Al Dawaar – Revolving Restaurant – Hyatt, Deira

Al Dawaar restaurant - (top right) - Hyatt Regency Dubai
Al Dawaar restaurant – proudly on top of Hyatt Regency Dubai

Living in Dubai for more than 30 years and I’ve been seeing this building for a long time now. Since childhood I’ve been hearing that restaurant on top of Hyatt rotates but I could never see it moving from ground below so I used to think maybe it rotates carefully and slowly that it takes a day to complete a full rotation but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

website: http://www.restaurants.dubai.hyatt.com/restaurants/al-dawaar/

Shk Zayed buildings visible from left window, fish market visible from right
Shk Zayed buildings visible from left window, fish market visible from right

You can’t miss this building if you’ve been in Dubai for a long time. You either come this side to buy some fresh fish from the Fish market or to buy gold from the Gold Souq. Either ways you will notice this legendary building which has been a landmark in this corner of Deira for a long time.

Our Table - initially facing the sea
Our Table – initially facing the sea

So here I am now inside this restaurant. The first thing I wanted to figure was how this restaurant calls it revolving. Finally i realized it’s not the building and it’s we who rotate around the building. The side walls are stationary. We move clock wise. I’ve taken the next 2 photos specifically for you to understand the motion of the floor.

Scene 1: peper is now right of table
Scene 1: pepper is now right of table

Scene1: Notice the pepper and pillar on the right side.
Scene2: Notice the same pepper and pillar now on the left of the table. The table and chairs have now moved to the right side. This happened in a minute. so you now you know the speed at which we are revolving.

Scene 2: pepper is now left of table
Scene 2: pepper is now left of table

The whole restaurant is covered by glass windows on its side so you can definitely find a seat to enjoy the wide beauty of Dubai and gobble your food. When u are in this restaurant for lunch, it would be funny if you spend too much time looking for a table without sunlight cause you are revolving and surely you will have to meet the sun in the next turn.

bread and butter - on the house
bread and butter – on the house

It would be a joke if somebody ate this entire bread and filled his stomach. He’ll regret as soon as he enters the buffet zone. Even though i’ve got a healthy appetite, it would look impossible for me to complete the buffet even if i took only one of each item.

The buffet for lunch is priced at Dhs 175 per head and kids between age 6 and 12 pay half the price. 5 and below go in for free. By the way, this is without any drink. So you will need to pay extra for the drinks you order. A small bottle of water should cost you around Dhs 18.

Dubai hospital and shj buildings visible
Dubai hospital and shj buildings visible

I opted to go for lunch so I could see Dubai landscape rather than just lights in the night. My seat was facing the ocean when I just got seated. While i was having my lunch my view covered the densely populated Deira city, Sheikh Zayed road buildings, Fish Market. By the time I ended my dinner and packed to go, I was back in my first view which is the ocean again.

I really enjoyed the experience in here. Felt rejuvenated. Maybe it’s the ever moving views, sunlight, excellent collection of food and great service. I noticed whenever i finished a plate, it would be picked up by the time I come back with my next filled plate 🙂 You would also find them at the buffet who would serve and explain you if needed.

Mocktails - Dhs 32 - Tropical breeze(left), caribbean fruit punch(middle), Amigo(right)
Mocktails – Dhs 32 – Tropical breeze(left), caribbean fruit punch(middle), Amigo(right)

We started our lunch with Mocktails.

Mocktails

  • Amigo – water melon syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice and peach nector with peach syrup.
  • Tropical breeze – grandine, passion fruit syrup, lime, orange juice, pineapple juice & cranberry juice.
  • Carabbean fruit punch – blue caracoa, almond syrup, lemon juice, grape fruit juice and orange juice.

Amigo Mocktail was a clear winner to me out of the three. I just couldn’t stop enjoying it.

Fresh garden greens
Fresh garden greens

Fresh garden greens

  • Mix leaves, carrots, cucumber, cherry tomato, sweet corn, beetroot
  • Tomato salsa, avocado, Thai salsa, Chiltomate sauce, roasted almond and sunflower seeds
  • Dressing
  • Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian vinaigrette, french dressing.
Fresh garden greens
Fresh garden greens

Appetizer

  • Smoked salmon
  • Marinated sardine
  • Roasted chicken
  • Roasted beef
Mezzah - Mezzah -  Humus, stuffed vine leaves, Spicy eggplant walnut salad, Cucumber yogurt tzatziki and more...
Mezzah – Mezzah – Humus, stuffed vine leaves, Spicy eggplant walnut salad, Cucumber yogurt tzatziki and more…

Mezzah

  • Humus, stuffed vine leaves
  • Peanut chat, sprouted moong salad
  • Salad shirazi, cuscus vegetable salad
  • Tomato pistachio salad
  • Spicy eggplant walnut salad
  • Cucumber yogurt tzatziki, spicy potato salad

So when I stepped into their buffet section I just go lost. Didn’t know where to start from, what to take and how to end it. There were too many options to eat and quality items. I mean it wasn’t like those buffet where you see a lot of items for the heck of it and you couldn’t really enjoy any of them. These were really made, positioned beautifully and it would entice you from a distance. Most importantly you had a wide range of selection so if you were not totally satisfied with one, there were plenty of other items that can keep you happy.

