Bar and tea room at the top of Dubai's most iconic Burj Al Arab - wonderful views, hugely dissapointing food

No matter what the occasion, it will be very difficult not to make it even more pleasant with the views and setting that the Burj Al Arab’s top floor Skyview Bar offers. Overlooking the great Palm and the Arabian Sea it’s best to come here during the daylight to maximise the experience. That really is its trump card because unfortunately there is quite a bit that one can say why it is slightly overated. The £114 per person for afternoon tea would have been acceptable if the food was at the top of its game but sadly this was not the case and I also felt let down somewhow on entering that the design was simply….bad. Modern yes, but really it almost felt like an attempt at being ultra modern and only revealing a lack of genuine class in its miss.

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The afternoon tea was pleasing to the eyes and the service was admittedly to a very high standard and that was good. However, the general quality and design of the food were on par with the most basic of caterers for private functions in the UK and wouldn’t even come close to being put in the Michelin guide as just a recommended place, let alone getting any where near the territory of a star to give an idea of the overall impact.

The cakes were pleasant but obviously of a lower tier in the lack of real finesse, design and flavour (pastry being far too thick and the cream being bland) and the beef with a twirl of potato puree really did outline a lack of skill in comparison to Al Mahara on the ground floor. Granted, there are only so many ways one can design finger food and mini cakes, but there is a vast difference one can achieve in the impact. The canapés were very good and perhaps the best part of the menu but the scones were too dense and the single lychee with small rose petal was just far too simplistic to be taken seriously.

All in all, a nice occasion and a good thing to get crossed off the list and some very good cocktails in the mix there too; the couple that got engaged on a window table on the occasion I was there (low-rise bar seats by the North-East facing windows that need to be booked months in advance) will certainly remember that for as long as they live with their beautiful setting / view, but to go there for the quality of the finger food at afternoon tea? I would honestly prefer to fly back to London and have the afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough instead.

Food Grade: 32%