Fancy eats in a mall?

For a mall restaurant, Lebanese joint Bebabel sure knows how to 'make an entrance'. The narrow corridor is lined with towering arches - and leads into the main dining area that sits under a sparkling ceiling designed to imitate a starry night sky. Located in The Dubai Mall, the restaurant overlooks the famed fountains and offers a stunning view of the Burj Khalifa. With both indoor and outdoor seating, it seems to be the perfect spot for a family or romantic night out.
We begin with complimentary bread and olive paste - a delicious start to this fine dining experience. Interestingly, all their  appetiser options come in sets of three. We opted for two: traditional moutabbal (which was divine), vine leaves and hummus - and ras asfour cherry, shrimp freekeh (the highlight!) and cheese rolls. For the main course, we ordered a mixed grill and grilled shrimp. Both were quite filling  - but you know there's always room for dessert! So, to finish off, we ordered mouth-watering knefeh with othmalliyeh, served with chocolate ice cream - a unique mix, but still equally enjoyable for our sweet tooths.

Taste: There was a neat variety of Lebanese dishes on offer. We quite enjoyed the taste of the olive paste with our mixed grills. The shrimps were well-cooked and had a hint of a smoky taste that elevated the dish. And the knefeh was so good, we couldn't get enough of it!

Ambience: The grand entrance complements the lavish interiors and the Downtown views take the dining experience to a whole other level. Props to them for setting the tone with music too: the slow violins at the start soon gave way to lively jazz as the place got busier.

Service: The staff was quite friendly and did well to make sure we were comfortable. They were gracious in their interactions and swift to meet any needs. I'd have liked it if our servers were a bit more interactive - however, they did a fair job in taking us through the menu.

Presentation: The presentation was pretty appetising. A lot of their tableware seemed to match the rest of the decor in the restaurant - that's attention to detail. I also liked how they brought out all their appetisers in trays of three - which I've yet to see anywhere else.

Value for money: Appetisers, main courses and dessert for two added up to about Dh360. That doesn't seem out of place for a fine dining restaurant in a mall. Together with good food, service and views, it's safe to say you get a fair bang for your buck here.

AT A GLANCE
Bebabel, Level 1, The Dubai Mall
Reservations: 04-4190950
Avg cost for 2: Dh300-360
wknd@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining