Last Updated on May 31, 2016 by hungryoungwoman
Weslodge recently opened its doors to the public at JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay. The opening was much awaited after the grand preview held for the media which served just a trailer of what the menu really offers. Since I couldn’t make it to the preview, I bagged a reservation on its second day! Yes, blogger advantages!
News has it that they have flown their staff directly from its parent branch in Toronto, to Dubai to provide the real Weslodge experience! The restaurant is located on the 68th floor of the hotel and boasts a beautiful landscape of the city. We fell in love with how the place was divided into two main areas; the first half is a bar where you can see a lot of socializing and people grooving to the tunes, the second half was a total change. A quiet and secluded area for those looking to enjoy a private meal.
We headed down to the latter and chose a table with a view! The better part was that we could also see the live kitchen.
The service was a bit slow considering that the place was a full house. The menu is explained pretty simply which makes it easy to order. We settled for some Devilled Crab on Toast (AED 35) and Roasted Beets Salad (AED 65).
The crab on toast was well, exactly what the name suggested. I found the flavours a little underwhelming and would easily skip this dish if I’m back again. Warning, have these the moment they arrive or you might experience a soggy lump of crab and bread in your mouth. The beets salad, on the other hand, was exceptional. This would be a perfect example of how simple flavours can create a masterpiece!
We later ordered a Southern Fried Chicken (AED 75), Jumbo Prawn (AED 75 per piece) and a Tenderloin USDA Prime 8 Oz. (AED 190) with sides of Onion Rings (AED 20) and Roasted Cauliflower (AED 45)
Our Jumbo Prawn came in first looking pretty with cilantro and spiced shellfish butter. A tad too high for the price as the portion was small and it was finished in seconds. The Tenderloin was also priced a bit steeply but the taste made up for it. We asked for well-done meat which looks burnt in the picture but went oh-so-well with the sauce provided.
The Southern Fried Chicken came next and I believe it is rightly the signature dish of Weslodge. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, with flavours of tabasco and honey equally. A tangy, sweet and spicy taste in just a bite.
The sides too are worth mentioning. I don’t usually go for cauliflower but my affinity to buttermilk ranch made me choose this and I wasn’t disappointed. The onion rings deserve to go into my upcoming post about the best in Dubai.
Highly suggested by our server, a Gianduja Tart (AED 45) and Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate Cake (AED 25 per slice) arrived. The tart was exactly what it was. (pun intended) A pretty looking plate with an extremely sour dessert. This was mainly due to the yuzu slices. The cake was a total different experience with a great combo of caramel-y and chocolatey and best for those who love salted caramel. (ME!)
You can expect a fun time while you’re here. The service is quite friendly and knowledgeable but you have to be patient for your dishes sometimes.
If I’m coming back: Hungryoungwoman loves the Beets Salad with its colourful plate, Southern Fried Chicken for its exciting flavours and the Salted Caramel cake for the perfect ending! The menu boasts other options like the Herb Roasted Chicken and Weslodge Burger which seem worth a try!
Have you visited Weslodge? What do you feel about their pricing and the food?
Until then, happy eating! xx
