What’s On has a Pacha Ibiza Dubai dinner and show review, including what to order, menu, contact details, hours and ways to book the new Madinat restaurant.

More…
– PACHA OPENING NIGHT
– Best restaurants in Dubai
– Best new restaurants
– Best dishes, part one
– Best dishes, part two

Contact details: Pacha Ibiza Dubai, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai; Tuesday to Saturday 8pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 5670000, . Taxi: Madinat.

Ask any seasoned clubber what they think of when they think ‘Pacha’, and it’s unlikely that they’ll talk about a sit-down dinner. However, the newly opened Madinat venue – a first to carry the name of the original legendary Ibiza nightspot –  is actually a unique place to grab a bite, thanks to their dinner and a show concept. You can tuck into meticulously prepared sharing plates while being entertained by some seriously talented dancers and acrobats.

Chances are, you’ll be rather distracted from your meal by the spectacle – from glamorous Great Gatsby-esque couples heating up the stage, to funky shape-throwers clad in retro-gear dancing to old school tunes like Kiss by Prince. And then there are the gravity defying feats, with dancers performing jaw-dropping tricks while suspended from the ceiling by little more than ribbons and hoops. This is definitely not your average dinner.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Pacha is the most highly-anticipated opening of the year, and as soon as you arrive, you know it’s going to live up to the hype. The incredibly good looking hosts will lead you through the massive, imposing entrance, complete with the distinctive cherry logo – white, though, not red as is tradition – and straight to a low-lit table or booth. Even early in on in the evening, the vibe is distinctively clubby.

VIBE
Uber-stylish and ultra glam, this is definitely not the place for shorts and flip- flops. Treat your visit to Pacha as a chance to wear your best threads.

LOOK OUT FOR
The dishes are designed to be served sharing style, but be warned, the portions are rather small, perhaps designed to prevent you being weighed down by a heavy meal before hitting the dancefloor. That, or you’ll have plenty of room for the desserts, which are undoubtedly the stars of the menu – try the mochi tasting platter or the chocolate marquis.

Also, the prices; they can vary wildly – a Dhs65 chicken satay dish appears on the Gold menu alongside Dhs390 toro tartare. Dim Sum costs around Dhs30 per piece. You’ll need to order quite a few plates to fill up too, so this is definitely a venue for splashing out.

WHAT TO ORDER
The menu is divided into eight distinctive sections, including Green (with a focus on fresh salads), Blue (seafood) and Land (meaty dishes including Wagyu beef, duck and organic chicken). The green mango and papaya salad was wonderfully fresh and zesty, and the smoked Japanese scallops in a rich red curry sauce were exquisitely cooked. There’s a good dim sum menu too, with exotic fillings like blue lobster, and white truffle.

IDEAL FOR
If you have some particularly discerning guests in town, or a glamorous date you’re really keen to impress, Pacha is the place to take them.

INSIDER INFO
Be specific when you’re booking your table about where you’d like to be seated. Some of the dining booths are lovely for a chilled, intimate evening but don’t have particularly good views of the stage. If it’s your first time, you really won’t want to miss the show.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Believe the hype, book a table and go. If you want to make a night of it, plan your visit for Thursday or Friday when Pacha opens as a nightclub, well into the early hours of the morning. Entry on these days is Dhs150. 

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