Burp-day Meal @ The Meat Co

"so kita nak makan mana? burj al-arab?" hihi.

"lebeh kurang lah."

and he ain't kidding. i mean, we didn't dine at the burj - gile! but this is probably the closest we could get to eating in the company of the only 7-star hotel in the world.


for my 30th birthday dinner, mr. khairul took me to 'the meat co', in souk madinat jumeirah - said to be the place for meat-lovers, with a fantabulous view to boot. it is situated on the sea front of the 'mall', and offers one of the most spectacular view of the arabian gulf, and in particular, the burj al-arab.

mr. khairul booked way in advance to get the best table that faces the burj, right beside the canals where we can enjoy the calming sea water while watching *'abras' pass by ferrying guests across the canals, just like in venice (ewah!).

*abra is the arabic word for boat, is a traditional one made of wood, used to transport people across the dubai creek, sort off like a water-taxi.

it was a wednesday, a working day - but tables were full all around. in fact there were people lining up to get a table.

it was a typical warm summer night, but i was glad sitting snugly where i was, two amazing views in front of me - the magnificent burj al-arab hotel, and the awesome man who brought me here.


khaleef slept on the way here, and woke up mengigau! we sat him up, gave him slices of the yummiest appetizer i've ever eaten - super-soft bread with choc chip and cherries - and he slept while still munching! few minutes later, he woke up, only to get excited over seeing the boats floated by, just to fall asleep again.


kahfi? kahfi meragam and was sweating so we took off his top! straight-away it changed his mood entirely and he cheerfully greeted everyone within 1 mile radius with his infectious smile.

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FOOD REVIEW
other than char kuey teow, the other dish i was always looking for in dubai is a good dish of lamb chops or lamb cutlets. sweet, juicy, tender lamb meat. and that was what i ordered.

we have the option of having a side dish of fries, baked potato or mashed potato. i went for the first, while mr. khairul chose the baked potato. this was a plus point, for some steak house just plop a scoop of mashed potato without giving option like this.

with the place, the view and the price - i waited in high anticipation of the presentation of the dish.

what came was 5 lamb cutlets stacked on a huge white plate, with fat fries in a small bowl on the side. that's it. i don't have pictures, and it's really too dark anyway but you picture just 5 lamb cutlets with fries on the side. not too attractive, yeah?

okay. i took a bite. it was heavenly. nyum nyum. i LOVE lamb chops! and i LOVE fat fries! you know, the kind that looks like shoe string but fatter? but be forewarned. there wasn't even a portion of side-salad or fresh-steamed brocolli and baby carrots that came with the dish. if you want those, you got to order it separately which adds to the cost.

with this pricey meal, i'd have thought a small side scoop of complimentary salad wouldn't hurt! mr. khairul said ramai orang tak makan sayur pun. so they probably wouldn't mind. well, i do! i want some greens to go with my succulent meat!

so if you really want the meat, the meat co gives you just that. it is what they do best. side dishes aside (pun intended!) the meat itself is sweet and juicy, soft to the munch and well-done. complement it with my 'summer breeze' mocktail of orange, pineapple and peach - it's a perfect meal to celebrate being 30!

got a special day to celebrate, then come over!

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me, abah, syima, syida & azi @ souk madinat jumeirah in 2004

the souk madinat jumeirah is a mall adjacent to a resort, made to look like an open-air market (souk) in a typical arabian city, complete with the 'wind towers' - in fact it's like straight from an arabian folklore.

to my sisters korang dah pergi dah mall ni - this was the mall yang kita cakap macam citer aladdin tu? ingat tak? it has clay flooring, wooden door panels and timber pillars; along with intricate arabic-pattern carvings on its walls. the walls are painted to resemble clay, and the 'wind towers' reinforce the authentic arabian feel.

me @ souk madinat jumeirah in 2009

see my picture on the right? that's the wind towers. before the invention of air conditioners, the inhabitants of the middle east used wind towers to capture wind and direct it to the interior, cooling their homes. cool, eh?

one thing that i don't like about it is we could get lost in its meandering pathways along the bazaar-like atmosphere. the mall is beautiful, but you really have to know where you were before you start loafing around!

other than the numerous retails shops and makan places inside, the madinat jumeirah also has waterfront eateries to choose from, one of them is the meat co. nyum! truly one of the must-stop attractions in dubai, at least to get some pictures against a backdrop of classic arabian architecture and the sail-shaped 7-star hotel, burj al-arab!

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mr. khairul had only this to say, "happy birthday, sayang. i love you my kerepot loving wife!"

hmmph!

enjoy this short video of the burj al-arab changing colors in this warm summer night, plus a special, yet lawak (albeit sad) rendition of 'happy birthday' song from khaleef.