Breakfast up in the sky

Dubai - We head up 50 metres above ground to experience 'Dinner in the Sky' in Dubai

Ever dreamed of enjoying a bird's eye view of Dubai, perched 50 metres above level ground, while you feast on a fancy meal listening to Chris Martin belt out Sky Full of Stars? Neither did we, that is, until we found ourselves heading to the Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi, yesterday morning, to preview the Dinner in the Sky.
A concept launched in 2006 in Belgium, it has been around the world ever since, and though it has been brought to Dubai earlier as well, according to Ahmed Ishbair, the Owner/CEO of High Sky Events, the company behind the UAE experience, it is the first time it is open to the general public here.
FIRST LOOK: 'Dinner in the sky' comes to Dubai
After signing a disclaimer which basically exonerates everyone on Planet Earth for any dire eventualities, while declaring to all and sundry that you alone are responsible for voluntarily being strapped and hoisted above solid ground - all for the sake of a meal - we set off to the launch pad. A red carpet awaits us at the end of the wharf, where we are forced (have you ever seen a woman made to part from her handbag? Not a pretty sight) to leave our worldly belongings in a locker with the exception of our phones - what's an out-of-the-world experience without a selfie, after all - we make our way to the platform where servers are busy setting up the service before take off. We walk around the platform in search of the 'best seat with a view' and are finally persuaded by one of our fellow diners to opt for the corner one where we are told the views will be breathtaking since it's literally a drop on one side.

 
What's the point of being sandwiched between other diners, when we all know its not the company or for that matter the food that's brought us all together, huh?
Having reserved our vantage position, we wait for the team from Dinner in the Sky to strap us securely into our bucket seats (which are super comfy). A couple of pulls here and there and we are safely ensconced in our seats and ready for take off.
We try out the reclining position on the chair just for kicks only to realise we can't get back into the upright position and need to be nudged back. Note to self: Do not try it out at 50 metres unless you want to spend 55 minutes up in the air on your back. Though later as we are up, there are a couple of adventurous ones who do try it out and come back to form.

Our server Jaycee tries to calm our nerves (we were under the impression we were merely excited, not nervous) with queries as to our wellbeing. Having been up thrice, he is a veteran, though his confession that he was scared and shaking the first time he went up had us a wee bit worried. We needn't have - as the crane lifted us off the ground and we (22 of us) were hauled up for an amazing bird's eye view of the Dubai Marina with Sky Dubai, the Atlantis and the upcoming Dubai Eye being prominent landmarks to be spotted, all we could tell ourselves was: Live the moment. So while the rest were busy clicking pictures and taking videos we gazed at the placid waters off the Marina where a swarm of seabirds were bobbing along contentedly and a speedboat whizzed by. We swivel around to our right and it literally looks like we are seated on our own with no company. Jaycee meanwhile serves us scrambled egg (cooked by the servers who all wear harness) and hash brown potatoes with chicken sausage. Most of the food is precooked and loaded up, we are informed, with just the basics done on board, much like in a flight. Would we dole out Dhs449 (the minimum for a person) for a meal in the sky? Perhaps for a special occasion or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Imagine having dinner with the stars above and the skyline of Dubai with the lights glittering around?

Dubbed one of the world's ten most unusual restaurants by Forbes Magazine, guess we can strike this off our Bucket List. The one we made up while dangling up above the Marine at 10am yesterday morning. Dubai, we are ready for more!
Dinner in the Sky is officially open for brunch, lunch, tea and dinner from January 10, with each meal session lasting approximately 55 minutes. 

• Dubai