Review: Consider Ben's Farmhouse catering for your next party in Dubai

Easy and mess-free…

Sometimes when you’re looking to organise a party, the last thing you want to do the whole day before the party is preparing the food for your guests. Thankfully, in Dubai, there are plenty of catering services to check out that will take away all the hassle and stress. And Ben’s Farmhouse catering came to our rescue for our latest party.

There is always an occasion to celebrate. A promotion at work, buying a new car, birthdays, wedding anniversaries – the list is literally endless. This weekend it was a birthday celebration with over 20 guests. Birthdays are sometimes a tricky party to organise. Invites to party favours, decorations and drinks; let’s also not forget the cake.

Mouths to feed

Then there is the question of what to serve at a birthday party. Some people might prefer a dinner party-esque celebration which is perfectly sensible. However, we took the route of a pool party (yes, in June) which meant that people would be hopping in and out of the pool to grab a new drink or a snack in between chit-chat and long overdue catch-ups.

The next most logical decision was to serve our lovely guest’s finger food. After some extensive research on which caterers to use, asking friends who had used caters before we settled on Ben’s Farmhouse caterers.

Catering means business

It’s surprisingly easy to organise the catering with Ben’s Farmhouse. Simply fill out a form online describing what kind of catering you are looking for, your preferred date and any other details you feel necessary. The options with Ben’s Farmhouse range from snack platters to plated table service meals.

We choose the snack platters and after communication are sent the list of four different menus that vary in price as well as dish options. Prices start from Dhs75 per person.

Not sure about one specific set menu, we ask if it’s possible to exchange certain items around to create our “own” menu. Much to our delight the team were wonderfully accomodating to our needs. The menus come inclusive of side plates, disposable cutlery and condiments.

D-Day

We request for the caterers to arrive a 6pm to set up, they arrive punctually with all of the menu items packed neatly in labelled boxes. Not only were they punctual, helpful and organised, the entire spread was plated for us onto aluminium serving dishes. The team set up the spread and even cleared out all the empty boxes before they left.

Once the spread is laid out and presented beautifully on the table, we are in awe of just how much food was ready and waiting for our guests. Naturally, we had a cheeky taste test before they arrive.

Fresh and warm the falafels were the perfect consistency and when dipped into the tahini sauce they provided, the flavours sang. The chicken sliders were also calling our names, begging, and wanting to be enjoyed as a little preview into what we had in store for the evening.

Our guests begin to pile in: turkey ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches are nibbled on, nothing beats a good finger sandwich. News quickly spreads among the mass that the garlic roasties dipped in garlic sauce are the bite to beat. The guests clearly know what’s good because those disappeared on the platter as if we were watching a stop motion.

Trying to keep it a little bit healthy, Thai beef salad pots are scattered around the table and after one bite, the flavours were so spot on we had been transported straight to Thailand. Beef and chicken sliders slowly but surely make their exit from the selection of deliciousness spread out.

Another top item for us and our guests is the watermelon and mozzarella skewers, with layers of basil, it is fresh and the perfect way to cool down in between trips to and from the pool.

Who needs cake?

When you have such a delicious selection of desserts. Banoffee pie, tiramisu and cheesecake pots make the cut for our personalised menu. To our slight disappointment, the banana in the banoffee pie was a little brown, simply due to the nature of bananas.

But the cheesecake disappeared so quickly we didn’t even get to taste any – the sign of a winner. Tiramisu is always a win in our eyes and while we prefer ours with a little more of a coffee oomph, the mascarpone was smooth and the hint of coffee lifted the rich creamy cheese.

What’s On verdict: Hiring a caterer is an easy way to make sure that the guests of any party are satisfied but with Ben’s Farmhouse, not only were the guests satisfied but were raving about the bites while standing around the snack table dipping into the left overs towards the end of the evening. A mark of an overall success.

Ben’s Farmhouse, snack platters start from Dhs75 per person. Tel: (0)4 834 3791 bensfarmhouse.com