It's where the old meet the young, and the past converges with the present.
Tucked behind rows of beautiful houses, overlooking the sea, is the Jumeirah Fishing Harbour.
While there’s no clear signage, it’s easy to find: drive along Jumeirah Beach Road with Mercato Mall to your left, pass two traffic lights and then turn right.
Inside a gated complex with parking spots, visitors step into a quaint place overcome with serenity from the sea and seagull noises. It has a charming set-up of traditional designs with modern touches, such as lanterns with lamps inside, wooden roofs, barjeel (wind towers) and zigzag geometric decorations. It has the feel of a traditional neighbourhood.
There's an elaborate guide map illustrating the different sections of this small complex: Al Souq (which has four dining places), a boat-repair workshop, prayer hall, fishermen's majlis, Dubai Customs office, fish market, Dubai Police office and fishermen's restaurant. There's a jet-ski rental kiosk, SeaRide Dubai (www.searide-dubai.com; 055 157 8393), behind the boat-repair workshop, where one can also rent out exhilarating flyboards.
It’s an area where you can eat, drink, stroll among the boats and enjoy the fresh breeze from the sea, and meet the heart of Dubai, the old Emirati fishermen.
They have seen it all, and love to tell tales of the past.
If you happen to be there in the early morning or after 4.30pm, then the best place to start is the fishermen’s majlis, for conversation and reminiscences.
Their sandals left outside, the old men gather inside the traditional majlis, where one can sit on floor mats and enjoy traditional coffee and dates. Or sit outside on the wooden benches facing the sea and the parked boats. Sometimes, they come as early as 6am to see the sunrise.
“That one is my boat,” points Mohammed Khamis, a fisherman in his 70s. “I used to go out myself in my fishing dhow [a] long time ago and spend the best times of my life out there in the sea.”
Now, he uses hired help to catch fish for him, which he then sells at the fish market in Umm Suqeim 1. The fish market in Jumeirah, next to the majlis, is currently closed, and is due to be reopened in the next few months.
“The sea is always full of surprises. I think once I saw a mermaid,” winks Khamis.
Other fishermen laugh and claim that they have all have seen mermaids at some point or other.
“Life was very hard, but somehow, it is was good. You felt alive. Now, you eat, sleep and grow fat,” says Ahmed Ali, another fisherman, in his 80s. “I miss the old days.”
A curious European family come towards the majlis and peek through the window, and the fishermen yell out to them: “Come come, welcome welcome.”
The fact that neither speak a common language fluently doesn’t matter. A lot of gesturing and laughs follow, and some fishermen take the family of five to their boats.
“We like to meet new people, as we all know each other and know our stories. We want to hear new stories,” says fisherman Bakheet Al Falasi, who thinks that he’s 80. “We never bothered to document our day of birth, for what is age? Your heart defines how old you are.”
The fishermen admit that while they haven’t tried the different dining options at the harbour, as they prefer to “eat at home”, they say their families have come here and tried out the varying cuisines. Not surprisingly given its location, there are various seafood-related dishes at the different restaurants, plus international options, from Lebanese to Indian and Thai to Brazilian.
Separate from the rest of the area, overlooking the sea, is the Alto Mar restaurant (www.alto-mar.com; 04 343 5225), which serves the "taste of the sea".
“It is Mediterranean cuisine, and we use special herbs and oils and all kinds of fish, especially those caught fresh right here,” says Luis Salgueiro, a chef from Portugal, who also manages the restaurant.
You can see the fresh catches of the day: hammour, red snapper, sea bass, sea bream and Sultan Ibrahim.
Diners can choose from this selection and from aquariums inside the restaurant, and have the seafood cooked to one’s taste: boiled, fried or grilled. Some of the popular items on the menu include roasted fresh fish, slow-cooked in a ‘’salt cave’’ (sea bass/sea bream) and Alto Mar’s “Taste of the Sea’’– a collection of fish and prawns.
“It is the location that makes it distinct from other restaurants,” says Salgueiro. “It is romantic, comfortable, with indoor and outdoor seating.”
The building labelled Al Souq isn’t a souq at all, but four dining outlets – beautifully decorated restaurants with mosaics of fish, turtles and all kinds of kaleidoscopic designs along the floors and walls.
The Bait Misk restaurant (www.facebook.com/baitmisk; 04 343 7332) serves Lebanese food and freshly baked saj and breads made inside an oven at the centre of Al Souq. It also serves breakfast.
Also inside Al Souq is Mint Leaf (04 343 1651). Beautifully decorated with coloured mirrors and glass, it serves traditional Indian food.
The concept at Omnia Gourmet (www.facebook.com/omnia-gourmet; 04 343 7181), which was launched by the celebrity chef Silvena Rowe, is "sourcing locally and whenever possible organic" ingredients, including chia seeds, quinoa, acai powder, pomegranate and goji.
There’s also Omnia Blue, across from its sister Omnia Gourmet, serving dishes including burgers and Emirati lobster mac and cheese.
Outside Al Souq is a set of buildings with more restaurants and cafes. Boteko Brasil (www.botekobrasil.com; orders on 600 56 2227) serves traditional Brazilian treats such as pies and savouries, sandwiches, plus all kinds of sweets and Brazilian spreads, including guava jam.
Meanwhile, Charm (www.charmdubai.com; 04 344 8895) offers Thai cuisine. Its dark, unique decor is influenced by the ancient heritage of Thai temples, with columns and high ceilings.
Once you’ve had your fill, take a stroll among the boats to digest your meal or relax on one of the benches along the harbour. There are plans for more places to open up here, but for now it’s an ideal place to get away from bustling, hectic outlets across Dubai. Ultimately, it’s the relaxed feel of the area that leaves the greatest impression.
As for the old fishermen who have seen great transformations in the emirate and country, as well as this old harbour, it’s old friends and memories that they hold the dearest.
“Buildings and restaurants may come and go, but the sea remains as it is: uncontrollable, free, ruthless,” says Khamis. “The sea is really our home, and so that is why we always come back here, to this harbour. It is part of our life.”
rghazal@thenational.ae
