A Food Crawl at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Might Be The Best Thing You Can Try Out This Weekend

Dubai can give any place in the world a run for its money when it comes to food. There’s no way you can deny that. Think about all the different cuisines you get here as well as all the global imports and home-grown brands cropping up each day.

Till a while ago our issue was was that an area / space boasted one good eatery and the rest were pretty average. Then came about a name that changed it all.

Meet JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai.

This Business Bay hotel is hands down our favourite when it comes to sinning (gluttony being the obvious one). This place has it all. Breakfast to dinner, drinks to dessert and everything else you might need to keep the stomach happy. So here’s why we seriously recommend a food crawl at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel:

If breakfast is meant to be the biggest and best meal of the day, why would you settle for something other than a feast? We don’t. 

Breakfast here ticks all boxes 

You get some fabulous options off the à la carte menu at La Farine, but the winner is the weekend offer. For AED 210 (per couple) you get more than what you ask for (and it’s at your table because we don’t believe in walking around with a plate first thing in the morning). Think Viennoiserie, cold cuts, crusty breads to go with eggs that are made to your preference. Plus there’s coffee and freshly squeezed juice thrown in too. And it’s definitely not the case of ‘the early bird catches the worm’ because this breakfast is available until 1pm…aren’t you loving it already?

Do not overdo it because the next stop is Kitchen6 

We ditched the boozy brunch for something just as fun. There were interactive live cooking stations showcasing chefs at work and dishes from practically all corners of the world. From what we remember…there were Asian woks, Middle Eastern grills and even Indian tandoors. The aftermath of the meal was quite similar to your typical Friday brunch scenes – a step away from being the victim in a fireman’s carry!

And what does one do when in that state? Go easy on food and stay hydrated, of course. 

We made our way to Aqua for our liquid diet 

(Something that’s absolutely acceptable when a place has happy hours). Before that we stopped by the lobby for our Instagram pictures. The spot’s a hit with the ladies because of the massive flower arrangement in the centre. 

Apologies we digressed. Aqua is a much needed break on the food crawl. We just chilled by the pool with ultra-smooth shishas and beverages that were on offer. We don’t have to highlight the deal was so good that our intake was higher than the recommended dose. The Downtown views from the pool-deck venue are a bonus! (And if you are feeling slightly peckish, they’ve got some great salad options).

Next up was a dinner reservation at Rang Mahal by Atul Kochhar

Now if you don’t know Hindi then the name translates to ‘palace of colours’ and we got just that when stepping into Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar’s restaurant. The stunning interiors include walls adorned with Mughal-era paintings and the lights with its reddish-orange hues create a warm ambience. The plate’s a canvas and the food is art – it’s not just beautiful but high on flavour too. This is the kind of place you bring someone when you want to set that first impression. Trust us, nothing goes wrong here. The meal was like a brilliant playlist – one good thing after another. It started with pan-seared scallops, trio of potato cakes and the Indian street savouries for starters before moving on to mains of chicken tikka masala and pan-seared sea bass. If you pick naans as a side, just as we did, remember you’ll be spoilt for choice with options including Peshawari, cheese, Za’atar and even wild mushroom with truffle oil. Chef Amrish Sood, Atul’s famous protégé, is the master-mind behind the restaurant’s monthly new menus, each of which he passionately explains the inspiration for. 

We skipped desserts though for a platter of cheese (with drinks of course) at Vault

Now the thing about this double-storey bar is that its doors resemble a vault. And when you do step inside, the venue ‘stores’ some fantastic beverage options – courtesy its bartenders who put together the best concoctions – and an extensive cigar list. Though you’d want to opt for a seat by the uber-stylish bar, it’s the booth-like sofas lined all around the venue that actually win. Reason being: they’re the best seats to grab panoramic views of Dubai, including Burj Khalifa. As we nibbled on some cheese with peach chutney, dried figs et al…we realised this was in every sense a true foodie’s dream destination and the ultimate food crawl you could attempt in Dubai.