Decker

Agreed, this is a pretty cool venue, but I fear it may end up suffering an identity crisis. Is it bar? Is it restaurant? Ulta-lounge? Supper club? Very interesting and unique decor--trendy, modern, and tasteful. The small bites they were passing around were pretty tasty, so that may entice me to come back for a full meal. I'm not one for club music, but I do have to agree with the below, the DJ setup was almost futuristic. Very cool...

I have to point out a couple new things Qube has going on. First of all, Happy Hour drinks until 7:00 (2-for-1). They've also added a new burger menu, which is sort of a Burgers-of-the-World selection. Italian w/ mozzarella, Hawaiian w/ chicken and pineapple, Thai w/ Bok Choi, Lamb shoulder, Kofta, and even veggie. I tried the Tex-Mex w/ salsa and jalapeños and it was quite good. But the big addition is the Habanero burger. If you finish it all (including the spicy fries) in less than 30 minutes, you get it free along with your picture on the "Wall of Flame". (Apparently, so far 30+ have tried it and only 4 have succeeded.) All burgers are AED 60 and come with a bottled beer of your choice. Lots of good things to say about Qube, not the least of which is the free bar games, especially shuffleboard.

Pizzaro has a June special going on where you can get any two pizzas delivered for AED 69 (Sunday - Wednesday). I got the 'La Verace' which is a standard tomato/mozzarella, but also tried the 'La Piemontese'. This one has assorted mushrooms and truffle oil, which is an excellent combination of flavor. This is an excellent pizza delivery option for Downtown, and I will likely order again soon, especially during their June promotion.

I'm so thrilled that Claw BBQ is now open; it's been a long time coming! Also a lucky early visitor (twice!) over the weekend, I had a great opportunity to try most of the menu items. Food wise, it's absolutely phenomenal. I left so stuffed both times. The highlights for me are: the Soft Shell Crab Po' Boy sandwich, Voodoo Shrimp, Grilled Salmon, Casino Oysters, and the chili. Pictured at left are the jumbo peel n' eat shrimp. Beautifully presented, but slightly overcooked, and lacking a little in flavor. I won't hold that against them though, as the kitchen has only been open for a few days. They'll get it right; that's why they have a soft opening! Also, all the mocktails are tasty, but the milkshakes are really a treat. Try the Oreo Cookie. Besides the excellent food, the atmosphere is fantastically unique, and casual. Once they're fully open and licensed, this will certainly become a regular spot for me.

Sake No Hana is a great new sushi joint at Souk al Bahar, located on the ground floor near The Meat Co. We sat at the sushi counter for a slightly more casual feel and the sushi chef was very friendly and informative. The rolls are indeed quite small, but you can try several different kinds. My favorite was the avocado/crab roll (pictured). Sushi was fresh, service was fast and friendly, and the atmosphere is rather unique. Good spot for a date.

Nezesaussi recently launched a brunch and I must say, it nicely fills a big hole in the brunch market. First of all, it's cheap. AED 175 all-you-can-eat and drink with a limited beverage menu from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.. (Note: there is NO non-alcoholic option.) The food is pretty decent. They start you off by bringing an appetizer sampler to the table, which includes chicken wings, spring rolls, calamari, and seasoned fries. They'll bring as many of these as you like. The buffet portion is very meat-centric, with a lot of pork options on offer, including ribs, sausages, and bacon potatoes au gratin. There are also lamb chops and rib-eye steak on offer. The salads are basic but perfectly acceptable, and there are few good dessert options. Not a huge spread, but definitely suitable, especially for the price. It's indoors, so will be a good summer option.

I had such high hopes and expectations for Pizza Pino, and honestly was a little disappointed. I had walked in before to check it out, and the interior is beautifully decorated and they use iPad Minis for menus. Location is great, just on the Boulevard next to Reem al Bawadi near the Burj Khalifa. What was disappointing was the food (as well as the takeaway process). When I went to pick up my order, everything was very disorganized. The food was ready when I arrived, but it took them more than 10 minutes to sort out the check and my payment. The pizza was ok. I tried the Pavarotti which has turkey ham, goats cheese, onions and tomato. The goats cheese was very thick and overpowered the rest of the pizza. Also tried the chicken caesar salad, which was just ok. Super thin slices of chicken, and just average veggies. Looked like it had been pre-packed and sat around for several hours. I'd like to give it another try for dine-in and see how they do.

With so many new authentic Italian pizza places opening up, it's nice to see a truly New York style pizza in the mix, which is what The Pizza Guys offer. Slightly thicker crust and heartier toppings. I tried the Godfather pizza, which is made with wagyu meatballs. Very tasty. Also had buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad and it was very good as well. (It normally comes w/ bell peppers and olives, which I had them replace w/ red onions.) The ordering process was seamless and easy. They even up-sold me on a fresh chocolate chip cookie, which they bake in-house. An excellent end-of-meal treat!

Went to the soft opening of Maison Bagetelle over the weekend, and it was quite nice. It's located right on the Boulevard between Dubai Mall and Souk al Bahar. It's French themed, with a good selection of hearty dishes, including breakfast, sandwiches, and other mains. The interior is clean and modern, but not sterile. I could see this becoming a good breakfast/lunch spot on the weekends, but there is no alcohol, so I'm not sure how it will fare for the dinner crowd. For food, I tried the Mac and Cheese as an appetizer (although, strangely, it's listed as main by itself). In any case, it was delicious. Very cheesy with a great truffle oil flavor. For a main, I went with the steak (pictured) and fries. We're told the beef quality will improve as they sort out an issue with their meat vendor. Also had their homemade lemonade, which was very tasty. All in all, a good experience. I will give it another try after they settle in.

Nonno boasts "The World's Thinnest Pizza", and I would have to agree with this claim. Inspired by models and celebrities who love pizza but hate all the carbs, Nonno's menu offers a veritable plethora of unique, fashion-inspired pizzas. (It was delivered in a paper thin box with a black ribbon tied around it.) The pizza was indeed delicious, and because of its "size 0" crust, I didn't feel disgusting after I ate it. I tried the "Absolutely Fabulous" (AED 45) which has some roasted chicken, cherry tomatoes, and fresh pesto. The only bad part of the experience was that it took an hour and half to arrive. That said, the manager called me after an hour to explain that his driver had a flat tire, and would be running late. Forgivable, considering the food was still hot, fresh, and tasty. Notes: Currently, their website is under construction, and the one provided by Yadig above is not correct. They quickly emailed me a menu on request. They also don't have any salads or sides at the moment, just pizza.