Restaurant Review: Social Company

A little paradise for parents and pet owners

Not many probably know of Zabeel House by Jumeirah. The 210-room urban hub right in the heart of The Greens is home to some Insta-worthy décor and some eccentric concepts - including Social Company, the all-day eatery that serves modern trendy dishes in a stylishly casual setting with a cool, laid-back vibe.  

Although you can tuck into your breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between here, we headed to Social Company (SoCo to the regulars here) to try out their brand-new Thursday evening brunch, comprising sharing starters, a choice of mains, and a dessert platter. All of that topped with free-flowing drinks and live acoustic to kick up the perfect weekend storm. And tracks from Coldplay's latest albums made it one chill-out lounge you wouldn't want to leave in a hurry.

Food happens to be just another important part of the whole affair with a nice British/continental gastropub mix that include shrimp avocado cocktails, chicken Caesar salad and tomato salad with mozzarella cheese as starters and classic favourites like grilled salmon and slow roasted chicken as mains. The little surprise for me though was to see Hasselback potatoes in the mains. The dish of baked potatoes cut about halfway through into thin fan-like slices came filled with sour cream and was a true Swede delight. Often, adapted into a side dish or a canapé with various kinds of toppings, this one was baked to perfection. The rich, chewy fudge cookie brownie served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, alongside a mix of berries and mango cheesecake, at the end of it all brought the affair to a grand close as the music kept lilting long into the night.

But that's not all. If you are a pet owner and have a lovelorn pooch you can't imagine leaving behind for a Thursday night out, then you could well carry her (or him) along. SoCo will gladly make space for your loved ones of the furry kinds!

Ambience (4/5): SoCo is cool, trendy and upmarket with plenty of space for your kids as well as chihuahuas to run around while you tuck into your roast. December may still be months away but with lilting live music in the house, dimmed lights and comfortable couches, it's almost Christmas in the air!

Taste (3/5): Let's talk about the standouts. Leading the pack is the mushroom risotto. The gluten-free vegan dish is rich, creamy and full of Parmesan's brilliance with sauteed mushrooms in it making a home run. Hasselback Potato is another little gem worth a dig, as are the chewy fudge cookie brownies served with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream.  

Service (3/5): A busy Thursday is perhaps not the best day of the week to rate the service of a restaurant. The crew had a busy outing and you can't blame them for making the wait for the food a little longer than expected but all's well that ends well, especially when it's topped with a smile on the face.  

Presentation (3/5): The sharing starters come appetisingly decked up in a platter as do the mains, with the shrimp avocado cocktail pretty much the centrepiece, while the chicken roast with celeriac puree, glazed onions and jus on the side jostle for attention with the grilled salmon. But if looks were all, then the nattily decorated dessert platter of fudge cookie brownie and mango cheese cake, well, takes the cake!   

Value for money (4/5): The unlimited three-course Thursday brunch with free flowing house beverages come at a price tag of just under Dh260. Is it worth it? Totally, if you knew how to cherry pick the best of all that's on offer here.

abhishek@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining