Bob’s Fish & Chips : Simply Tasty!

a good plate of fish and chips needs no frills – just juicy freshly fried fish, crispy fat fries, and tangy tartar sauce. plain and simple. and that’s what bob’s fish & chips delivers! bob’s fish & chips is in dubai marina, opposite marina byblos hotel. you can clearly see BOB’S – can’t miss it!

 

i can eat this all day with bottomless tartar sauce!

 

bob’s fish & chips is open from 8am and they have a spread of english breakfast like all kinds of omelette and such. bob’s fish & chips not only serve seafood, but they have others like lamb kebab and chicken burgers too. of course, for their main dishes, you can choose between black cod, dory, hammour, salmon or red snapper; shrimps and calamari too. wide choice! not too hungry? soups and salad are available too.

 

free valet parking and free wifi – plus point!

 

it would be so pleasant to sit outside during dubai winter and enjoy the cool weather while eating hot fresh fish & chips!

 

 

simple and sweet decor. a comfy place to enjoy good ol fish & chips.

  

i love the presentation! served in this quirky metal pan. love it!

 

i took ‘hammour and chips’ – hammour fillet in crispy batter served with chips & tartar sauce. as good as can be! not too oily, the crisp batter is satisfying, the fish fresh and the tartar sauce deliciously tangy! i would come again!

 

 

mr khairul chose ‘grilled spicy fish fillet’ – marinated in bob’s chef’s secret spice, marinade and grilled to perfection. served with baked potato or mixed salad; and mr. khairul chose the baked potato. too pricey for a simple dish, but it’s tasty. most importantly, the fish tasted fresh!

 

 

khaleef got himself the chicken burger. satisfying, as good as any simple chicken burger.

 

opposite marina byblos, open from 8am to 4am! i’m thinking we can drop by for sahur during ramadhan!

Seafood @ Aprons & Hammers With Old UIA Mate

i love a good old fashioned fish and chips. no frills. just plain batter-fried fish & chunky fries, with extra tartar sauce. and when i know aprons & hammers is open near my place at the beach JBR, i set it as a reunion spot with an old friend from my university days. welcome to dubai, peeja!

aprons & hammers is a seafood restaurant at the beach JBR, amongst the cheesecake factory and burger place shake shack.

 

we havent seen each other since forever! she’s still the same bubbly peeja i know from back then. it was easy to fall back into conversation with her as we both so talkative! haha. another friend of ours iky and syaz joined later. peeja had known the couple since way back, and i knew them while living in dubai. small world, eh!

 

eating outside would be so awesome with the sea view, and fresh air – but we wanted a cosy space indoor.

 

funny peeja – cant decide what to eat! the were wide range of seafood dishes to choose from – fish, shrimp, clams, even soups and salad – take your pick! there’s even paella – the spanish dish comprised of fried rice and a spread of seafood all together in a big plate.

 

 

oh i cant over how cute the name of the restaurant is – aprons & hammers. aprons coz when you eat lobster you’ll get comot. and hammers coz you need them when you pound your way into that juicy, succulent crab flesh! thus, aprons & hammers! there were even wooden hammers available on each table that looked more like a judge’s gavel used in court! haha.

 

i also love the decor – so youthful and fun! with visible light bulbs against a backdrop of greeneries flowing from above, all across one of the walls. somewhat a refreshing feel.

 

bro joy, peeja’s hubby the one cool dude and their adorable son feroz. too cheeky for words! notice the drinks station at the back, built to look like a makeshift container, ready to be shipped somewhere. raw and cool!

 

love the haphazard arrangement of the planks on the wall, with no apparent pattern. this would freak out those hardcore OCDs! but i love it! i would want it on my kitchen wall or something.

 

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as usual, open our appetite with hot fresh buns. some people will look at this ‘one eye only’ hahaha but i LOVE complimentary breads! the BEST complimentary buns and bread i’ve ever eaten is at cheesecake factory. just gobble up and finish the black-colored bun – it’s SO good!

 

  

little feroz love fried calamari, so mummy peeja ordered this big plate. so take note that the portion is quite big so if you’re not too hungry or just looking for a light snack, this could be it! it’s classic crispy calamari, a big heap of tasty hand-breaded calamari with a tantalizing tartar sauce. i love fried calamari too, and these are freshly friend and SO good! not rubbery at all!

 

 

i took this good ol plate of gov’s fish & chips – fried in a classic batter, served with fried and tartar sauce. what can go wrong? fish too oily? batter too crumbly? nope. fish & chips at aprons & hammers is delicious! i personally prefer the batter rather than the bread-crumbs fish so this one is really satisfying! again, the portion is considerably huge so you can opt to share.

 

 

this is miami sunset fish fillet – dusted in crispy bread flakes; tender and crunchy on the outside. served with fries but bro joy opted for rice instead. sometimes you just cant take the rice out of someone's diet! hihi

 

 

and this glorious sight is the shrimp bucket. enough said. i don’t really like shrimps (except for tempura) but this bucket looks so tempting!

