“Flamingo Room by Tashas – where African Glamour meets the Arabian Sea.” Flamingo Room by Tashas
It’s no exaggeration to say everything about Flamingo Room by Tashas is fabulous. The flamboyant pink interior, the delicious South African inspired dishes, the creative mixology, the (fairly) consistent service and of course the magnificent location next to the turtle lagoon at the Jumeirah Al Naseem hotel. This all-rounder is the first of its kind from Tashas Cafe founder and chef Natasha Sideris and diverts from her popular cafe concept into the more chic dining scene.
Flamingo Room has been on my ever growing to-do list for awhile, but with new restaurants and concepts opening in Dubai weekly it’s difficult to keep up. The restaurant is open for a more casual lunch experience but transforms into an evening spot that’s perfect for cocktails and dinner with a loved one or friends.
The art deco inspired decor is just stunning. A palate of pink and aqua with accents of gold and randomly placed zebra print chairs. The walls are scalloped like fish-scales, oversized feathers line the bar ceiling, miniature monkey statues are dotted throughout and the two dining area ceilings are dominated with a splendid light installation that resembles a giant white orchid. The bar in the lobby area is an aqua and gold showstopper flanked at either end by huge bowls full of champagne, it literally looks like its been plucked from the set of the Great Gatsby. Outside there’s an outdoor terrace for alfresco dining adjacent to the turtle lagoon.
The menu is extensive showcasing classic dishes with African touches made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and there’s plenty of options to suit all dietary requirements. With a whopping eighteen starters let alone the mains plus mains for sharing, salads, pastas, seaside classics of petite buttermilk burgers and sides, it takes a while to choose. While we perused the options we sipped on cocktails, The Square Pimms Cup and King Cole Bloody Mary and ate way too much of the warm, moorish South African style flat bread. We finally decided on a creamy burrata with multi-coloured tomatoes, a beef tartar with a quail’s egg yolk and an extremely large classic caesar salad with veal bacon, all three dishes were served with melba toast.
With thirteen desserts on offer I was disappointed not to try one but with the service slowing down at this point to almost non-existent (the restaurant got busy) we were past it by the time we were eventually asked. I am definitely planning to return to try the dark chocolate mousse with chantilly cream or the choco banoffee bread and butter pudding with salted caramel or maybe I will just have both :-). Like the food menu the drinks list is large. Alongside the creative cocktails there’s a whole section dedicated to champagne cocktails plus wines from across the globe including a vintage selection, champagnes, fortified and dessert wines and the sommelier selection. There’s also beers, spirits and liqueurs, mocktails and hot beverages.
A high-end retail space is at one end, a nod to Sideris’ native Africa. The Collective by Charles Grieg is an exotic emporium that’s a riot of colour and animal prints. A selection of goods and accessories sourced from all over the African continent, beautiful and unusual pieces that are priced on the more expensive side.
I can’t recommend Flamingo Room by Tashas enough, the attention to detail is off the scale and the interiors transports you to a bygone era. I’m looking forward to a return visit just for the opulent decor let alone the delicious food and mixology.
Flamingo Room by Tashas
Location: Jumeirah Al Naseem hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
Telephone: 04 2 44 7278
E-mail: info@flamingoroombytashas.com
Website: www.flamingoroombytashas.com
Opening Times: Saturday – Wednesday 12pm – 4pm and 7pm – 11:30pm (bar closes 12am), Thursday – Friday 12pm – 4pm and 7pm – 12:30am (bar closes 1am)
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Read more about Tashas Cafe in Abu Dhabi and Cape Town HERE
All the views are all my own. Unless otherwise stated, all photos on this page © Jo Brett 2018. All rights reserved. Additional photos including featured image used with courtesy of www.flamingoroombytashas.com