It’s in the Premier League of Gram-candy alfresco spots…

It’s almost impossible to keep pace with the ever-churning conveyor belt of new openings in Dubai, and this year’s procession of new and open-jawed awe-worthy leisure venues has been amongst its busiest yet.

A big part of our job here at What’s On, is keeping track of those F&B radar pings to make sure you don’t miss out on something that might just be a little bit of you. Concepts like alara, the brand new alfresco stunner from Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

The views at alara

If we’re talking about alara’s list of USPs, we should probably kick things off with the element in the room. With the only roof coming from a blanket of stars, alara really is open to the elements – perhaps the chief element being, the Museum of The Future (MOTF). This, what has been referred to as, ‘the most beautiful building in the world’ dominates the restaurant’s backdrop. In the evening, after the sun has sunk below the tower line of New Dubai – the lights of MOTF come on, and you get the full 4K IMAX view from wherever you sit in alara.

alara might be a deliberately laidback space, but it’s been decorated in fits of ritz and glamour. The colour palate of the lounge seating space sticks to chic muted tones, and the space is separated from its host courtyard by a thin, green living wall.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by What’s On Dubai (@whatsondubai)

What’s On the menu at alara

The cuisine at alara is anchored by Middle Eastern fare and flair – a lot of dearly-loved Levantine classics, some traditional Turkish plates, and there are some fun, entirely alaran creations to investigate too.

A chicken shawarma burger would never normally make it onto my order, but the version here (Dhs78) – which sees the grilled premium chicken meat tossed with a piri-piri marinade and served in a bun with garlic mayo, cheese and avocado is a very pleasant surprise.

If you’ve come with company – the ‘mezze for four’ (Dhs368) option just makes sense. And the highlight – another lightning flash moment comes from the smoked tuna babaganoush. And I know that the idea of tuna and aubergine is going to upset some of you, but try it before you fight me on it.

alara is open now at a courtyard next to Jumeirah Emirates Towers and opposite the exit of Museum of The Future, somewhere between DIFC and World Trade Centre. Shisha will be added to the menu soon, as well as a selection of board games. Looks like we’ve found our new winter hot spot.

Images: Provided