Dubai Eats: TEATRO Restaurant

Of the countless buildings that scrape the sky in Dubai, I dined at the top of one. Teatro restaurant is housed inside the Rotana Tower Hotel, boasting its black, white and red Moulin Rouge motif. But levity is breathed by the open layout where paned glass encases an impressive wine corridor, as well as the stainless steel kitchen where many hands meticulously prepared my much anticipated meal (ship food loses its variety quickly, as one can imagine).

With a menu offering a mix of Asian, Indian, and Italian, I stuck with the former for my spirit inspiration. A beautiful cold perspiring bottle filled with smooth sake set me in my happy place, prepared to receive more tasty offerings.

Staying in that oriental vein, my bounty of sashimi was ever so pleasurably fresh: Red Snapper, Octopus, and Scallop. With fish as a springboard, I touched India with smokey tandoori-spiced white fish chunks and a heaping side of soupy curried yellow lentils. China made an appearance in the form of excellently softened bok choy stalks and black trumpet mushrooms. With a bright slaw salad bundle, the combination of flavors was perfectly balanced and perfectly satisfying.

Because dessert is a must, I opted for not just one, but the whole lot. A mini sampling platter offered blueberry creme brûlée, banana wontons, cheesecake, raspberry ice cream and the winner: chocolate souffle (also pictured in its normal order size). Just as it should, the dense molten chocolate slipped off my spoon like silk on my tongue, leaving a rich mouthfeel that one can only associate with sin.

Lavishing in this dining experience put us in a mad dash back to the ship just in the nick of time before it set sail. Though I must admit that if I was to be left behind, my satiated stomach would certainly say it was worth it.