So we took a look…
The invitation was to one of the themed food nights in the large international all-day dining destination, in the block on the TECOM side.
We opted for Arabic – often a good test of kitchen capabilities in what is after all an Arabic country – and found some tasty gems lurking amid a generous selection.
The design and layout of the restaurant is functional and efficient rather than luxurious and overtly stylish. And that places the focus firmly on the food and conversation.
Amid the regular crowd-pleasers of Baba Ganoush and Tabbouleh, juicy stuffed vine leaves proved moreish as did a Fried Cauliflower Salad which yielded good texture and taste.
They clearly have something of a cold starters artisan at work in The Avenue kitchen, as we were drawn back again by an impressive Baby Marrow Salad, a Vegetable and Chicken Terrine as boisterous in flavour as it was colour, and a Grilled Asparagus and Pecorino Salad that was both refreshing and slightly additive.
The only item that let the side down a little was a serving of Hummus Bil Lahme which, while full of flavour bolstered by morsels of moist spiced meat, was a touch dry.
The long row of silver servers hosted a varied mix ranging from Arabian feasting staples of whole baked fish and succulent Lamb Ouzi to a well-cooked Palestinian-inspired Chicken Musakhan and perky Batata Harra, aka Lebanese spiced potatoes.
The highlights for this hungry visitor, however, were the Dawood Basha – succulent meatballs in an indulgent tomato sauce that warranted a second serving – and plump Gamberi Mashwi sautéed prawns in a subtle sauce that backed up rather than buried the taste of the sweet white meat.
Oh, and those tender lamb chops laid among mixed Mahashi-style vegetables was a treat of a way to get some of your five-a-day imbibed.
With all that to go at, setting aside stomach space for dessert took willpower, but we found a silky Umm Ali, a light Crème Caramel and a naughty but nice mango mousse in a shot glass rounded things off nicely.
The Yassat Gloria buildings offer a handful of other dining opportunities either side of sleepless SZR, including Café Royal, Anatolia and La Teresse, the latter of which was undergoing refurbishment during our visit.
And with Internet City metro station bridge close to the front entrance of both buildings, you can always opt to change your destination without re-parking the car.
After this experience, however, we’re definitely tempted to wander down The Avenue again to sample the other themed buffet nights - and maybe try not to fill up on those super salads.
DETAILS:
FOR adults the cost for The Avenue's themed buffets is as follows: 140AED for Arabic night, 130AED for Asian night, 150AED for Seafood night. That includes water, tea or coffee (no alcohol is served in the hotel). THE price is halved for children aged six-11 and is free for under fives. And there is plenty for young vegetarians to go at, as our my son Harry discovered.
THE Avenue’s buffet features in the current Entertainer Dubai 2016, giving you two for the price of one.
TO book and for general information on Yassat Gloria Hotel & Apartments, go to www.yassatgloria.com
YOU'LL find two for one deals for Passat Gloria in The Entertainer:
www.theentertainerme.com