5/5 Anna T. 5 years ago on Google
Born
in
Toronto
in
the
summer
of
2012,
a
tavern
with
an
impressive,
old
fashion
bar
and
a
concept
of
elevated
casual
cuisine
featuring
responsibly
sourced
meat,
it
was
only
a
matter
of
time
before
Weslodge
went
international.
Two
years
ago
the
model
moved
across
the
ocean,
landing
on
the
68th
floor
of
one
of
the
tallest
hotels
in
the
world.
As
it
often
happens,
apart
from
the
name,
values
and
careful
approach
to
sourcing
people
and
ingredients,
Weslodge
in
Dubai
seems
to
surpass
its
predecessor,
opening
its
door
to
savvy
crowds
with
great
effect.
Let’s
be
frank.
This
place
is
fancy.
Fancier
than
most
restaurants
in
DIFC
(a
financial
district
known
for
high-end
establishments),
Weslodge
surprises
with
a
minimalistic
yet
extravagant
approach
to
design
that
whispers
elegance
and
luxury.
The
sign
on
the
door
says
“saloon”
but
it’s
the
only
clear
indication
to
categorize
Weslodge
this
way.
My
first
impression
of
royal
hunting
cabin
quickly
disappeared
after
a
closer
look
at
the
soft
sofas
neatly
arranged
for
the
comfort
of
guests.
Warm
spotlight
works
perfectly
with
rather
classy
walls
presenting
a
combination
of
two
solid
paints:
beige
and
dark
green.
The
polished
look
is
accented
by
a
museum-like
art
collection
arranged
with
a
personable
touch
to
create
the
illusion
of
home.
The
importance
of
detail
is
evident
in
the
shining
crystal
glasses,
exhibition
of
occasional
eccentrics
(skull
wall
decor,
central
spider
chandeliers
and
a
giant
orchid
on
a
red
velour
sofa).
What
you
see
from
the
entrance
is
a
long
wooden
bar
with
a
reflective
surface
and
many
tempting
tall
bar
stools.
The
simple
décor
is
augmented
with
liqueurs,
spirits
and
incredible
bartender,
Emilio.
Emilio
is
not
so
simple
either.
With
a
proven
record
of
success
in
mixology,
an
award
wining
cocktail
menu
and
expressive
jewellery,
he
is
a
real
character
and
an
attention
magnet.
Guests
seat
at
the
bar
just
for
a
chance
to
interact.
Attracted
to
charismatic
personalities,
I
couldn’t
pass
by
without
a
chat
and
needless
to
say,
I
ended
up
with
a
cocktail
in
each
hand
and
a
secret
recipe
for
homemade
jalapeno
jam.
Moving
from
the
bar
into
the
dimmed
dining
zone,
I
was
stunned
by
the
view.
The
whole
of
downtown
Dubai
was
right
in
front
of
me
sparkling
in
night
beauty.
The
full
moon
rose
over
Burj
Khalifa,
softly
reflecting
in
its
mirrored
panels.
The
traffic
looked
rather
fun
and
easy
going,
pouring
slowly
from
one
street
to
another
and
changing
colours
from
white
to
red
as
it
turned.
I
was
able
to
see
all
the
way
to
the
horizon
and
a
bit
beyond
into
the
darkness
of
the
never-ending
sky.
It
was
difficult
to
overt
my
gaze
from
this
majestic
scene.
It
was
finally
Riona
who
got
my
attention.
Born
and
raised
in
South
Africa,
Riona
moved
to
Dubai
a
few
years
ago
and
is
a
Weslodge
veteran.
Apart
from
detailed
knowledge
of
the
dishes,
Riona
is
a
confident
public
speaker
and
keeps
an
eagle
eye
on
her
guests,
ready
to
cheer
with
a
joke
or
help
with
a
recommendation.
I
was
lucky
to
get
both.
While
we
studied
the
sharing
menu,
Riona
suggested
the
following
must-tries:
Mediterranean
sea
bass
ceviche
with
pickled
watermelon,
deep
fried
calamari
with
slices
of
crispy
lemon
and
spicy
chilly,
roasted
cauliflower
with
curry
leaves
resting
on
a
bed
of
almond
paste,
and
obviously
the
steak.
The
food
created
by
head
chef
Abdi
was
absolutely
exceptional
and
was
accented
by
fresh
and
often
surprising
ingredients.
The
watermelon
in
the
ceviche
was
a
simple
touch
that
turned
the
originally
Peruvian
dish
into
an
unknown
delicious
mystery.
Sliced
and
deep
fried
lemon
in
the
calamari
made
me
wonder
why
it
wasn’t
an
independent
plate
on
its
own.
The
steak,
served
with
zesty
green
salsa
and
truffle
butter,
was
all
crunchy
top
and
juicy
middle.
I
was
so
blown
away
by
the
taste
and
the
presentation
that
I
insisted
on
meeting
the
chef.
Luckily
he
made
one
of
his
usual
rounds
and
I
barely
stopped
myself
from
hugging
him.
My
evening
ended
up
with
Death
by
Chocolate
(dessert),
paired
with
a
very
unique
cocktail
based
on
peanut
butter
infused
whiskey.
I
left
full,
happy
and
craving
for
more.
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