 

old friends & new friends. *hugs*

 

aprons & hammers is a rockin place to enjoy your favorite seafood with a wide selection of yummies to pick from. you can sit outside for the sea view and really take on the whole experience of munching shrimps or hammering crabs in front of the beach. otherwise, enjoy the cool decor and interior. best of all, not only is the food so delicious, but the large portion makes me so happy to come back for another seafood get together! 

aprons & hammers. the beach, JBR!

Thanks For Lunch Treat @ Soy, Ibn Battuta Mall

if you ever wanna eat at ‘soy’ chinese restaurant, the best branch would be at ibn battuta mall, simply because of the ambiance – it’s located at the CHINA court! I mean, what better way to enjoy oriental dishes than at a section of the mall with a CHINESE theme?

(ibn battuta mall has sections named after countries – china court, india court, egypt court and few more – representing the travels of the great explorer ibn battuta)

 

thanks so much for the delicious treat abg kama azlan & kak mas, our lovely buddies from abu dhabi – great company, good food, delightful conversations and lots of laugh! thanks for thinking of us when it comes to lunchin and munchin!

 

 

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I want one of these. cute square thingys to put sauce, dips and condiments

 

I’m not a fan of spicy tomyam, so this one I like – which means it’s NOT that spicy. so for those who love their tomyam to be authentically super spicy, please make a personal request to the chef. heheh. I enjoy slurping this ‘tomyam prawn’ because it has enough spices and taste to make it delicious, and less-spicy enough to make in tolerable!

 

this dish is surprisingly good. I’ve only eaten sweet spicy fish, so this was a nice surprise. ‘sweet spicy hong kong chilli prawn’ is NOT that spicy for this malay (try la sambal udang melayu style baru tau spicy tak spicy!) but being a non-fan of spicy dishes, I love it. the use of lots of capsicum gives it an additional taste that I like, and the texture of the prawn is nice and tender.

 

the star of the table was this magnificent dish of ‘black pepper crab’. aku ni pemalas nak kopek-kopek so I let the boys have their fun scouting for crab flesh in the middle of the thick peppery gravy. us ladies just wait by the side for our knight in shining armor to drop pinch of crab flesh on our plate. thanks guys! this dish is alright!

 

mix green veggies – fresh veggies, crunchy and tasty. a simple dish that satisfies!

 

for the kids – ‘crispy honey chicken’, which sounds promising but fail to impress. the chicken is too dry despite coated with liquid. had it been bigger pieces, this would have been a better dish.

 

girl talk over two plates of delights. blueberry cheesecake and a very questionable chocolate cake. I say ‘questionable’ because the chocolate cake has got this weird after-taste that’s similar to a soap bubble. like, seriously. what WAS that? we didn’t even finish the chocolate cake. (nways, got a girl-crush on kak mas. she’s so cantik! she reminds me of my lovely auntyna. kan? kan?)

 

the blueberry cheesecake, however, is a winner. deliciously smooth and creamy. yum!

 

here’s kazim sharing a plate of chocolate cake with uncle kama azlan. this was BEFORE we realize that the weird soap-bubble taste was not a figment of our imagination. kih kih.

 

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thanks again abg kama azlan & kak mas, for the treat at ‘soy’ ibn battuta mall! always entertaining when hanging out with you guys. the next time you’re in dubai, you know who to buzz – especially to keep you guys company la for lunch, dinner or supper!

Miyabi Sushi & Bento : Japanese & Korean Dishes in Dubai

found a new delicious hangout for japanese food in dubai : ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ along sheikh zayed road. it offers a wide selection of japanese and korean dishes; from sushi to tempura and bento. soba, ramen and udon noodles and bulgogi bibimbap too. you’re really spoilt for choice, albeit slightly more expensive than at our favorite japanese restaurants ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’.

‘sumo’ has always been our regular japanese makan spot as it’s close to our place – media city or the one jumeirah road. (click here for review on media city and here for jumeirah road.) however, mr. khairul’s favorite is ‘bento-ya’ along sheikh zayed road. (click here for review and directions to bento-ya)

he’s the japanese food-fan between us, so you gotta take his word for it.

 

 

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‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is located in union tower along sheikh zayed road, next to four points by sheraton. it’s one hidden gem recognizable by the green signage, and bamboo exterior; giving it a japanese feel – which is ironic coz ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is a californian chain. haha.

 

 

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a plus presentation of their japanese tea. quite a nightmare when you have 3 boys who are curious about the heated teapot; but this is really lovely.

 

I’m SO not a fan of sushi; so I only look for stuff with ‘tempura’, ‘katsu’ or ‘teriyaki’ in it. I took the ‘samurai bento’ – with fresh crunchy veggies, juicy chicken teriyaki, 3 kinds of sashimi, and mixed tempura. served with hot steamed rice.

