No time like the present to book in your weekend plans…

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the wonderful world of The Guild, this is quite possibly the best way to do so. As someone who has never been to The Guild to eat (workshops not included), it was without a shadow of a doubt the best way to experience the restaurant and vibe for the first time.

Priced at Dhs250 per person, the three-course meal is just the perfect amount of food for an afternoon lunch. The menu has all sorts of wonderful offerings including the iconic chocolate mousse (yes, I’m starting with dessert – if you know about the chocolate mousse at The Guild – then you understand.)

When I first entered The Guild, long before I dined there – I was honestly worried about the sheer size of the place, and how it would be able to feel like a nice and cosy restaurant when it’s that large and in charge. But it does. The restaurant is massive but somehow it manages to still feel warm and intimate. From watching the chefs work away in the entirely open kitchen, to the live jazzy music lulling in the background without being invasive. The decor is as you may know by now – in a word, homely.

But you didn’t come here for a breakdown of the restaurant atmosphere. The menu is a well-thought-out collection of dishes that all in some way complement each other flawlessly.

To start, while it was difficult for us to choose just two, between escargot, grilled octopus, and the wagyu, or tuna tartare – we settled on half a dozen fine de claire oysters that were fleshy, sweet, and incredibly delicious, which we paired with the fire roasted heirloom tomatoes. The freshness of both paired with a glass of prosecco to start was the ultimate foreshadowing.

Conversation flowed, and we bopped slightly to the lovely live performance before it was time for our mains to come around. If you go to any meal with a Belgian person and there are mussels on the menu, I can almost guarantee that they will order the mussels.

So mussels are up for mains and I decided to enjoy the brown crab spaghetti. The portion size of the mussels was large, with a side order of crispy fries. As for my pasta, the portion size was ideal. Just the right amount of carb to crab ratio, the saucy was creamy, without any actual cream. Perfectly flavoured, although the chili lacked a bit of oomph for my taste.

“No meal at The Guild is ever truly complete without the chocolate mousse” – words I had been told, time and time again but never really understood, until I was presented with a bowl, of rich and silky mousse. Sat atop this glorious mousse, salted peanuts which balance out the richness, chantilly cream which only smoothens the mousse as I fold it in. First bite, pure bliss. Second bite, confirmation of said bliss.

The verdict: I don’t have many words *writes a 500 word article* to describe the Saturday Service at The Guild, but if I had to choose three, it would be homely, delightful and flawless.

Saturday Service, The Guild, ICD Brookfield Place, Saturday from 12pm to 4pm, Dhs250 for three courses.  @theguilddubai

Images: Supplied