Located at: 8^th Street, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Visited on: 15 March, 2020

The thing with PAUL is that they offer something new to try every few months. So, while I have previously enjoyed and reviewed a few of their specialties (https://theeatlog.com/2018/05/07/paul-deira-city-center/ and https://theeatlog.com/2019/10/19/eclairs-at-paul/), this review looks at a few items on their newest menu. Also why we keep returning to Paul is because they never disappoint – both in terms of innovation and flavour, plus all of their outlets are great for meet-ups.

On this particular occasion, I tried their Ginger Chicken Cashew Bowl – sautéed chicken in Hoisin orange sauce, cut vegetables and white rice or wild (black) rice, topped with a sunny side up (AED 58). I opted for wild rice. I must say, the actual looked almost exactly as depicted in the menu. And it had great flavour. The chicken was tender and moist, the veggies had crunch and there was plenty of cashew to enjoy. The wild rice turned out to be a good choice too as it added another dimension of texture with its extra bite, and the flavour from the runny sauce made it quite enjoyable. As a whole, this was a lovely dish – filling, but comfortably so.

The second dish we tried was their Chicken Tagliatelle – tagliatelle pasta with sautéed chicken, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes, topped with parmesan and fresh rosemary (AED 59). The portion seemed small as soon as it came, but it did have a substantial serving tucked into the dish. Above all, it tasted great, with the pine nuts giving it a bit of crunchy texture and the sun-dried tomato adding a tangy pang. The parmesan on top complemented the creaminess of the dish perfectly. A simple yet thoroughly enjoyable dish.

We also tried the Chicken Avocado (hot) Sandwich (AED 46). Again, something so simple, yet wonderfully and carefully constructed with pan seared chicken, fresh avocado, Emmental cheese, tomato and garlic mayo. The bread was soft and warm and there was a perfect balance of fresh and cooked ingredients. The fries were nicely done too, and the lettuce on the side was fresh and beautifully dressed with a touch of olive oil and vinaigrette.

We actually tried the desserts that follow at Paul Al Ghurair on a later date, but I’m mentioning them here itself as they are available at all of Paul’s outlets.

Their Gateau Croustillant (AED 24) is not for the faint-hearted. It comes with layers of soft sponge and cocoa-heavy mousse whose bold, near-subtle bitterness is moderated by the chocolate glaze on top. Certainly something for hard-core chocoholics.

The next item is what I thought to be their Tropical Tart. However, turns out it has a different name which I absolutely cannot seem to locate at the moment with the lockdowns and what not. Anyway, it cost AED 35 and turned out to be mango and pineapple atop a flaky but composed coconut-y base. While there was a bit of tartness to the topping, it was certainly neutralised by the coconut flavour and sweetness of the base. Hence, something for tropical fans to enjoy.

Yummy Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

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