A lunch with a view

It's tough to say no to an invite to a steaming cup of coffee with a view of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa. So, on a Friday noon, we're at Social House (043398640), The Dubai Mall, with a cuppa. Other than the postcard perfect view, the little sunshine and an interesting menu is reason enough for us to sit back and enjoy a relaxed weekend meal. Whilst our regular favourites here are the pancakes, eggs, and waffles - we've decided to order a full lunch.
Spice lovers will love the Kamikaze Sushi Roll, the rice paper wrapped spicy tempura chicken and cucumber came with a dynamite sauce garnish. Of course, there was gari (ginger) and a dollop of Wasabi on the side. Time to test our chopstick skills. There was no cooling down the heat here, which is why our taste buds relished the rolls. A colourful and too pretty-to-touch Grilled Halloumi Salad was up next. The Halloumi slices were not too salty, score. Edible rubies (pomegranate seeds) and pickled beetroots complimented the fresh spring mix (mesclun leaves). Plus, we handpicked dates and toasted hazelnuts from the bowl.
Tempted to sample a Mediterranean meal, we ordered a portion of Moroccan Meatballs. We were lured to ask the chef if it was possible to do a takeaway of just the sweet, comforting, and fragrant tomato sauce. Paired with labneh and pita bread, this small plate alone will guarantee your return to the eatery. Garlic lovers will relish the Chili Garlic Stir Fry - the mixed vegetables simmered in the sharp, incredible sauce can be consumed with rice or by itself too. Being noodles' addicts, we indulged in it with Singapore Noodles. Light and nutritious - the myriad textures and flavours in the super-thin rice noodles were courtesy of the stir-fried prawns, chicken, Pak Choy, chilli sambal, and a fried egg on the top. We surely got our proteins through this dish, and of course Vitamin D, as we sat outdoors.
Healthy Mexican
Tortilla (across two locations in Dubai) serves up California-style Mexican food and is known for its low-calorie, yet flavourful menu, which offers a variety of Burritos, Tacos, and Quesadillas. Whilst none of these dishes may come to your mind if you are trying to lose weight - we suggest you take a look at their healthy offerings. They claim that their regular medium chicken burrito has just 12.2g of fat and only 4.1g of saturated fat. You can also indulge in the Burrito Bowl, a dish with all the lovely burrito ingredients, minus the tortilla. Other options include a Santa Fe Tacos and a Taco Salad. What's more, on display at the eatery is a list titled, Top 10 Tortilla Truths (along with the burrito calorie content), reflecting their commitment to providing healthy food.
To know more: facebook.com/TortillaAr
- purva@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining
• Dubai