Casual Date Night: The Gramercy  

For those of you with partners stuck in the work-war-zone that is DIFC -I know how you feel! It is a place that swallows your better half’s time and attention for five full (as in loooong) days per week- plus the mandatory weekend visits to pick up laptops, presentations and God knows what…

So the most logical thing to do when you feel something is holding your loved ones hostage for hours on end? Invade and pull them out!

A much as we all love a proper date night with heels, freshly waxed legs and Champagne something has to be said for casual weeknight dinners out too. And what better way to make sure they happen than go to your husband’s office and get him straight from the front line? And since it’s just a weeknight dinner out, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Some good, wholesome food in a cosy environment will do the trick. And gastro pub The Gramercy is just the place for exactly that.

For those of you who have lived in the UK at some point in your life, you are going to feel right at home. The menu lists all the pub staples such as Fish n Chips, Ploughman’s Platters, Burgers and Caesar Salad as well as a few more fancy items including Moules Frites, Jumbo Prawns and Veal Milanese.

On this particular night, we decided to go for a Ploughman’s Platter as a starter, which essentially is a mini buffet on a plate with cold cuts, cheese, pickles and freshly baked bread. The Cheddar was to be a bit too mild for my taste (I love the crumbly mature kind) but the fried Camembert is really lovely and you get a big enough chunk of Stilton to satisfy your cheese craving for a long time. And hey, don’t judge me for starting off date night dinner with a big chunk of blue cheese- I love the stuff and can’t help it.

With a large amount of cheese lining in my tummy, I felt in the mood for a lighter main course and decided on the seared Seabass with Beurre Blanc sauce and roasted fennel, which was really excellent, perfectly cooked and served up piping hot. My dear husband, recently let out of captivity, wanted to celebrate his new-won freedom and went for the Veal Milanese, which he was very happy with. The Gramercy is licensed so if you fancy a pint of your favorite lager or a glass of vino you’re ok. Prices were very decent for Dubai and the service was quick and (somewhat) friendly. Apparently they show big sports events from time to time on their screens which, needless to say, are nights when this mama will choose to go elsewhere…

Aside from the good food and easy location, the other really good thing about The Gramercy apart from the location and good food- you can come as you are. Everyone else around you will be too busy looking at their Blackberrys to notice a little smudged mascara or (God forbid) flats instead of heels.

Sassy Mama Tip: The Entertainer Fine Dining offers a two-for-one offer at The Gramercy on all their mains. Score!

Balcony Level, Precinct Building 3, DIFC, Dubai
Tel: (+971) (0)4 440 9300
www.thegramercybar.com