A table for two, in Dubai

It is not unusual on days off to find that only one or two of my friends are here in Dubai, and it's even less of a surprise to find that none of my comrades are in town so we've all learnt to pounce on the moments when your friends are in the same country as you!

Buffets and Bollinger brunches are something which my friends and I have completely licked (yes, both metaphorically and physically), however a la carte dining has, to date, been somewhat neglected on our list of culinary ventures. After realising this pattern of consumption, my good friend Natalie and I agreed it was time to broaden our horizons and try something new - something which was not meant to be hard given the endless options Dubai has to offer. Of course each of the 256 pages we turned in the Time Out eating guide produced another delicious review and thus another option for us to consider over the next hour.

Finally, the reservation was made, our heels were on and the perfume had been spritzed - we were ready for our table for two at the stylish water-side restaurant, The Aquarium. We knew that this place was not only famed for its food but also its aquarium but we expected something more proportionate to an extra large domestic tank, not a floor to ceiling centerpiece!

Starting with a soft-as-silk foie gras on toast and chunks of sweet orange chutney I was sure to save room for the main course (which we both ordered) honey basted-crispy skinned fish on creamy potato mash and beans. While the succulent pieces of fish fell away from my knife like butter, I think Natalie and I were both quite glad to be out of view from the aquarium's beautifully colourful inhabitants.

Alright, alright, here's a sweet ending for you all as requested:

So back to the menu we went, and voted quite unanimously on sharing the warm saucy chocolate cake which was quite delicious and I am certain there wasn't a single crumb left for us to fight over - just the bill ;)