Gerbou

Gerbou, meaning “welcome” aims to present Emirati cuisine in a refined and stylish manner. One of the earliest attempts to present Emirati cuisine was Al Fanar which had a good start in terms of ambience and food. Visually, Gerbou is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful restaurants in Dubai. The decor and ambiance is simply outstanding. Now to the menu. For a restaurant that is offering Emirati cuisine I found it a bit awkward to find items like Hummus, Muhammara, falafel and Mansaf on the menu. While these are popular in the broader Arab world, they are not part of traditional Emirati cuisine. Arabic cuisine is incredibly diverse, spanning from Morocco to Egypt, the Levant, and the Gulf—each with its own distinct culinary identity. I personally do like Levantine cuisine, and I am very fond of Mansaf but it simply does not belong on an Emirati menu. Even more unexpected were the additions of grilled steak and paneer pakora, which felt out of place. Wanting to stay true to the restaurant’s theme, we opted for the Emirati dishes. The Bahraini Kebab was served cold and so was the machboos. The later was bland and tasteless. The Samosa was more of a toast sandwich than traditional Samosa. In general I had higher expectations. The desserts, on the other hand, were stand out. They showcased Emirati flavours with a creative, modern twist, and we thoroughly enjoyed each one we tried. I would come back only for the desserts. Personally I believe the kitchen needs someone with local background (apart from the desserts). As the restaurant serves breakfast and fawala (similar to afternoon tea) I would come and try them also.