Pai Thai is up there with Pierchic and LMP as consistently listed as one of the best restaurants in Dubai. The food and setting are amazing. It’s loved by residents and tourists alike. Indeed, the evening we checked it out, former England and Chelsea captain John Terry passed by on a boat. Located at Al Qasr hotel, you can get a gondola to the restaurant to add to the romance of the place…

Here are 4 reasons that now is a pretty good time to go…

1. It really is Al Fresco heaven…

Now that summer is over and the weather is beautiful again, one of the best ways to spend an evening is with some al fresco dining. Pai Thai offers the ultimate setting for this. When arriving at the hotel you begin the evening by making the journey to the restaurant in an Abra, across the Madinat’s waterways. After meandering down the river taking in the sights of the Burj al Arab and this monumental hotel, the restaurant suddenly comes into view with a vision of a beautiful, fairy-lit terrace that looks like something out of a fairytale.

2. The Loy Krathong Celebration…

Pai Thai has specially created a menu to mark the occasion of the annual Loy Krathong celebration. If, you aren’t familiar with Loy Krathong, it is basically a festival of lights that is celebrated annually throughout South Western Thai cultures such as Thailand and Laos from the 10th to the 20th of November. The name means “to float a basket” and comes from the tradition of making decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river.

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3. Pai Thai has embraced the celebration…

… not only with a special menu but an all-round festive ambience. Beautiful, brightly coloured bunting and lights are scattered throughout the restaurant and the resident entertainer, Wanthakan, performs traditional dances on an Abra, which floats along the river beside the restaurant. In the courtyard, a giant Buddha decorated for the occasion creates the restaurant’s piece de resistance.

4. The food…

The special Loy Krathong menu, which is perfect for two people to share, has lots of tantalizing dishes that compliment each other and are made to the spiciness level you request. Our personal favourite was the Gaeng Panang Goong (otherwise known as prawns, red curry, lychee, kaffir lime leaves, coconut meat and Thai basil), however none of the courses disappoint and all give you an amazing Thai cuisine experience. 

What you need to know

The Loy Krathong menu costs AED 280 per person and includes starters, mains and desert. The celebration ends on 20th November so get down there this week for a festive evening that you won’t forget!