Fish House Dubai Festival City
Being a seaside city, Dubai has its fair share of fish restaurants, I mean fishing is a huge part of Dubai’s history and culture. While the days of Bedouin fishermen and pearl divers living in huts made from palm-fronds down near the creek are gone, there is one place near by that offers an a quality driven approach to the daily catch - The Fish House at Festival City.
Taking inspiration from local heritage and focusing on the simplicity of diligently sourcing the freshest fish and seafood, The Fish House prides itself of delivering an authentic dining experience that is underscored by great service and stylish surrounds.
Stepping into the restaurant it’s clear that a sizable effort has gone into the interior design, which captures the essence of the offer without being overly cliche. The pastel tones of the furniture fit nicely alongside the usage of wood and white tiles to complete a fresh and welcoming look.
Jumping into the meal and from outset I would have to say the service was personable and engaging, which I think is always a great sign of good things to come. Thankfully I was right and not long after the drinks arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a lovely little vertical stack of white bait propped up on a bed of hummus that served as an amuse-bouche. It tasted great and introduced the meal in a thoughtful way, which was appreciated.
With the white bait behind us, we eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Charcoal Grilled Octopus starter (AED 80). I’ve definitely had some challenging encounters with Octopoda over the years dining out in Dubai but this time around the Octopus firmly landed in the winner basket. Served with a nicely crafted carrot hummus and sprinkled with some almonds and chili this was beautifully soft with a great char and a pleasure to eat.
Stepping things up and one of the key items that you’ll be tempted by at The Fish House will no doubt be one of their signature towers. In this case it was the Off The Boat Tower that will set you back 195 Dirhams but on balance totally worth it. What you’ll get on this tower of power is octopus ceviche, a jumbo shrimp cocktail, along with some oysters, cured salmon, a red snapper crudo, as well as some mussels with chermoula and a cocktail sauce. For starters - it looks impressive but each element is executed nicely, with those jumbo shrimps on top being particularly tasty. The beauty of the tower is it allows you to interact with the different components and also provides able opportunity for conversation as you leisurely take in the meal.
Alas, all good things must come to an end and what better way to round things out than with the beautifully conceived Caramelized Pineapple Ravioli, which is a lovely, thin little pouch of pineapple that contains a coconut and date brulee and comes with a lime sorbet. It’s light, not too sweet and a perfect way to finish an excellent lunch.
Time and again, I find myself gravitating towards places that take fresh ingredients and prepare dishes in a simple yet refined way. When that approach is complimented by excellent service, the result is always a great experience and that’s exactly what you get at The Fish House.