Why You Must Try Masti, La Mer’s First Licensed Venue

Masti Is THE New Place For A Hot Date Night By The Sea

The Occasion

Since the avalanche of Christmas visitors, hub and I haven’t been out for dinner alone together (I know, I know it’s a first world problem and there goes the world’s smallest violin!). Plus, as the old saying goes ‘we do like to be by the seaside’ – and Masti is the first licensed venue to open at hot new Jumeirah 1 development La Mer…

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The Venue

Masti translates into ‘fun and mischief’ and that sense of irreverence is reflected throughout the food and the brightly coloured décor (check out the flocked wallpaper and the mischievous monkey pictures throughout). The building itself is huge with two floors, outdoor and indoor terraces and most importantly – a dedicated gin room. They’re also about to implement loyalty card for local residents – cheers to that!

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The Vibe

Funky. The lighting alone throws everything else into shade – this is the kind of place where you’ll spend half the time admiring the décor and the other half marveling over the food. Think lots of stained glass, textured seats and bright prints. The crowd is a real mix – we saw some hipsters on what looked like a first date (perfect pick as there’s so much to talk about!) as well as a couple taking their elderly parents out. We’re told it gets pretty busy on Thursdays and Fridays though, so you may need to book.

The Food

In a word, yummo! Like everywhere else, it’s a sharing plate concept, but what sets it apart from the rest is that every dish is a work of art. We made our way through the menu and there wasn’t a duff pick. Portion wise, we opted for three starters, three mains and a couple of sides, which luckily left just enough room for dessert. While I don’t usually associate Indian cuisine with innovative dessert (unless you love lassis!), Masti’s no traditional Indian and their desserts are definitely worth saving space for. The tiramisu really did taste as good as it looked – and that’s saying something.

Room for improvement

While we were more than happy to leave our tiny terrorist at home, Masti isn’t particularly kid-friendly. Although kids of all ages are allowed in the unlicensed downstairs part of the restaurant, only those who are six and above are allowed on the first floor, so for us, it’s got a limited daytime factor.

What we loved

Even if you’re not hungry, it’s worth going for the cocktails alone. These perfumed, jewel-coloured confections are all Insta-perfect if you’re feeling snap happy and come with a spicy kick that’s perfect for date night. Masti’s Mahar mojito is made with vodka, not rum, has a healthy dose of ginger and is so delicious it almost felt like a meal in itself (Which means there was no excuse for me having two – cringe!). Hub thought the tomato prawns were to die for, while I – a few mojitos to the wind – couldn’t get over the tiny discs they brought between every course that looked like mints but turned out to actually be wet wipes! Once a mama always a mama, ladies…

Details:

Masti, La Mer South
www.mastidubai.com