There’s no better way to settle (back) in to Dubai than to waltz down to a Friday brunch, and that’s what M and I did. As usual, I wanted to try something new, and treat my insatiable tastebuds to some really good food because nothing is more disappointing that consuming calories that just won’t be worth the effort to burn off. I had heard rave reviews about Ting Irie, and as soon as I saw an Instagram picture of a Pina Colada in a very sun-kissed Ting Irie, I knew that’s where I needed to be.
Fast forward to last Friday, and we walked into a very bustling and sun-kissed indeed Ting Irie. We went for the Friday F’unch (priced at AED 195 per adult), which is basically the fun family brunch the restaurant hosts every Friday to make the pending liquor license more of a glass half full situation. If you ask me, there’s no other way to look at it, because I don’t drink and find it wildly refreshing to have found a restaurant serving insanely delicious food without the smell of alcohol crawling up my irritated nose. You can choose from an ideally portioned set menu that truly allows you to enjoy ample amounts of appetizers, entrees and desserts; and have a very pleasant Friday afternoon with Bob Marley blasting through the overhead speakers.
Here’s what we had:
The Rasta Greens Salad. Pickled watermelon, honey mustard vinaigrette and a whole lot of deliciousness. This plate was huge and I wiped it clean.
Oh. My. GOD. These Chips O’man sliders are now going to be on my list of best burgers/sliders in Dubai. They weren’t what I expected (no cream cheese and not a lot of chips Oman), but then again why on Earth would anyone want to douse that juicy flavorful Angus beef in cream cheese? These were SO incredibly good.
Just when I thought I’d eaten the best appetizer on the menu and there was no way to outdo those sliders, I sank my teeth into these succulent oxtail sandwiches. Words cannot do justice to these bad boys, you’ve just got to try these for yourself to see what the hype is all about.
This was my first time having Jerk Chicken, so I really don’t have a benchmark to rate these against, but this was some pretty darn good chicken. Spicy, tender and juicy.
Coconut rice, enough said.
The description promised anchovies in this potato salad, but I didnt see or taste any. Was this a good potato salad though? One of the best, because it wasn’t all mayo, but in fact part cheese too!
The only condiment on the table, because with a condiment that shines so bright, there really isn’t room for another. This bad boy was made of virgin coconut oil and Scotch Bonnet peppers. I wish they would sell bottles of these to take home because I would buy a carton of them!
Fish Escovitch: Flaky fresh water fish fried to crispy perfection, under pickled carrots and onions. surprisingly, I enjoyed this even more than the Jerk chicken. This was a fish fillet done justice.
Carvinal Funnel Cake: aptly named, because this was a party in my mouth. This was one giant portion of dessert but we wiped it clean. It’s hard to go wrong with raspberries, ice-cream, and caramelized white chocolate sauce on a funnel cake; but these guys have struck the ultimate perfect recipe.
The Warm Cornmeal Pone: sour ice-cream, roasted coconut, cookie crumble with pineapple, and cornmeal pudding. This was a hearty, comforting dessert at it’s best. Ting Irie really nailed it with the desserts and ended the meal on a very high note!
Ting Irie, you’ve got me singing “Is this love?”.
