Dining at the Rotana hotel in Dubai gives you plenty of choices, but Trader Vic’s is one of the most popular options. Claiming to be ‘world renowned’, this smart casual eatery serves up a fairly underrepresented cuisine with its French Polynesian menu.
The dining room is atmospheric, taking on the paraphernalia of the small fishing island from which its offering is inspired. Wooden boats, string nets and colourful buoys all hang from the ceiling, while the scoop back bamboo chairs add a touch of old-world glamour to proceedings. Crisp white linens and traditional carved candlesticks complete the picture for a relaxed yet refined setting.
Trader Vic’s is open for both lunch and dinner, but the evening is when this venue comes into its own. With a live band and a separate Mai Tai bar, come early to soak up the atmosphere and stay post-meal for a few drinks with friends or family. The fun and lively vibes keep things going until closing time at 11.30pm.
When it comes to the menu the options are far-reaching and varied, but with a slant towards French Polynesian cuisine of course. Interestingly, at the centre of the kitchen there’s a unique Chinese oven, the kind which dates back to the Han Dynasty. From this wood-fired cooker you can expect things like a smoky, crisped duck breast served with island rice cake, steamed asparagus and a green pepper sauce, or a luxurious chateaubriand for two people. Elsewhere on the menu seafood plays the starring role; sweet coconut prawns, a spicy lobster salad or succulent grilled scallops for instance. Sides include rice, mash and chips, so filling up here won’t be hard, and there should be something to suit everyone’s tastes. If you’ve left room for dessert give the Polynesian snowball a try, a sweet and sticky pudding that’s served with bittersweet chocolate sauce and rich toasted coconut.