Siraj Restaurant is bringing the heart of Emirati Levantine cuisine back to the melting pot of Dubai. Mediterranean, Levantine, Persian, Yemeni and Indian are blended to create Arabic dishes with a contemporary twist, appetizing for locals, tourists and expats alike.
Housed in Souk Al Bahar, the world-famous building overlooking the Dubai Fountain, Siraj is a tour through the history of Dubai. Walls are adorned with Arabic calligraphy and the poetry of HH Sheikh Mohammed, there are seven stone arches to represent the seven emirates of the UAE, and a collection of golden horses symbolises the unbreakable elements of Dubai’s culture. The entire space is soaked in the rich Arabic culture which continues to define the city, despite its large and growing expat community.
This upscale establishment also boasts a terrace offering fantastic views of Dubai’s nightly fountain show, accompanied by shisha.
The menu is packed full of regional flavours and extravagant twists. Start off with a soup, salad, or hot or cold appetiser like the signature Halawa salad, sautéed camel hummus, shrimp fatteh with eggplant, or roasted oat soup with shredded beef and barley. Mains are a smorgasbord of delicious Arabic cuisine; try the shrimps majboos (a traditional Emirati dish of rice and shrimps cooked in tomato sauce and spices), grilled saffron lobster or wagyu steak served with dried curry potato and zaatar pesto.
Dessert offers the best of Emirati cuisine, with logaymat (traditional sweet with dates) and um ali (traditional Arab dessert with baked dough, milk and cream, raisins, and roasted nuts). If you’re feeling stuck, Siraj also offers set menus with a salad/cold appetiser, hot appetiser, main course and dessert.
Respectful of local custom, Siraj does not sell alcoholic drinks but instead offers a vast range of soft drinks, mocktails, non-alcoholic champagne, smoothies, teas, and coffees.