Le Gourmet is on the top floor of the Galeries Lafayette department store in Dubai Mall – with another location in City Walk – discreetly located behind the childrenswear. On this occasion however, it is bedecked with holiday goodness acting as a beacon of light towards its culinary options, which have been in action since 2009.
Le Gourmet, Galeries Lafayette: How an unassuming gourmet food hall contains some delightful surprises
While it has been a mainstay within the more quality eats available across the mall’s numerous outlets and food courts, Le Gourmet’s low-key presence and discerning diners belie the quality of the cuisine that lies in wait within the 10 open
kitchens.
Featuring L’Asian, L’Indien, L’Italien, Le Café, Taste of Beirut, Le Sushi, the new Le Grill, an organic, vegan counter, a pastry counter, business lunch and brunch menus – most delightfully, it also hosts IZU, star Chef Izu Ani’s noteworthy and must-visit bakery, which flies its flour in from France.
However, while many a diner may be wary of such plentiful menus which promise a wealth of cuisines under one roof, Le Gourmet has successfully, and rather surprisingly, conjured ingredients and dishes that are not only authentic, but
rich, flavourful and satisfying. This is one occasion when you’ve got the option to have it all, and should.
The chicken and shrimp gyoza – a Japanese pan fried dumping – comes with two sauce options (sweet and spicy or traditional soy) and a noodle wrap outer that is the right texture and thickness to complement the generous stuffing of meat on the inside and rivals any real Asian eatery.
The Caesar salad – for those preferring a more vegetable-based beginning, is a generous helping of crisp Little Gems lettuce and juicy cherry tomatoes with just the right amount of crunchy crouton slices that don’t even begin to become soggy in the dressed-just-right dish.
The sandwiches may be one of the rare missteps – but when you’ve got Seafood Laksa and Truffle Linguini on the table, there is no need for the basics. The al dente pastas – whether that creamy truffle and wild mushroom mix doused in cracked black pepper, or the elegantly garnished lush carbonara – which has balanced its palette in keeping with
its Roman heritage – is another chapeau.
Le Gourmet defies the connotations typically associated with multi-cuisine outlets, and while the unassuming and slightly aged setting may not accurately convey the quality that lies inside – which includes a gourmet market with myriad treats to buy for some at-home luxury decadence – it shows that this is a place that has been well visited, and for good reason.
The Details.
Le Gourmet Galeries Lafayette is open daily from 10-midnight and offers casual fine- dining, a specialty grocery, catering and Young Chef Club cooking courses for children.
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