 

the teriyaki chicken is absolutely delicious. well-marinated and so juicy. texture is soft and tender – a winner.

 

not only are my mixed tempura crispy, it’s freshly hot which makes it even more tantalizing. I love the prawns tempura, and surprisingly even the tempura lady fingers. love it.

 

I repeat – I’m SO not a sushi fan but I’ve got some in my bento so I thought of just giving it a try. ngap. nope, still hates it. so off to mr. khairul’s bento you go, you weird-tasting sushi thingys. well, at least I can taste the freshness!

 

now this is mr. khairul’s meal – he took the ‘shogun bento’ – with pretty much the same stuff I got in my ‘samurai bento’ however, instead of teriyaki chicken, he has teriyaki salmon; and instead of the sushi, he has one of those raw-looking slices of fish.

 

mr. khairul loves his salmon teriyaki. I tried a few bites and the flesh is well-seasoned that the taste seeps through the fish. delicious. but I’ll stick to my chicken.

 

khaleef my eldest is starting to follow bapak’s palate – he’s a curry-freak already, and now he just loves japanese food, especially the japanese ‘miso soup’. his favorite dish when we go to japanese restaurants is the ‘chicken katsu’. however, the chicken katsu at ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is slightly dry, so it’s not as juicy as the ‘chicken katsu’ at ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’. still tasty in khaleef’s term.

 

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overall, the food at ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is delicious, with a nice ambiance and a good location too (not too far from our place, parking is fairly easy, along sheikh zayed road).

however, it’s more expensive than we’re used to at our other regular japanese hangouts. we may come again for the wide selection, but for our usual favorites, we’ll stick to ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’!

Mango Curry & Iced Chili Drink @ Calicut Paragon

‘calicut paragon’ in karama is one of our favorite indian restaurants in dubai. for the best dry fry crab with the juiciest flesh and spicy marinade, this is the place to be.

however, during our umpteenth visit to ‘calicut paragon’, we decided to eat hot steamed rice with fish curry – and not just any normal fish curry – but MANGO fish curry! also, mr. khairul was pushing his adventurous foodie card a little too far this time by ordering an iced cool drink – with cut-up chili in it.

yeap. icy cold drink with chili slices. crazy!

 

the scary drink called ‘green fire’ with sliced chili

 

steamed rice, with mango fish curry – my first try

 

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one of our favorite indian restaurants in dubai – other than appa kadai, and saravana bhavan

 

other than our must-order dry fry crab, this is also our favorite appetizer – the ‘spinach delight’, crispy fried spinach served with garlic flavored spicy sauce. crispy, crunchy, delicious and really appetizing! we never come here without ordering a plate!

 

tangy mango fish curry

 

this is the first time I tried the ‘mango fish curry’, fresh fish and raw mango in creamy coconut milk. hmm mango. I half-expected this dish to be slightly on the sweet side like our malay ‘pajeri nenas’. then I remembered that I LOVE pajeri nenas, so I would probably like this dish too. it does have that slight tang of mango but not too empowering.

the flesh of the fish falls off easily from the bones like jelly. lovely texture. the curry gravy is not too thick. an overall delicious dish that is so perfect with hot steamed rice. highly recommended.

 

the star : the dry fry crab

 

“..and this is the dish that we came here for. if you’re a crab-fan, don’t miss trying this dry fry crab when you’re at ‘calicut paragon’.

it’s marinated to perfection, and spiced well. the bits of crumbs on the plate floor adds to the appeal of this dish. mr. khairul was disturbingly quiet the entire time as he ravaged through the delicious dry fry crab. literally tak toleh kiri kanan!

i only get to taste one bite! but that’s just because i’m no fan of this side-walking creature of the sea. i’ll let the real crab-freak finish this one!”

- what I wrote in my first ever review of the dry fry crab at ‘calicut paragon’. click here to read more.

 

me eating briyani rice or steamed rice and indian curry is incomplete without these accompanying buddies – the every appetizing crispy popadam, and the refreshing yoghurt dip ‘raitha’. it’s like my ‘sambal belacan’ la. must have!

 

‘the green fire’, a drink with chili, said to be a popular drink in some parts of india

 

and now we come to that crazy drink that mr. khairul was bold (and brave) enough to try – called the ‘green fire’ described in its menu as a ‘refreshing passion fruit drink with ripped chili and lime’.

the key word is CHILI. it’s suicide for your tongue!

mr. khairul stirred, and plunged his straw deep down, and took a sip. I’m sure steam was coming out of his ears macam citer kartun tu. it was a weird combo – icy cold, and yet super spicy.

actually the trick is to pull up your straw and drink the top part of the drink; since all the chili and whatnot are at the bottom. then only you get the passion fruit taste with that intended spicy zing. it won’t be that spicy. mr. khairul found this out the hard way – only after subjecting his taste bud to this incomprehensible spicy chili drink!

 

 

click here to read our first experience at ‘calicut paragon’.