Raffles The Palm: Some of the Best Luxury Dining in Dubai

Finding somewhere to eat that not only meets, but exceeds expectations, is rare.  At Raffles The Palm, this happened not once, but twice on my recent visit.  Some incredible food, wonderful service and unique settings that make you want to stay forever.  So, what did I eat?

Blüthner Hall in all its glory

Blüthner Hall - Everyday

This is the focal point of the hotel; it’s elevated just beyond the lobby.  It’s the first thing you see behind the incredible chandelier as you walk in.  Serving breakfast, lunch and sweet treats through the day and evening, it’s the go-to place to relax and have a moment away from the sunshine.  It certainly was for me; I loved it.  

My first foodie experience was here, an incredible kouign amann-style pastry with hazelnut cream in the middle.  Crispy and sweet and buttery, just heavenly.  Whether you enjoy the relaxed outdoor lounge area basking in the warm sun with its bright views of the ocean and city behind, or you prefer the cooler inside space surrounded by plush red velvet seats and an incredible gilded, ornate ceiling with its crystal chandelier and decadent vibe, you will receive impeccable service and delicious, sweet treats. 

My final experience at Raffles The Palm was one last sweet treat; a hazelnut and chocolate Paris Brest-style choux pastry.  It looked amazing, but unfortunately lacked something, I don’t quite know what.  It was very good, but I just don’t seem to be able to find an amazing Paris Brest outside of France... I think it is the crispness of the choux and just the magic that you get with French pastries from even the smallest shops.  My sweet treats from Blüthner Hall can be seen here - see what you think yourself.

Chocolate hazelnut choux dessert in Blüthner Hall

Blüthner Hall - Afternoon Tea

Having pre-booked an afternoon tea as my first-day arrival treat, I was a little sad to find out the pianist would understandably not be playing due to it being Ramadan.  However, it honestly didn’t matter in the end, and I think it allowed me to fully focus on the delicious treats set before me.

The afternoon’s delights began with a refreshing, peachy welcome drink that was light, cooling and the perfect palate cleanser.  The team kindly remade mine as I don’t like carbonated drinks.  Once the welcome beverage was sorted, Su, my incredibly sweet and attentive server, opened the gold box with its dessert scroll, and walked me through each of the royal palace inspired cakes that were being served.  

The UK, Belgium, France, Austria, Czech Republic and Ukraine were all represented with intricate concoctions that befitted each of the countries’ royal houses.  A Victoria sponge for the UK that was light, creamy and fruity with fresh raspberries, a chocolate spiced speculoos cake from Brussels that was decadent and rich and a sweet, delicate, honey cake from Prague were my favourites.  But I am jumping ahead of myself in my excitement about the cakes.

First off, you of course pick your tea.  I am not much of a tea drinker and the ginger option I first had was too much, so I changed to a more subtle peppermint.  There is a good range of teas to choose from so most tastes will be catered for.   

Then it was time for the reveal as Su delivered my rack of treats and delicacies.  I love that first moment when the tiered stand arrives and you see all the little sandwiches, cakes and scones.

It all looked fantastic, and I have to say, was delicious.  There was a good mix of sandwich varieties, and the scones were some of the best I have had, especially outside of the UK.  Crisp and crunchy on the outside, yet soft and warm on the inside.  Plus, real clotted cream, a must-have with scones if you ask me.

Everything was amazing - service, food, ambience.  It’s somewhere special to come whether with friends or family to celebrate a special moment, or alone to relax and treat yourself as I did.  To see more, have a look at my afternoon tea post here.

Afternoon tea in Blüthner Hall

Restaurants

There are three restaurants at Raffles The Palm. Le Jardin, which serves an epic-looking breakfast buffet, lunch and another mammoth buffet in the evening.  I am not much of a buffet person, but these did look rather good, and every dietary requirement seemed to be catered for as well as a range of cuisines.  

There are two other restaurants, Matagi serving Japanese in the evening, and Piatti by the Beach serving Italian food over lunch and dinner.  I did try both and it was like yin and yang with my experience.    

Matagi

Walking into the dark, stylish restaurant, it’s a vibe straight away.  Again, an amazing serving team who were so friendly and helpful.  A zingy, delicious raspberry mocktail was promptly delivered while I perused the menu, which covers every base without being pages long.

A delectable amuse-bouche started the food off on a high and continued with the most tender and scrumptious tempura king prawns that were crisp and fresh, not at all greasy.  Honestly fantastic.  I wasn’t going to go with two fish dishes, but the miso marinated black cod had been recommended by a couple of people, and what a choice.  Soft, flaky, with a wonderful but subtle miso glaze.  I paired it with grilled corn in miso butter, which was tangy and cooked to perfection, and a wonderful vegetable and garlic fried rice.  Dessert wasn’t on my mind until I saw the mango sorbet with fresh mango and whipped coconut.  It seemed the ideal light and refreshing finisher and was heavenly.  Just as I was asking for the bill, I was given a tart and cooling raspberry granita to cleanse my palate and again wow.  

Honestly, this was one of the best meals I have ever had.  You can see it all here.  Every course was as good as it gets and each mouthful was delicious.  

Mango and coconut dessert at Matagi

Piatti By The Beach

Unfortunately, the last night’s meal didn’t quite live up to the previous night’s experience, which was such a shame.  I love Italian and the menu seemed great, if on the pricey side.  The location was wonderful, right by the beach watching the sun set over the water, but this was almost as good as it got.  The service was the worst in the whole hotel, with staff not seeming to care about customers and chatting more than serving.  The complimentary breads were lovely and probably the highlight.  The parmigiana di Melanzane was ok, but that was it.  Then the Pollo alla Cacciatore was disappointingly boned so not much meat and just flat.  I wasn’t going to have dessert but there was a special chocolate lava cake, and I am a sucker for chocolate, but again it lacked depth.  It was an ok meal with not great service and a disappointment from the previous evening’s experience, especially at the price.

Sunset at Piatti by the Beach

Moments That Shone

Both the afternoon tea in Blüthner Hall and Matagi’s feast.  I would eat at both again if they were closer to home – I wish.  

Moments That Fell Short

The average experience of Piatti by the Beach – maybe this was an expectation thing on my part.  

My food experiences at Raffles The Palm were some of the best on my travels to date.  It wasn’t only about the food though.  The setting was incredible as was the service, which really elevated the time I spent at Blüthner Hall and Matagi and made both such memorable occasions.  This is what really makes a luxury experience for me, when everythingcomes together to create food moments that stick with you long after you have left and leave you wanting to go back for more.  Whether celebrating with family and friends or having a well-deserved treat for yourself, you will love dining at Raffles The Palm whatever the occasion.