Goodbye Palm Grill. Hello Tamoka.
Remember the sand-in-toes gem Palm Grill at Ritz-Carlton Dubai on JBR Walk? Well say goodbye, and hello to new Latin-American restaurant Tamoka, with a separate beach bar Cana – and a drastic transformation. You may still get sand in your toes, but only once you’ve slipped off funky sneakers or jewelled sandals. Whilst the new venue remains hotel-operated, a dedicated team is now in place including Argentinian chef Cesar Bartolini (ex-Atlantis’ Gordon Ramsay Bread Street Kitchen) and ex-Kizmet front-of-house staff.
Tamoka feels like a sprawling island bungalow with a myriad of intimate dining spaces – the main dining room, a ceviche bar, an L-shaped terrace deck, a rum bar and a barbeque station.
Right from the hostess’ welcome, the service is obliging. Whilst I reserve a table for a Sunday dinner, we arrive earlier for sundowners to try out the beach bar – but Cana is full, so we’re offered a spot in Tamoka’s sunken lounge which boasts an equally as good view of Ain Dubai, sunset and a surprise drone show. And a little less crowded. So treat this as an insider tip.
The cocktail list is rum-heavy in line with the Latino and broader Caribbean concept. Whilst my Old Fashioned rum punch (AED70) is delightful, there’s no need for so many ice cubes. Mr S enjoys his twist on a pisco sour with chilli chocolate (AED65). The wine list is rather extensive and far from affordable, however it does feature one of my favourite Shiraz’ and our wedding party wine – the Barossa Valley Two Hands ‘Gnarly Dudes’ for AED90 a glass, or AED450 a bottle. A compact ‘bites’ menu has us ordering beautifully tender, rare beef tenderloin ‘anticucho’ skewers, as well as plump and crisp chilli-spiced salt and pepper fried baby squid. Note; at this point I am recognised.
When the hostess accompanies us to our table for dinner, she does not offer for my glass of wine to be carried over, so I have to. A first world problem, I realise, but restaurant service etiquette dictates otherwise. Along with an online booking error for my outside table request (which is smoothly remedied), these are the only service qualms of the whole experience.
A complimentary eggplant dip (with warm bread rolls) is served table-side from a large wooden serving bowl – a novel touch – but despite a hint of chilli, it’s bland. In a refreshing move for Dubai restaurants, our waiter asks if we’re happy for our starters to arrive before our mains – and not ‘served as and when the kitchen is ready’ – a sign of a lazy kitchen. Let’s hope we see more of this strategy this year.
Sautéed chicken livers on toast comes to life with a glorious poached runny egg and the spicy dark chocolate intensity of mole negro, whilst crispy onions add texture. Our second appetiser, a salmon ceviche is generously portioned with pink grapefruit segments, avocado purée and coriander cress in a well-balanced citrus marinade that enhances rather than overpowering the ingredients.
Onto mains, my roast pork belly is the star dish of the night (hurrah for the pork licence). Tender belly ‘steaks’, with the fat all crisp and caramelised, and swirls of addictive crackling. A diced pineapple mojo and a burnt onion purée add sweet and tangy flavours. A baked seafood casserole is beautifully presented brimming with prawns, mussels, octopus and salmon in a rich Caribbean-style tomato sauce, a nod to the broader central American flavours.
A side dish of gorgeous al dente heritage carrots is marinated in spiced sugar cane, with a few parsnips sneaking in. Our second side, whilst delicious, is best moved to the salad section – cold shredded beetroot and carrot tossed with pomelo, alfalfa and roasted seeds.
We’re absolutely full but for the sake of the review taste test a wonderful dense and velvety slice of dark chocolate ricotta cake dotted with orange peel. It’s the kind of cake that’s perfect for afternoon tea or a celebration, more so than on a restaurant dessert menu. The accompanying scoop of vanilla ice cream is a little unnecessary though.
Chef Cesar manages to interpret Latin and central American flavours with modern, well-executed, generously portioned plates that are high on flavour and quality ingredients. At AED285 per person based on three courses each, Tamoka is extremely well priced for a five-star hotel restaurant – but, beware, the alcohol will easily double the bill (which I paid in full).
Alongside Bastion at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the pandemic has prompted hotel-operated restaurants to overhaul their outlets creating compelling homegrown concepts that are now beginning to shine – a silver lining. Tamoka is near-full with a buzzing vibe, so clearly others agree. A sign of a damn good restaurant is one where you can’t wait to return, and for that, I give Tamoka a high 4 out of 5 FooDiva knife rating. Until we meet again.
Any more new locally developed concepts that should be on my radar?
A bientôt.
FooDiva. x
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