In the UAE’s fast-moving dining scene, where new restaurants and food fads come and go, eight years is a milestone few restaurants reach.
Serving up French-Mediterranean cuisine under the watchful eye of chef Izu Ani, Carine might call Emirates Golf Club home, but its appeal reaches far beyond the golfing crowd. It's a spot that suits romantic dinners as much as a spirited, celebratory get-together with friends.
The setting
Exuding a “home from home” energy, Carine’s ambience is very much of your own making. They might provide the canvas – comfortable chairs, well-spaced tables, large windows – but the guests bring the vibes. The relaxed environment also means diners are not usually spotted uploading every second of their experience to Instagram.
For a quieter meal, sit inside by the windows. Bigger groups can spread out across the banquettes, while the terrace is always a buzzy option.
The food
The ethos at Carine is best described as oh-so French yet deceptively simple.
His love of seafood is evident throughout. Starters include oyster with shallot, cucumber and pickled apple (Dh204), lobster salad with yuzu dressing (Dh149), snails with parsley butter (Dh118), grilled prawns with harissa sauce (Dh83), and anchovies and yellowtail carpaccio with salsa verde (Dh130).
We ordered the beetroot salad with goat's cheese and pistachios (Dh72), crispy spicy calamari and courgette (Dh67), and the onion tart (Dh67). Of this delectable trio, the tart, comprising buttery-soft onions and flavour-packed tomatoes on a base so crispy and thin it could float away in a light breeze, was a standout. It's also a personal favourite of chef Ani, I was told.
The beetroot salad comprised hearty chunks of orange-infused beetroot coupled with just the right amount of goat's cheese to complement.
Continuing with our family-style dining approach, for mains we ordered mushroom risotto (Dh138), herb-crusted sea bass stuffed with harissa (Dh470) and a 400g grilled rib-eye with padron peppers (Dh370). The sea bass was a show-stopper, rightly brought to the table to be admired before the crust was cracked to reveal a firm but flaky fish that was beautifully bathed in, rather than overwhelmed by, the harissa.
The mushroom risotto, dotted with sun-dried tomatoes, managed to be rich and hearty (what might be called a “rib-sticker”), while retaining the delicacy I expect from a dish that, contrary to popular belief, can be easy to get wrong.
Our sides included French fries, mixed leaves salad and broccolini (Dh48 each). Was it too much food for two? Yes, but there are times when a “bit of this, bit of that” smorgasbord is the order of the day and you get to not only mix and match your flavours and textures, but then also take your leftovers home for lunch the next day.
Dessert was creme brulee (Dh57) and warm chocolate mousse with malt ice cream (Dh68). It’s a rare occasion when I wish to temporarily swap my human form for that of a cow, sheep, giraffe or elk, but the arrival of the warm chocolate mousse had me desiring the extra stomachs these mammals possess in order to fit it all in, because this was an absolute knockout. To call it a mousse is to tell only half the story, for it is something I’ve never had before: a mousse-crumble hybrid that managed to be the dessert I never knew I was missing in my life. The malt ice cream is, literally, the icing on the top.
A chat with the chef
Carine is Ani's first home-grown UAE concept, a restaurant he says “means so much to me”, because it's named after his wife.
“Carine embodies the warm beauty of home,” he says. “We met in France, in the markets where I used to buy fresh baguettes and produce to prep for a day of cooking. She used to work in the boulangerie and I would visit her in the mornings. The dishes at Carine were inspired by those markets, simple, good-quality ingredients cooked with love and care.”
His favourites from the menu include fried eggs and foie gras with Perigueux sauce, onion tart, truffle tart, lobster linguine, grilled langoustines and tarte tatin. “Personally, I love to enjoy a late breakfast with family and friends, which often turns into lunch,” he says.
The verdict
Carine has lasted because its menu feels both familiar and inventive. This is also a restaurant that welcomes all: couples, groups and families, for all manner of celebrations, turning any visit into a good meal with good people.
Contact details
Carine at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai is open daily for lunch and dinner from noon until late; breakfast is served on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations can be made by calling 04 417 9885.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
