Tiny Bites: Meat Me There

Dubai isn’t short of burger joints – and most of them are very good (in fact every time I try a new one I apparently make claims that I’ve found the best burger in town) and there’s an eternal Fat Burger/Elevation Burger/Max Burger debate in our household. Well mamas, I can honestly say that I really have found the best burger this city has to offer (and this time I mean it, 4 days on and I’m still thinking about it to the point that as soon as I’ve finished writing, I’m going for another).

Prepping our little boy for his first day at school, hubbie and I took him for ‘burgers and boats’ at the fishing harbor, Umm Suqeim 2, home to the recently opened ‘Meat Me There’ in the Al Souq complex. The brand new development at Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbour is a mix of old and new world Dubai – traditional architecture, dhows, boats and waterfront restaurants (some only just opened with lots more in the pipeline). The harbour itself is the perfect place to bring curious little boys (or girls) for whom a walk down the jetty and a peek at some serious yachts followed by crab spotting, jelly-fish watching and jet-ski dreaming is pure heaven. (We were even lucky enough to watch a group of guys fly a jet-pack over the water – well this is Dubai after all).

Ok so we know all about the fab location, but now let’s talk burgers at Meat Me There, the city’s newest burger restaurant.

What’s On The Menu?
Burgers, Fries, Shakes. The menu is small and there are only 3 patties to choose from (Burger, Meat Me Burger and Meat Double) to which you can add caramelized, roasted, raw or fried onions – but sometimes less is more and although the menu is basic it is far from boring and the flavours are sensational. We went for 3 Meat Me Burgers (complete with lettuce, tomato, cheese and a ‘secret sauce’ that is similar to a thousand island but far more delicious). The beef is cooked from fresh (never frozen) and is juicy and tasty and served on a soft bun covered in black and white sesame seeds. Hubbie also chose to add roasted onions which gave his burger a gorgeous caramel sweetness with a little crunch.

Also on the menu are 3 hand-cut fry choices (Me Fries, Paprika Me and Chizu Fries) – we opted for one portion of Paprika, delicious skinny twisty fries with a dusting of orange and the Chizu Fries – a new take on cheesy fries combining cheese, caramelized onion pieces, spring onions – utterly divine!. There are also 3 milkshakes (Vanilla, Peanut Butter and Snickers) on the menu – mini chose the vanilla and polished it off within minutes.

Thumbs Up:
Other than being completely delicious (my mouth is watering as I type), the burgers are exactly the right size – hitting the spot without making you feel full and heavy. We love the location – sitting outdoors overlooking the water and the harbor is hard to beat (the restaurant has indoor seating but it’s small and the magic lies in the al fresco/burger combination). Big thumbs up also for the restaurant’s ethos – owned by 2 sisters who vow to only serve the best beef, never frozen and the burgers are all freshly prepared from scratch – waiting a little while for our order just confirmed that this isn’t ordinary fast food and it felt good supporting a boutique business rather than a big chain.

Also love the industrial style serving counter and interior/exterior decor and the minimalist menu options which make deciding so much easier!

Thumbs Down:
I hate to say it (because I love this place) but the milkshake wasn’t great – far too sweet and served in a polystyrene cup – would be great to see something a little more authentic.

Stroller Access?
Yes – not inside though.

Highchairs?
No but strollers will easily push up to the outdoor tables and there are comfy seats that can accommodate little bottoms easily.

Kids Menu?
No but everything on the menu is kid friendly and portions aren’t too huge for small tums.

Price Range: Approximately AED 60 per person (for burger, fries and a drink).

Opening Hours: 12pm – 12am daily (we went at sunset and the temperature was perfect for eating outdoors).

Meat Me There, Al Souq, Jumeirah Beach Rd, Umm Suqeim 2, Tel: (+971) (0) 4 338 7330, www.facebook.com/meatmethere