An impromptu catch up with friends takes me to The Pointe for an evening at the Italian restaurant, Mura.
The maitre’d hands me a menu as she shows me our table. A waiter promptly appears eager to take my drink order. As I have arrived before the rest of my group, I decline and take the opportunity to wander outside and take in the views from the balcony. The sun sets over in the west leaving the waters of The Palm tinted orange and purple to match the evening sky. The Atlantis hotel is silhouetted in the background and the fountains are poised for performance.
At 7pm the music promptly starts and Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock rings out across the Marina with the fountains sprouting and spraying in illuminated harmony. It is spectacular, almost enough to request to move to an outside table. Almost. It is August in Dubai after all. And while the sun is setting the temperature still hovers around a steamy 37℃. I retreat back into the air conditioning.
Mura
Our little group arrives one by one and we greet each other amongst the lemons and trellises reminiscent of summer in Capri.
We are seated and order drinks – tonight it is ’The Red Light’ all round. This vanilla infused rum concoction is ‘berries and a touch of freshness’. I can’t detect the vanilla but the berries are evident both in the mix and with raspberries as a garnish. A mint spig provides the ’freshness’. It requires a nibble to cut through the sweetness of the cocktail itself.
We talk through the 7:30pm fountain performance, busy catching up on each other’s news. At 8pm we jump up and head out to the balcony to watch as the water takes flight in time with a jaunty You’re The One That I Want from “Greece”.
Once we’re back in the air conditioned coolness, we settle back in to our catch ups and conversations. After a little while our Ladies’ Night share platters are served. The platters consist of cheese arancini, truffle fries, calamari and zucchini chips. A bowl of creamy dip and a basket of bread accompanies. Later on a couple of little bowls, one with sun dried tomato tapenade and one containing three (yes 3) olives, arrives. At first I think the dip is tzatziki but no cucumber is evident. It’s creamier and there is no garlic, even later I still can’t place it.
The highlight of the platter is the arancini. It is lovely and cheesy, crisp on the outside and small dollop of tomato sauce is rich and delicious. The downside is that there is only one portion per person. The rest of the food is satisfactory, tasty but all fried and nothing special in terms of flavor. Certainly nothing that leaves me longing for the Amalfi Coast or indeed a return to Mura.
We’re having fun though and the conversation flows generously. It’s always nice to be out with friends and the food and drinks merely compliment the connection.
I order another cocktail, this time with the promise of some cotton candy. I’m intrigued. When it arrives, there are theatrics to go with it. My glass with the floss and a preserved slice of blood orange is quickly covered with a mixture that looks suspiciously like it belongs on a potion shelf in an apothecary. The handcrafted vodka based creation is most certainly on the sweet side. I like the fruitiness though and who can go past some table based theatrics? My friends opt for a glass of Rosé…
We round out the evening with an aqueous interpretation of Wind of Change from the Scorpions. The views are perhaps the highlight of the restaurant but my friends complete The Pointe of the evening.
Good To Know
Mura haven’t gone out of their way to showcase their capabilities with their Ladies’ Night menu. It’s still good value for a weeknight catch up at AED169 per person for three drinks and a sharing platter. However, in my opinion, these week night deals present businesses with a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate their culinary accomplishments and leave their guests wanting more. Given how quiet the restaurant was on this Tuesday night, they have the time to work on how they deliver an experience. Some of the food that passed our table did look delicious and the service was good. Yet, somehow, the experience was lacking overall.
Would I Return?
No.
