Geales, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa, Dubai

Tucked away in a corner of this well-established hotel is the new British seafood restaurant, which has outlets in London and Notting Hill. While the outdoor terrace beckons as soon as you walk in – it was bustling even late on a weeknight – inside, a stylish monochromatic colour scheme, leather couches, black and white …

Tucked away in a corner of this well-established hotel is the new British seafood restaurant, which has outlets in London and Notting Hill. While the outdoor terrace beckons as soon as you walk in – it was bustling even late on a weeknight – inside, a stylish monochromatic colour scheme, leather couches, black and white Union Jack cushions that exude the British theme, and a fish market counter – where you can choose fish from an ice display – are also inviting.

After tucking into freshly baked, warm bread served in a little brown paper bag, we sated our seafood cravings with the first course offerings – juicy prawns covered in chilli flakes, and crispy calamari and zucchini; we polished off the tasty, crunchy vegetable strings with the aioli sauce. While I was tempted to ty their signature fish and chips, I opted for the lobster with thermidor sauce instead, served with potato cubes and salad leaves dressed in vinaigrette as sides. The lobster was slightly over-seasoned for my liking, but the sauce was warm and creamy, with flavours that lingered – a perfect winter indulgence. My partner had the salmon and cod bread-crumbed fish cakes, which were three generous meaty portions placed neatly on a bed of wilted spinach, and served with oodles of moreish sweet and tangy curry sauce.

For dessert, we enjoyed tucking into the white chocolate and raspberry ice cream with deconstructed blueberry crumble – a sweet match made in heaven, with the tartness of the berries beautifully complemented by the creamy, slightly fruity ice cream – as well as the hot chocolate fondant with a side of pistachio ice cream, a must-have for chocolate lovers.

If you want to go: Around Dhs600 for two, without drinks. Call 04-3165550.