Iftar Review: The Market Place, Marriott Al Jaddaf

Ramadan 2021 has already turned out to be remarkably different from how the Holy Month panned out last year at the height of #StayHome orders in the UAE’s combat against Covid-19. And one thing that’s made Ramadan 2021 more special is the wide range of options Dubai has to offer when it comes to eating out this time, during iftar and suhour.

But if you are still wary of venturing far out and hitting public places, then one good place to be, in the heart of the city is Marriott Al Jaddaf that has set the scene with a variety of offerings to choose from, including a staycation deal, delicious buffet at The Market Place, iftar catering services and customised Ramadan artworks for guests.

However, if it’s just the food that you are after then look no further away from the massive iftar spread, the team at The Market Place has put together this Ramadan. A served buffet menu specially curated for the Holy Month, it boasts of various food stations offering almost everything — from traditional cold and hot mezze to a selection of salads and mains, of course, with a strong focus on Middle Eastern cuisine. So, you will find all the usual suspects, from hummus to moutabel to fattoush, tabbouleh and muhammara, besides an exquisite looking whole roasted lamb ouzi served out of yet another station.

The buffet also comes with a delectable line-up of soups, pasta and all-day favourites like shawarmas from the live mixed grill stations. There’s Marriott’s signature salad bar too and as many as six dishes in the mains, including scrumptious stir-fried prawns with vegetables and a chicken ala-Kiev to cater to the truly discerning ‘international guest’. Yet, if there’s one more reason you need for a dinner outing here, it would have to be for their desserts section, where the freshly-baked baklavas and cheese kunafas sit like jewels in a crown!

Taste: You can’t go wrong with a menu that brings together some of the Arab world’s favourite dishes and international favourites. So, the Dawood basha (Middle Eastern meatball stew) and the whole lamb roasted Ouzi served with oriental rice and yoghurt perfectly complements the dishes.

Ambience: The Market Place’s opulent furniture and giant chandeliers make it one grand, palatial Ramadan majlis, where there’s never a dull moment with an abundance of free-flowing Ramadan beverages and the best of food from the Middle East and beyond.

Service: A Ramadan buffet may not be the best of places to judge a service crew because it’s a time when banquet halls are bursting at their seams. Yet, you’ll find a whole team at your disposal, ready to bring to your table anything that you may want. All with a smile and a lot of warmth!

Presentation: The lavish iftar spread looks just as delectable as it tastes but if you had to rate sections purely based on their looks, then you would have to take notice of their special salad bar graced by Romain lettuce and French Vinaigrette and the desserts counter dolled up with gorgeous looking katayef and kunafa.

Covid-consciousness: If you wish to celebrate Ramadan with a dose of the ‘new normal’, then this is the place for you. With socially-distanced tables and ample space to move around in the restaurant, you can enjoy the sumptuous spread, while following the pandemic protocols.

abhishek@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai