Bagatelle brings opulent French-Mediterranean dining to the heart of Dubai’s Fairmont Hotel. Famed for championing a joie de vivre lifestyle, this globally-renowned restaurant aims to evoke the spirit of St Tropez through glamorous interiors and luxurious food. The concept for Bagatelle originated in New York where two French entrepreneurs, Remi Laba and Aymeric Clemente, opened the first restaurant. Drawing on their experience in the hospitality industry, they wanted to open somewhere that reimagined the South of France’s festive spirit and friendly atmosphere. The brand has since gone on to open multiple sites across the globe.
The menus at this outlet in Dubai are spearheaded by chefs Rocco Seminara and Timothy Newton, who aim to bring a taste of the French Riviera to the UAE. Executive chef Timothy has worked under the likes of Francesco Mazzei and Matt Moran over the years, moving to Dubai in 2010 to open Le Petite Maison as executive sous chef.
Bagatelle Dubai is available for dinner only, although it stays open well into the early hours of the morning. Examples of starters include stuffed courgette flowers with goat’s cheese, pine nuts, truffle honey and pistou, and crispy octopus with lemon and parsley purée, caper aioli, and brown butter jus gras. You can also order the likes of premium caviar, various pates and fresh oysters to get your tastebuds going.
Mains are comprised largely of meat and fish-based dishes, such as whole truffle roasted chicken with sautéed foie gras, potatoes grand-mère and sourdough bread, or smoked whole seabass with cherry tomato and piquillo pepper fondue, with Nocellara olive and orange salad. Desserts are just as decadent and include crepes dentelles with pistachio ice cream, and tonka bean crème brulee with red wine and fig leaf. Do note that there are dedicated vegetarian and vegan menus for meat-free eaters.