True Local - Copper Dog
Nestled in the car park of the double tree Hilton JBR sits the cozy, warm and veritable Scottish watering hole and Gastro Pub the Copper Dog. With a down to earth and well crafted interior that is replete with leather chairs, reclaimed wooden floor boards and a beautiful copper clad bar, this locale has been thoughtfully conceived and well executed. For the most part, it doesn’t have much of view except in the front area where you can look over to Bluewaters to see how the wheel is going.
It turns out the exposed stone work on the walls has been shipped straight from Scotland and it adds a nice authentic touch to the interior design style. Attention to detail is clearly important here and well appreciated. Rustic wood is used throughout and the coffered ceilings along with the custom stool tables made of reused whisky barrels further enhance the look which serves to really bring this dimly lit Speyside bar to life.
The staff are super friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. Clearly they understand service and thankfully they know what they're doing. There's not a hint of pretension about the place or the clientele, which is very endearing. The bar area actually spills out to a well appointed dining area which includes a nice looking billiards table and this non smoking area offers plenty of space for people to enjoy a ladies night or Monday's all day happy hour.
When there's a buoyant gathering it makes for a good vibe with plenty of banter, the sound track is led by a collection of 80's & 90's hits as well as a live band on certain nights, which means that the Dog has already established itself as a being a comfortable local for quite a few punters, which is great to see.
The original Copper Dog lives in the Craigellachie Hotel in Scotland’s Highlands and what could be more quintessentially Scottish than whisky? With that in mind, you can expect to find a vast array of said item in their collection in a specially created area dubbed the ‘Spey Room’. While you won't be able to sit back and enjoy a tipple by an open wood fire in the depths of a cold winter, you can still enjoy a glass or two with some great craik all the same.
The menu offers a wide range of homely and hearty country Scottish classics and some brilliant comfort food. There are some notable items available including the Salt and Pepper Squid (45 AED) and the The Copper Burger, with add-on's such as a fried egg and real bacon strips (105 AED) which are both guaranteed to hit the spot.
Other great choices include the The Copper Sausage Rolls (45 AED), the Pulled Pork Sandwich (75 AED ) or the Roast Of The Day with all the trimmings (Only on Friday's & Saturdays ). The Steak and Ale Pie (85 AED) is also worth a shout. As far a Pub Grub goes, everything that comes out of the kitchen is executed very nicely and represents great value for money if you can catch your beverages during happy hour.
Ultimately the 'Dog' is a well conceived and executed thematic pub offering good, honest food that delivers a level of authenticity that really transports you back to your favorite local allowing you to just sit back relax and hang out like you would at home.
Top class.
*Note. The venue has now closed down :(
