There are equivalents to the traditional Sunday Roast in the Middle East; (check out our six Dubai favourites here) in Lebanon for example, a long family Sunday lunch / dinner is part of the weekly fixture. In Dubai, of course, most people work on Sundays so we don’t have the luxury of time, or the company of our friends and family…Which means we need to make the most of our Saturdays!

Places like Rivington Bar & Grill, Reform Social & Grill, The Ivy and the Dhow & Anchor have attempted to bring this tradition here, but it’s not a staple. Long hot dinners in the middle of the day are something we associate with cold and wet weather – not exactly Dubai’s style. However, despite this, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen have introduced their own Saturday Roast.   

In honour of St George’s Day today we went along to try it out…

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7 reasons to book into this MOE hotelA hotel that lets you WhatsApp the staff rather than having to call…Got a layover in Abu Dhabi.. this place ticks all the boxes

New to Bread Street Kitchen…

Bread Street Kitchen is a chain that originated in London has ventured as far as Hong Kong, the Dubai branch opened late 2015. The cuisine is described as a British/European menu and they have their own signature drinks and desserts.  

It’s located in the busy Atlantis Hotel, near the entrance to the waterpark and down the corridor from Nobu and Seafire. The venue is spacious, yet still feels intimate with low hanging lights and breaks in the seating. We opted to sit outside on the terrace, which is located next to a pretty garden area. 

What makes a good roast?

My mum often reminds me that I cooked an amazing roast dinner for her and some guests at our home in Ireland when I was about 15. Given that I’m not a trained chef like my mum, I know that cooking a roast is not the most complicated dish, but it does take time and patience to get it spot on.  

Firstly, it’s usually roast beef, roast chicken or roast lamb. Roast vegetables really do taste better than boiled veg, especially when cooked with honey and butter, a combination of thickly chopped parsnips, carrots, and butternut squash works every time, and even some cabbage is always a nice addition! Sauces include gravy, horseradish or mint depending on the meet. If it’s a traditional British roast then you will have Yorkshire Pudding.

How does the BSK Saturday roast match up?

My friend and I started out with some bread, the sourdough has potato in the centre and the olive bread was delicious. We had fresh mint tea served in antique style cups and saucers. 

For starters, I had carpaccio with guacamole puree, which was outstanding. My friend had a caesar salad, which he couldn’t fault. Then, the roasts arrived. 

I opted for the beef, it was cooked to perfection, with the pinkish red centre. Everything I expected and more. My friend opted for the chicken, and although there was more chicken in his salad starter than the roast, it was still excellent. 

We cooled down with some house ‘bread and butter ice-cream’. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted ice-cream as fresh and as good. 

Here is Gordon Ramsay giving a walk-through guide of BST on the opening night…

The Verdict

This is a fine restaurant with a lot going on and well worth a visit. In terms of the Saturday roast, it’s definitely a treat but I don’t think it will catch on in Dubai. Some things just don’t travel! 

However, should you wish to have a roast, this is up there with the best available. Some people avoid resorts at the weekend, so you may prefer a restaurant in a quieter location – and make no mistake; Atlantis is full of tourists at the weekend. However, a drive out to the palm is always a nice breakaway, and BSK is secluded so you can avoid the crowds. 

If you do opt for this roast here, you won’t be disappointed. 

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