Fans of Asian fine dining should beat a path to Blue Jade at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Residence. The authentic flavours are straight from the kitchen of the resident chef’s grandmother in Vietnam. Here’s our review of the sea-side restaurant’s ambience and cuisine.
The food:
Blue Jade’s kitchen is helmed by Vietnamese chef Ta Van who was born and raised in Ha Nam, the northern part of Vietnam. His Far East Asian menu has a vast selection of crowd-pleasing Chinese, Thai and Japanese dishes but the true standouts were those dug out from his family trove of recipes.
Top rated:
Vietnamese Tamarind tiger prawns
Ginger sea bass wrapped in lotus leaf
What we also loved:
Vietnamese rice paper rolls with chicken, coriander and chili sauce
Black pepper crab from Singapore
Scallop & yellow tail sashimi
The venue:
For Dubai Marina residents suffering with the constant road blockages and detours around JBR, the Ritz Carlton is thankfully easy to get to. It’s at the very start of The Walk meaning you won’t get stuck in one-way systems, the hotel’s free valet parking means you won’t struggle to find parking either.
The interior:
The restaurant has undergone something of a refurb in the past 12 months and its interior now features dark varnished wood, amber panels and accents of jade. We sat at a table near glass doors leading to a terrace which, with its unfettered sea view, will be fabulous when temperatures cool in October.
Value for money:
A meal at Blue Jade is fairly priced with starters from around Dh70, and mains from approx Dh110-170. Check out the website under the ‘Special Offers’ section for regular promotions like the summer deal of unlimited sushi for Dh100 from 7.15-8.45pm. Or blow the budget by booking the restaurant’s private dining experience where 10 guests can enjoy a dedicated room, a butler and chef, from 5-11pm for a minimum spend of Dh4,000.
The verdict:
Blue Jade in the Ritz-Carlton seems to be something of a ruby in the dust. It’s a gem of a find in the concrete jungle that is JBR, and the low-rise hotel is set among lush gardens, perfect for an after-dinner stroll. The diversity of Vietnamese fare that chef Van has incorporated into the menu will encourage you to try something different and you won’t be disappointed. It’s culinary artistry served up in an elegant setting and for a very reasonable price. What’s not to like?
* For reservations call +971 4 318 6105 or email dine.dubai@ritzcarlton.com or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dubai.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Consoles: PC, PlayStation
Rating: 2/5
THE SPECS
Battery: 60kW lithium-ion phosphate
Power: Up to 201bhp
0 to 100kph: 7.3 seconds
Range: 418km
Price: From Dh149,900
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
