Post Category - EatEat - Post Category - Eating OutEating Out
If you’re looking for a date night venue that encompasses a chilled bar/lounge with cosy corners, beautiful views and utterly delicious food then Bā Restaurant & Lounge at Fairmont The Palm has it covered. A modern Chinese restaurant with a glamorous but cool vibe, Bā (meaning the lucky number ‘8’ in Mandarin) was my selection for recent mid-week date with the hubby – you know how it is, sometimes you just need to get away from all the distractions of home to be able to have a proper catch up – and lucky for us, this sleek spot proved to be the perfect choice.
The lantern lit entrance to Bā’s upper level set the tone as we made our way into the restaurant’s beautiful lounge for a pre-dinner drink. Divided into two sections – the terrace with floor to ceiling windows and incredible views of the Dubai Marina skyline at night, uber romantic if you’re looking for a little privacy and a salon area complete with sofa style seating, a long backlit bar and a nightclub ambiance boosted by a (rather too cool and gorgeous) female DJ spinning beats. Although this was a school night, we couldn’t bypass the chance to enjoy a cocktail – plus it happened to be ladies night so mama’s drink was free of charge making it impossible to say no! (Incidentally, if you’re looking for a ladies night venue, the groups of girls dotted around were having a great time). The signature cocktail list includes Asian flavours such as lemongrass, five spice, fresh ginger and star anise.
One delicious rose martini later, we were escorted down the stairs to the dining room (probably a good thing that I stopped at one drink as the high heel/stairs combination took a little concentration), a stylish space with dramatic high ceilings, subtle Chinese touches and an elegant black and gold colour scheme. The menu is an upscale and contemporary take on traditional Chinese dishes and our waiter, Sylvester, advised on which dishes were a must. We decided to start with the Honey Roasted Pork Char Siew (Bā has a pork license if that’s your thing) which was sweet and sticky with a lovely hint of barbecue flavour and a Half Peking Duck which is carved tableside, then wrapped up in delicate little pancakes complete with condiments of spring onion and sweet bean sauce – very tasty. The remainder of the duck was taken and made into a second course which is apparently the authentic Beijing way of doing it – we opted to have it stirfried with blackbean sauce and vegetables which was light and aromatic and really very good. We also chose (huge) Pan-Fried Scallops with minced shrimp which were sensational, cooked to perfection, very fresh and with just the right amount of garlic as well as Sweet and Sour Chicken with delicate little pieces of pineapple and a subtle sauce, Stir-Fried Broccoli which was equally delicious (so simple but seriously yummy) and Steamed Rice.
I very rarely manage to get a combination of dishes just right, usually always wishing that I had ordered something else – but our menu was absolutely spot on, the ideal mix of flavours and the perfect portion sizes (we did slightly over order though). There was plenty more which jumped out from the menu – from wok fried lobster to pan-fried lamb rack with cumin and mustard – am seriously planning another visit soon just to be able to get through it all! Just at the right level of full (although that doesn’t usually stop me from hitting the desserts) and never really a fan of Chinese sweets, we called it a very lovely night and headed home at a relatively early hour.
Bā Restaurant & Lounge was a dreamy date night choice – the right combination of glamour and elegance with warm and welcoming staff and very very good food. Be prepared to splash some cash – our meal cost AED 1204 (we were a little over excited in our ordering and this price includes alcoholic drinks) but this guarantees a special evening with your other half.
Bā – Fairmont The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
Telephone (+971) (0) 4 4573338
