eight dishes to try in Dubai’s newest food hall

Setting foot in Social Distrikt on The Pointe is a true sensory experience. You first come to a podcast booth, from where the venue will host its live radio station. Next is a Raw Music Store vinyl record station that pumps out old-school tunes even as all the classic covers beckon you to peruse them. Just steps away are railings of eclectic clothing, hats and accessories courtesy of FLTRD’s pop-up store, and finally there’s an outdoor seating area with a view of the world’s largest fountain dancing to happy tunes. .

And that’s just the first level of the 20,000 square foot dog-friendly space.

A staircase leads you to the main food hall, where 10 vendors serve their culinary wares from open kitchen-style counters in an industrially hip space, again with a huge terrace. You could almost miss the VR gaming corner set up by Robocom, but once you know it’s there…

While all of this is great, the restaurant sits at the heart of a food hall, which allows diners to sample a variety of cuisines under one roof. We taste the offerings of the various Social Distrikt restaurants to give you our recommendation of our top eight.

Tagliatelle with truffles at Luca’s

Tagliatelle with truffles at Luca at the Social Distrikt.

This al dente pasta is a truffle lover’s dream – cooked as is with light truffle cream, truffle sauce and truffle oil – but without being overwhelming. Shiristi Singh, chef of the Italian restaurant, says the dish “encapsulates all the simple yet delicious flavors of Italy”.

Japang Chicken Katsu

Japanese comforting chicken katsu has become a staple for discerning diners, and Japang’s panko-breaded iteration features soy-marinated chicken, fluffy brioche bread and head chef Muhannad Albkeirat’s special “ketchup katsu” recipe. “We work with one of the best bakeries to make our bread, which enhances the texture of the dish,” says Albkeirat.

Plate of falafels at Zaroob

The perfect combination of a crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior, this Middle Eastern restaurant’s falafel is infused with a house spice blend and comes with hummus and tahini.

Kick My Boss sliders at Rock House Sliders

This one is not for the faint of heart. If you enjoy an occasional kick, however, jalapenos smothered in spicy buffalo sauce will have your taste buds tingling, even as you enjoy the tender, juicy Angus beef patty that makes this slider both compact and healthy.

Truffle and Breather Pizza at Pinsanity

A thin crust pastry topped with shavings of black summer truffles and fresh buffalo mozzarella is baked until the bubbling cheese spreads unevenly across the base. Pure happiness for cheese truffle lovers.

Shakshuka at Circle Cafe

The North African dish is accompanied by eggs cooked in a tomato sauce made with olive oil, peppers and onions seasoned with cumin, paprika and a hint of cayenne pepper. Circle Cafe serves it with fresh sourdough bread.

Chicken Souvlaki at Go! Greek

If chewy chicken is the bane of your culinary existence, get the souvlaki at this Greek restaurant. The meat is marinated overnight, says head chef Nishant Ambavane, and then grilled just enough so as not to harden or char. It is served with tzatziki, fresh vegetables and Greek pita bread.

Salmon game in Ichiban

The 19-piece set offers salmon in maki, nigiri, and sashimi form — and is one of the freshest iterations of the fish we’ve eaten at a street sushi-ya.

Scroll through the gallery below to get a sense of the Social Distrikt vibe.

Updated: January 28, 2022, 5:11 a.m.

Comments are closed.