Background
Dish Catering, a small-scale start-up catering and dining concept, opened its doors to the public in 2008, spearheaded by Henry and Kate, two visionaries and professional workhorses (not to mention husband and wife). Today, the Dish team manage over 200 staff, with 50 people in the Dubai kitchen itself. They have managed to crack the code of catering to corporate parties, luncheons, royal engagements and many more VIP bespoke events, catering from 20 to over 500 people. What sets them apart is their high standards and relentless effort to make the public come back for more.
Ramadan Nights
The concept of Ramadan Nights started in 2016 when Dish tried out a new pop-up-style restaurant concept in a warehouse that turned a lot of heads and got people talking, creating a buzz in the culinary scene. They managed to pull it off with finesse and ease. So when I heard about their pop-up restaurant this year through DoinDubai, it was only appropriate I find out what all the hype was about…
Located in an industrial area, nestled amongst warehouses and car dealers, Dish Catering created a pop-up restaurant for the entire month of Ramadan, serving up a set iftar menu to its customers. Dish managed to turn the warehouse space into a tasteful, comforting, yet homey affair for all.
The Food
Dish’s executive chef, Ryan Thomas, likes to keep things simple yet memorable, with consistency being key. During Ramadan, you normally break the fast with a handful of dates and some water. In this case, Dish served up their own homemade juices. The meal continued with a very pleasant and perfectly seasoned lentil soup served with olive hummus and a warm bread basket.
The salads were anything but just salad kinda affairs. I loved loved loved the grilled peach and rocket salad, so fresh and zingy I could’ve eaten a big bowl of it and not worried about anything else. The sautéed green beans made the entire dish come together beautifully. But the highlight of the veg dishes had to be the cauliflower falafel salad, with bits of falafel here and there along with roasted cauliflower, all tossed together with a yoghurt- and tahini-based dressing.
Next came the Oriental cold smoked salmon, which was melt-in-your-mouth soft, leaving a delicious smoky tang. With the rose-water-infused shish tawook, eating chicken kebabs with rose petals was a first for me, but it worked just fine. The highlight of the mains was the lamb ouzi, a slow-cooked, braised lamb shoulder on a bed of saffron cranberry rice, topped with sliced red chilli and coriander and served with a yoghurt cucumber sauce. I would eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner – it was to die for, one of the best lamb ouzis I’ve ever eaten.
The desserts were anything but ordinary. The first was a coconut dome: a dark chocolate “coconut” shell filled with a coconut and chocolate cremeux on a bed of passion fruit curd. The other dessert was a summery grapefruit and vanilla custard trifle, both of which had distinct textures and flavours that left me satisfied.
Verdict
I. Cannot. Wait. For. Next. Year. I’m just so happy about the existence of this concept and company. Dish Catering pride themselves on creating special and strong, long-lasting relationships with their clients, and rest assured, they achieved that and much more this Eid. This meal was a huge highlight of my Ramadan 2017.
To contact Dish Catering, phone +971 4 422 1613 or email info@dish.ae.
