“The full buzzing palate of Camden’s street eats, refined by Mayfair’s polished flair, colliding plate-first with the thrilling modern cuisine of a Shoreditch kitchen.” The London Project
The London Project, located at the all-new Bluewaters Island in Dubai, is a fun concept bringing together all things London under one roof at the foot of the (nearly completed) world’s biggest ferris wheel, Ain Dubai. The plant filled two-level concept is inspired by the London’s art, fashion and music scene and of course food and drinks, a social space with waterfront views and attentive service that’s a nice place to hang out.
Developed by Meraas (who are behind La Mer, Al Seef, City Walk and other projects), Bluewaters Island is creating quite a buzz as the latest place to open. It’s anchored by Caesars Palace and the adjacent Cove Beach club, which is the current talk of the town. The London Project is one of the first restaurants to open in the dining and retail district so all eyes are focused on what it has to offer and it didn’t disappoint.
First impressions and attention to detail are key. The all-black exterior gives no indication of its stunning interiors with different design features, modern well-stocked bars and great food that’s well presented and not overpriced. Downstairs the large dining room is inspired by a living tree and an English country garden (there’s a juniper aka gin bar) while upstairs offers floor-to-ceiling windows next to Ain Dubai and a spacious outdoor terrace with views of JBR.
It’s like a real life pinterest board of bar and restaurant interiors with botanicals filling every space, oversized letters spelling out quotes, contemporary lighting, industrial touches, baby pink velvet high seating in one bar area and mustard tones in the next. Walls are adorned with murals, 3D and sculptures with a London theme, see if you can spot the Queen with her flower crown. One of my favourite spaces was the ladies with its bold, colourful floral wallpaper, red flower shaped sinks and light trimmed mirrors, I predict that many a selfie will be taken in here.
I went for lunch with a friend and we were impressed with the menu options and even more so by the knowledge of our waiter who advised us to downsize our order due to large portion sizes. British style food with Mediterranean influences is what is on offer, it’s a great spot for tasty casual dining with plenty of options for veggies too. We opted to share (as advised) a veggie flatbread, salad and fries – simple but delicious. Lacking any kind of willpower we ordered two desserts, a chocolate torte with coffee ice-cream and a caramel and peach creation, both of which were far too good.
While the food we ordered was more on the casual side there’s also freshly shucked oysters and wagyu steaks on the menu, something for everyone whether you fancy good old fish and chips, fried chicken or something more fancy. A friend of mine has been and highly recommends the wild mushroom & truffle gnocchi served with a runny egg which she described as ‘utterly awesome’.
Drinks wise this fully licensed venue has an extensive choice of British themed mixology and gins alongside craft beers. Even the own-branded designer water is on theme, pleasingly a portion of in house water sales is shared with communities around the world that need and deserve clean water. Coffee is also an important factor with The London Project serving its own Queenie’s Estate brand from Queenie, the custom designed coffee machine. They also serve breakfast daily from 9:00am and have a happy hour known as the London Hour 4:30-7:30pm on weekdays.
As if it wasn’t already fully on-trend, The London Project also has a podcast studio – join The London Project Live (not sure if it’s actually live yet) – click HERE to find out more info. This homegrown (it’s not a London export as I assumed) ‘urban jungle’ is worth a visit but be prepared that most of Bluewaters Island itself, including the ferris wheel, are still under construction. There are a few cafes open and a couple of shops but otherwise it’s pretty empty. When finished it will be a great place to visit and easily accessible from Abu Dhabi without going into Dubai.
The London Project
Location: Bluewaters Island, Dubai
Telephone: 04 580 8570
Website: www.thelondonproject.com
Opening Times: Breakfast from 9am daily. London Hour 4:30pm – 7:30pm on weekdays
All views are my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated all photos © Jo Brett 2019. All rights reserved. Featured image used with courtesy of www.thelondonproject.com