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Wed, Jul 16, 2025 | Muharram 21, 1447 | Fajr 04:10 | DXB 
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Cullinan at Dubai's Marsa Al Arab is refined, rare, and unabashedly out to impress
Cut with care, polished with style, and set in one of the city’s finest settings, Cullinan is a rare gem
The name Cullinan carries weight. Is it a Rolls-Royce? A rough-cut diamond of legendary pedigree? Or, as it happens, a newly minted steak restaurant set upon the shimmering shores of Marsa Al Arab? One might say it is all of these — refined, rare, and unabashedly out to impress.
Commanding views over the Gulf with the Burj Al Arab rising like a modern-day lighthouse of indulgence, Cullinan enjoys a setting that could make even the most seasoned bon viveur pause mid-sentence. The terrace alone is worth the reservation, but it is what happens inside that truly gleams.
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The dining room is a smart affair — a touch of Mayfair meets maritime splendour. The open kitchen hums with purpose, its brigade of chefs a picture of precision. There is flair, to be sure, but it is never showy; rather, a quiet confidence runs through the room like good breeding.
To begin: the venison tonnato, delicate and composed, a modern homage to the Italian classic with the meat whispering of the forest and the sauce delivering a silky, savoury flourish. A menu with so much to choose from, I must return.
And then, the main event: Silver Fern Farms grass-fed beef, charred just so and rested like a Sunday gentleman. Rich in flavour, beautifully tender — a steak that needs no adornment save perhaps the Cullinan chips, which deserve an ode of their own. Crisp, golden, glorious layered delights. The sort of chips that make you sit back in astonishment and mutter, “They’ve done it.” We did have other sides of asparagus and endive salad, which were equally delicious.
As a closing gesture we had to try the Millefeuille… oh my, not only a piece of patissier mastery. A true homage to a simple but delightful dessert.
Of course, no meal soars without service. Luca, presiding over the bar, is a man of distinction — a craftsman with a shaker, delivering fabulous mixed beverages that could steady any nerve. Alex, our waiter, was a paragon of quiet efficiency and charm — attentive without intrusion, informed without affectation.
Music hums at the perfect pitch — we could converse without having to shout. A Londonesque vibe laced with coastal cool. And for those who return — and one shall — there is the Knife Club, where one’s personal blade, etched with initials, awaits future feasting.
Cullinan is not just another steakhouse. It is a rare gem — cut with care, polished with style, and set in one of the city’s finest settings. A return is not a matter of if, but when.
Hero dish: Difficult, but if I had to choose, venison tonnato — 10/10
VIBES: London Brasserie with stunning views — 9/10
Menu curation: In today’s competitive dining scene, the menu has to be on point... and it was — 8.5/10
Service: Above the Dubai norm, Alex and Luca definitely raised the bar — 8.5/10
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