Part of salad bar
Part of salad bar

Salads

  • Spicy seafood salad
  • Thai chili beef salad
  • Grilled tuna loin salad
  • Sundry tomato chicken salad
  • Som tam-green papaya salad
  • Roasted pumpkin salad
pickles
pickles

They had lot of add-ons to super charge your meal. What I most liked about this restaurant was that it was clean, neat, and you felt like the buffet was happening at your place with a few private guests. You never even had to wait in queue for the buffet. It was a healthy atmosphere.

prawns (left) and smoked salmon
prawns (left) and smoked salmon
Kabab-e- kubideh(left) and chicken kebab(right)
Kabab-e- kubideh(left) and chicken kebab(right)

Arabic

  • Shish kebab-Lebanese grilled beef kebab coriander tomato garlic
  • Lebanese chicken kebab with smoked paprika and garlic
  • Samkeh harrah traboulseyeh
  • Sheikh el mahshi-batinjaan-eggplant stuffed with meat
Stir fried beef(left) and Shish kebab(right)
Stir fried beef(left) and Shish kebab(right)

It’s difficult to mention all that was available but here’s a little of the main dishes:

Iranian

  • Esfenaj sorkh kardeh- fried spinach with crispy onions
  • Bamiah bil lahm
  • Kabab-e- kubideh – minced lamb kabab

I must stop here to say that there kabab-e-kubideh is very good. My wife loved it too.

Jhiga biryani
Jhiga biryani

Indian

  • Jhiga biryani
  • Kadai mix sabzi
  • Dal saag tadka
Dal saag tadka(left) and Rad nar rice noddle (right)
Dal saag tadka(left) and Rad nar rice noddle (right)

Asian

  • Stir fried beef
  • Stir fried shrimps with cashnuts
  • Teriyaki salmon steak with pak choi
  • Rad nar -rice noodle
veal shank stew
veal shank stew
Braised stuffed squid
Braised stuffed squid

Continental

  • Crispy duck confit with glazed apple sauce
  • Ossobuco, veal shank stew
  • Braised stuffed squid
Crispy duck confit with glazed apple sauce
Crispy duck confit with glazed apple sauce
Brine rib-eye roll herb crust
Brine rib-eye roll herb crust
Fish - Sea bass
Fish – Sea bass

Carving

  • Brine rib-eye roll herb crust, mushroom spinach
  • Sea bass, sun dry tomato salsa

The fish was really nice. I had quite bit of this one and the prawns were fresh as ever. Couldn’t complain.

Fresh marinated green lip mussel
Fresh marinated green lip mussel
court bouillon boiled prawns
court bouillon boiled prawns

Seafood bar

  • Lunch – Fresh marinated green lip mussel, court bouillon boiled prawns
  • Three kind of sushi, California and assorted roll, soya sauce, ginger pickle and wasabi
California and assorted roll, soya sauce, ginger pickle and wasabi
California and assorted roll, soya sauce, ginger pickle and wasabi

 I tried their complete collection of sushi but one mistake i made was, I thought the green dipper as equivalent to chutney but actually you are supposed to have only a pint of it, so in my first dip my mouth was on fire and i finished my mocktail completely in that one sip.

my plate of appetizers
my plate of appetizers
Me caught lost in the dessert section
Me caught lost in the dessert section
Desserts - Mango pavalova, Pecan nut chocolate brownie, white forest cake
Desserts – Mango pavalova, Pecan nut chocolate brownie, white forest cake
Dessert - chocolate fudge brownie(right) and meringue(left)
Dessert – chocolate fudge brownie(right) and meringue(left)
Desserts - Fruit cake, Mango passion fruit cheese cake, Coconut raspberry tartlet, Apple tart slice, Apricot sacher, Chocolatine cake
Desserts – Fruit cake, Mango passion fruit cheese cake, Coconut raspberry tartlet, Apple tart slice, Apricot sacher, Chocolatine cake
my plate of desserts
my plate of desserts

You see that Pecan nut chocolate brownie(left) on my plate that’s what i admired the most from the desserts. I just couldn’t stop eating it. Love pecans and ate them like crazy. Surely others were a joy to my mouth but somehow the pecan nut chocolate brownie got me excited.

Ice creams with vanilla sauce, raspberry sauce, chocolate sauce Berry compote
Ice creams with vanilla sauce, raspberry sauce, chocolate sauce Berry compote

From above you can select your ice cream, mix and match your toppings and make the best out of it. It’s been interesting eating here and its worth Dhs 175 they charge for that good experience especially the ever changing views and tons of quality selections you are offered at their buffet. To see the full collections of photos in full screen view, please click on the photos below.

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  1. Two words…. dessert table!! phew dude…. I always think about the rotating restaurant growing up n never went up, so eventually it became like an urban myth now v know its real n pretty cool Id say….

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