Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Dubai
On the second floor of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Atlantis The Royal, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal impresses with its modern and artistic re-imagination of historical British cuisine through creative dishes that draw inspiration from the kitchens of common households and the tables of nobility, going back as far as the 1300s.
With head chef Tom Allen at the helm of the kitchen, the creative force behind this Dubai restaurant is acclaimed celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, whose passion for historic gastronomy and extensive research, working with food historians and 14th-century cookbooks by chefs of royal households, led to his renowned namesake London restaurant opening its doors in 2011.
Perfectly suited to celebratory dinners and special occasions, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal feels sophisticated yet inviting and cozy with warm browns, polished black accents, elegant booths and a private dining room. Inside, chefs are at work in the show kitchen, while floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of Palm Jumeirah and the resort’s iconic Skyblaze fire and water fountain show.
- Mentioned alongside each dish on the menu is the year in which it was first served, promising diners that a meal at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is an extraordinary experiential journey in gastronomy. Take advantage of service cards to let your server know how much of the storytelling element you’d like for each course during your meal. Whether you’d like the food to do the talking, or are curious about the history or creative inspiration behind each dish, the staff wows with its knowledge and impeccable service.
- The storytelling aspect is heightened through captivating design elements such as a paneled entrance room where you can breathe in the scents of frankincense while admiring the engraved Victorian-style animal sculptures on the panels.
- The Dubai restaurant’s visual centerpiece is The Dinner Escapement, a nearly seven-foot-high pineapple clock inspired by the watchmakers of Greenwich and the royal kitchen of Tudor England that features a pulley system based on a 16th-century design used for the British royal court. Besides creating a sense of intrigue when its mechanical arms open and close every 30 minutes (like the hour-long rotation of a clock’s minute hand), this system powers a rotisserie where pineapples are spit-roasted for the restaurant’s highly recommended 19th-century tipsy cake.
- With careful preparation, exceptional presentation and creative plating, the dishes embody Blumenthal’s talent for innovative, experimental cooking. The starter meat fruit looks like a mandarin, but when sliced open, reveals a velvety chicken liver parfait in mandarin gel to be enjoyed with toasted sourdough. Inspired by the medieval pome dorres or “apples of gold,” it is prepared over a few days, with three cooks on the cold larder station working five hours daily.
- For tableside theatrics, order the nitrogen ice cream trolly. This popular dessert is inspired by the work of 19th-century culinary entrepreneur, inventor and chef Agnes B. Marshall, who is believed to be the first person to reference the potential use of liquid gas to speed up the process of making ice cream.
- While inspired by elements of traditional versions of documented dishes, such as a sauce, an ingredient or a cooking technique, Blumenthal’s contemporary creations surprise with innovative takes or unexpected presentation. For example, the truffle is a mushroom parfait that looks like a fresh truffle from the ground, while the salamagundi with smoked confit chicken, artichoke, beef bone marrow, pickled walnuts and horseradish cream is a modern interpretation of a 17th-century salad.
- Expect elevated mains such as the powdered duck breast. Inspired by a 19th-century recipe, it entails sous vide duck breasts with duck hearts, pickled cherries, braised red cabbage and a red cabbage gel. The roasted halibut is served with a green sauce that surprises with a pleasant eucalyptus flavor, and the accompanying triple-cooked chips are hard to resist.
- Don’t miss the signature tipsy cake, where both the pillowy brioche and sweet spit-roasted pineapple will have you reaching for seconds. For chocolate lovers, the combination of chocolate and cherry in the bohemian cake is sure to please.
Bar
Business casual
Dinner
Gluten-free options
Kid friendly
Outdoor seating
Private dining
Reservations required 
Takeout
Valet parking
Vegetarian options
