Date Night: Seaview Restaurant

Tucked away in a fishing harbor just off the Jumeirah Beach Road, the Seaview Restaurant is a little gem of a find and a perfect week night date spot when the fridge is bare, you cannot think of a single thing you’d rather do less than cook another meal and you just fancy an evening out with the other half, sans fuss and frills and the need to dress up in your finest.  A relative newcomer to Dubai’s food scene, the appeal of the Seaview is not only the totally delicious fresh seafood and relaxed no-nonsense approach but also the vacation vibe of its gorgeous setting – a beach-bar-esque patio literally on the water with the most beautiful view of the boats in the harbour – a real rarity in Dubai! We hear a rumour that all of the new fishing harbours in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim will house a restaurant now that work on them has been completed – and when the beach walkway is finished I am envisaging cycling from one to the other – bliss!

Promising ‘seafood for all’, the Seaview is all about the freshest fish dishes influenced by flavours from Arabic, Mediterranean, African and even Asian cuisine.  Whether you’re nibbling on prawn tempura or sipping on the lobster cappuccino soup, the service is so friendly and the seafood so fresh it’s almost fished to order.

The nautical themed menu is really interesting (which makes choosing very difficult when everything on it sounds so appealing!)but we finally opted to ‘set sail’ with a selection of starters to share (perfect for date night) including crab cakes with guacamole, which were fluffy and light with a delicious combination of lime and avocado on the side, perfectly crisp crumbed calamari rings that just tasted of the sea and came complete with tentacles (the best bit in my opinion) and a prawn caprese salad which combined shrimps with the traditional mozzarella and tomatoes and a drizzle of fresh green pesto and looked like a mini work of art served in a martini style glass.  The portions are on the larger size so we probably could have done without the 3^rd starter or at least waited to order our main course once we’d finished to give ourselves a bit of a breather.

After such a perfect start, our ‘culinary voyage’ took us on a tour of fresh fish on ice inside the restaurant where staff were really helpful with assisting our choices and answering questions on the origins of all the lovely looking seafood on display.   We opted for the catch of the day –seabream which could be cooked to order – Arabic BBQ style, Tandoori from the clay oven, fried or steamed –  yikes more choices! The staff were so eager to please I think they would have cooked it any way we wanted, whether on the menu or not. The fish was barbecued to perfection, falling away from the bone and accompanied by homemade tangy tomato, honey mustard and roasted lemon sauces.  We also chose the locally caught sheri, cooked peri peri style which was mildly spicy and the perfect balance of gorgeously crispy skin and delicate flesh. Hubby also opted for a small side dish of fish curry which included pieces of king fish in a rich spicy sauce, some beautifully scented lemon and herb rice and the must-have freshly baked fluffy sesame bread which comes piping hot from the clay oven and is perfect for mopping up sauces.

After a really fabulous fish feast we struggled to find room for something sweet although crème brulee is a particular favourite and looked crunchy and creamy and the cheesecake surprise definitely intrigued – but these are reasons enough to return!  

The Seaview is a lovely breath of fresh air in a city where big names and hotel-based dining can dominate – perfect if you fancy something a little different – the ideal spot for relaxed romantic dining.  Unlicensed, this is a great place for a casual meal with the hubby if you have catching up to do and plans to make without the  distraction of kids and with the added bonus of being incredibly reasonably priced. If you are hankering after a glass of vino or two then this isn’t the place for you. The inside area isn’t as special as the terrace but fear not, an outdoor a/c unit seemed pretty efficient at cooling the evening air and there is a lovely upstairs terrace from which to watch the twinkling harbor lights and the fishing boats coming in with their catch.

Sassy Mama Tip: Fancy a go at recreating some of the dishes on the menu? There is a wonderful little fish market (Souq Al Bahar 4 Fish) just next to the Seaview Restaurant which sells fresh fish between 7am – 1pm and 4pm – 8pm daily.

Seaview Restaurant
Umm Suqeim 1, Fishing Harbor, Off Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai
Take 2nd right after KFC & Mirage Islamic Art Center on Jumeirah Road
Tel: (+971) (0) 4 3335552
www.seafoodrestaurant.ae
Open: 12pm – 12am