pop rocks on torchon de foie gras ), the culinary acumen is spot-on.
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Fudo
Fudo is a funky independent café with a delightfully eclectic interior, and a menu to match, spanning Thai, Japanese, Italian and Lebanese. Not just another standard multicuisine eatery, this place has enough spunk to pull it off. The cool outdoor lounge is sheesha heaven at night.
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Gazebo
You'll forgive the unexciting interior when you taste the brilliant North Indian cooking. Standouts on the huge menu include a great tawa lobster masala, with succulent chunks of lobster, black pepper, tomato and rich masala sauce; Banjara Gosht, mutton in masala gravy, rose petals, cashew nuts and tomato; and Gosht Achari, mutton in coriander, tomato and pomegranate. Good value. Note: vegetarians should hop next door to Kamat, its sister restaurant.
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Glasshouse Mediterranean Brasserie
It must be hard for the folk at Glasshouse not to want to throw stones at their neighbouring restaurant, Gordon Ramsay's Verre. While Verre gets all the media attention, Glasshouse has quietly reinvented itself as one of Dubai's most accomplished brasserie-style restaurants. The British-heavy comfort-food menu lists dishes like risotto with mushrooms, and rib-eye steak with chips. It's executed with style, unlike the service, alas. Great wines by the glass.
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Govinda's
Jains (no-kill-anything) run this Gujarati-Indian restaurant that uses no onion or garlic in its all-vegan food, but the cooking is rich in character, with intense flavours and heady perfumes. The staff couldn't be friendlier. Save room for homemade ice cream from the adjacent, affiliated ice-cream parlour.
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Grand Abu Shakra
Black-and-white TVs show classics (sound off) from the golden age of Egyptian cinema, a fitting backdrop for Dubai's best-known Egyptian restaurant. Come at lunchtime on Tuesday or Thursday for the classic carb-rich koshary, a combination of rice, lentils and pasta, with chilli sauce, lemon and fried onion.
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Grand Grill
Wine racks line the walls of this South African steakhouse, a favourite of carnivores in search of half-kilo slabs of perfectly grilled meat and boerewors sausage. Detractors point to disappointing appetisers and overly inventive mains that just don't work, but there's no denying the pleasure of biting into a juicy steak the size of a fat man's thigh.
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Hoi An
Teakwood latticework, plantation shutters, and spinning wooden ceiling fans evoke a très civilisé Colonial-era Vietnam at this upmarket French-Vietnamese restaurant. The flavours are lively and bright. Start with the crispy crab rolls, then move on to the signatures: lotus-wrapped sea bass with ginger-lemon sauce, or tamarind-spiced rack of lamb. Deliciously low lighting and genteel service make this an ideal place for a third date.
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Indego
Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia is the consulting chef at this gracious Indian restaurant with a spacious and open dining room, lorded over by big brass Natraj sculptures. Though the recipes are traditional, the ingredients and style veer toward Europe. You might find a house-smoked tandoori salmon; pan-grilled sea bass with tomato and coconut; or samosas with chocolate and nuts. Note: unlike most Indian cooking, here plates are delicately composed and not designed for sharing.
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Iranian Club
Feast at this Persian-cuisine showcase owned by the Iranian government. Start by rolling cheese and mint in hot bread, then sample soups and marinated salads, followed by tender kebabs and stews from an enormous buffet. Pace yourself. Women must wear headscarves, men long pants, and there's no alcohol, but it's worth altering your habits - especially if you're American - for a culturally rich afternoon and the chance to glimpse Iranians at table.
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Iz
The modernist-feeling wood-and-stone dining room glows by candlelight at this tapas-style contemporary Indian eatery. The tandoori-oven specialties are perfectly executed - order the always-succulent skewered roasted prawns - as are classics like murgha tikka, aka butter chicken in a creamy tomato sauce perfect for sopping up with the fresh-from-the-oven bread. Sit at the open kitchen's counter and watch the chef's theatrics. One drawback: all those little plates add up fast.
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JW's Steakhouse
In the classic American tradition, the dimly lit JW's is done in dark-wood panelling with green-leather Queen Anne wing chairs. The menu is equally orthodox, with succulent fat-man-sized steaks and chops, best preceded by Scotch and followed by cigars. Expats know JW's best as the home of the 12-hour Friday brunch, the longest in town (note: no alcohol served between and ; call for details).
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Kan Zaman
A trip to Heritage Village is incomplete without a visit to this creekside favourite. During the cooler months, the sprawling outdoor area is the place to leisurely sample mezze and grills, and watch the passing parade of boats. Afterwards, loosen up with some apple sheesha - an obligatory way to end the meal.
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Karachi Darbar
A favourite of guest workers and expats with an eye for a biryani bargain, Karachi Darbar keeps 'em well fed with a huge menu of Pakistani, Indian and Chinese specialities - but stick to the Pakistani. Point to what others are eating and order - it's the only way to know what you're going to get. Fear not: it'll be good. Don't do Chinese or Indian here. No credit cards.
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Karam Beirut
Outpost of the famous Beirut restaurant, Karam's extensive menu showcases everything you'll find in Lebanon, including its most ambitious dishes - even lamb's brain - all meticulously presented. There are six types of kibbeh (raw lamb), stellar mezze including a velvety hummus, and creative kebabs, one flavoured with pistachio and white cheese.
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Kiku
It's a good sign when the patrons in a Japanese restaurant are Japanese. Sushi is Kiku's primary focus, with fugu the signature, and here they're done right, with thick slices of off-the-boat-fresh fish. The classic shoji-screen decor is crisp and clean, but reserve a tatami room for more elbow room and maximum romance. For drama - and hot food - book a teppanyaki table.
