Portugese culinary brainiac Jose Avillez opened up Tasca in Mandarin Oriental late spring this year - given the location, the views couldn’t be more astounding; to the east you have Burj Khalifa and the skyline of DIFC to take in, while you to the west have the infinity pool combined with uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf. A lot of attention has been put into the interior as well, which is expected with new powerhouse chef restaurants, but as far as the bar goes - they haven’t reached all the way. Instead of having the normal bar counter which allows you to talk to the bartender, they have set up different bartending stations, each fit for one bartender. This may for sure be convenient from a restaurant perspective, but not so much for hanging out in the bar (because there is per definition no ‘bar’). Having said all this - I believe that Jose Avillez have much higher ambitions regarding the restaurant and the food, than he has for the bar and the cocktails.
Enjoy the views wherever you look, order in excellent small bites (the wagyu tartare is exceptional) and for the night caps, go the the hidden balcony to the far left and enjoy a final drink.
Atmosphere: 6/8
Beautiful Portugese restaurant with hard-to-beat views of Dubai and the Arabian Gulf - the bar itself is a bit quirky, but it all levels out thanks to the alluring setting.
Cocktails: 5/8
The cocktails most of them seem to be intended to be aperitifs or digestifs, and as such some of the creativity has gone lost.
Bartenders: 5/8
Bartenders that know what they’re doing, but due to the bar setting they don’t get to showcase the most important characteristics - the social chameleoncy (yes, I just invented that word).
Ice: 5/8
Big ice cubes is a guaranty for less dilution, but it would be more pleasing to the eye with clear ice.
Tasca
Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah
Jumeirah Beach Road
Jumeirah 1