We visited one of Dubai’s oldest restaurants and learned why they’re still a favourite today…

The Dubai restaurant scene has evolved considerably in the past three decades with the city being home to an astounding variety of world-class restaurants with exciting new eateries popping up every day. Hidden behind the hype-worthy new openings, there are Dubai institutions that have stood the test of time.

Seafood Market’s story began in 1992, inside Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, and has since been the go-to place for deliciously fresh, “live-to-table” seafood feasts. And despite it being more than 30 years since Seafood Market opened, it is still remarkably led by the same chef who started it all, Chef Nim Fat Kwai. Originally from Hong Kong, chef Kwai merges his Far Eastern culinary expertise with the impressive array of fish, to create some of the most memorable and freshest seafood recipes we’ve tried.

 

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Inside the cruise-liner-inspired restaurant, there’s a supermarket-style counter, where tanks of live seafood line the walls. Here, guests are invited to shop for their meals choosing between live shellfish, fresh whole fish, catch of the day, vegetables, Asian greens, mushrooms, and even fungus. Once you’ve selected your seafood, with the help of the knowledgeable staff, you choose cooking style, sauces, and sides (the kimchi fried rice (Dhs75) is a must-try).

First to arrive, ordered from the extensive à la carte menu, are the baked mussels with sriracha (Dhs80) and calamari (Dhs100), served salt and pepper style and lightly battered with handfuls of fresh coriander, chilli and spring onions. The baked mussels were utterly moreish, delivering a symphony of creamy, salty, and spicy flavours. I instantly regret that there are only two of us; both starters could have easily been shared between a table of four hungry men. You get your dirhams worth, that’s for sure.

From the market, we opted for the local hammour, deep fried in a rich batter and paired with a sweet and sour sauce (1kg for Dhs257). It was a fine choice – the hammour was fried to perfection with moist, tender meat inside. The sweetness of the sauce perfectly balanced the fish’s natural saltiness.

Next up, the whole Australian lobster, selected from the live tank – served as recommended by the waitress – sauteed and drenched in oyster sauce (1.28kg for Dhs1,088). This dish won us over with presentation, Asian-flavours, and the seductively sweet lobster meat.

Be sure to save room for dessert. The menu reads like a dream – pistachio crème brulee, deep fried ice cream, frozen Limoncello, flambéed Caribbean banana. We ordered the strawberry Kilimanjaro (Dhs125) flambéed at the table. This theatrical dessert layers fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, caramelised sugar, butter, and cream for an indulgent, warming finale to the meal.

Verdict: Seafood Market is a new (old) favourite. Visit with a group and order as much as possible.

Seafood Market, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, Airport Road, Dubai. Daily 12.30pm to 5pm, 7pm to 11.30pm. Tel:(0)4 702 2455. seafoodmarket-dubai.com

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