A taste of Gallery Cafe in Hyatt Place for FoodeMag readers

By FoodeMag dxb

A curated dining at Gallery Cafe at Hyatt Place Wasl District

FoodeMag presented the launch Gallery Cafe in Hyatt Place Al Wasl district with a curated readers’ evening. A curated dinner evening with our readers is an experience we treasure. While we get to meet our readers in person, it also gives us the opportunity to finally present a venue that we have writing about. Our readers’ evening at the recently launched Gallery Cafe was specially gratifying as some of the readers went back home with exciting prizes. Some of these prizes were weekend stay for two at the buzzing new property and dinner vouchers at the Gallery Cafe, courtesy of Hyatt Place Al Wasl.

We started our evening on a fun note with an introductory meet up and mixology session at the Coffee to Beverage Bar. Situated alongside Gallery Cafe, it’s open round the clock and offered signature drinks and light bites to the hotel guests. It could also be used as a space for concept meet ups and fun nights. Next on the itinerary, was a treasure hunt around the property. The mission was to showcase the beautiful property and its USPs, however subtly. The guests were divided into two groups and each group was accompanied by each one of the editors – Debbie and Ishita. The tastefully decorated one- and two-bedroom apartments, the rooftop swimming pool, the conference halls etc were part of the deliberate stopovers before our final destination – the Gallery Cafe!

The menu for the evening

At the Gallery Cafe, the guests were invited into the spacious open kitchen for an interactive demonstration of cooking. A variety of dishes were showcased across different cuisines to reflect the menu at Gallery Cafe which offered a glimpse of Arabic, Indian, Asian, Italian and Continental. Chef Tarun, the chef helming the kitchen, left no stones unturned (should we say spices in this case?) for our buffet set up. With 14 years of culinary experience, the chef specialised in French cuisine. He infused these fine nuances into a creation of a menu that valued sustainability, fresh ingredients and combined them with international and local flavours. Starting from the mezzeh to the desserts, it was a sensory treat for our guests. We couldn’t have asked for more!

Carvings of herb roasted chick roll served at the table, a selection of cheeses, a hot dimsum station, a live grill station – we had a lot to choose from. The main course too was equally elaborate and satiating. A thick and creamy Dal Makhani and Kadai Chicken represented the rich Indian cuisine, while Samak Harra and Khabsa bil Dajaj represented Middle Eastern flavours. A roasted duck with orange sauce and a Lamb stew with root vegetables completed the offering. Freshly made Rotis and fluffy naans came out from the kitchen’s giant commercial Tandoor at regular intervals. Our guests were enthralled with the culinary showcase which also took into considerations of dietary restrictions and preferences. An assortment of signature desserts like Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse, Panna Cotta and many sweet treats provided an appropriate sign off to an evening of fun, laughter and good food!

A drinks mixology session at Coffee to Beverages Bar

A drinks mixology session at Coffee to Beverages Bar

The giant commercial tandoor in the kitchen

Cajun spiced chicken grilled from the tandoor

Herb roasted beef chuck roll

Roasted Duck with Orange Sauce

Kadai Chicken at Gallery Cafe

Lamb stew with root vegetables

Filipino food for the cooking demo

The spread at the fresh grill counter

Marinated fish and meat for the grill

The elaborate dessert counter

Prior to the event, we had checked into one of the ‘roomy rooms’ for a while. The room was spacious and modern with all the usual amenities. Our window overlooked the charming Old Dubai in the Deira side. We also had a chance to witness a glorious sunset over the Deira landscape. Hyatt Place Wasl District is a subtle showcase of the heritage of the neighbourhood – Wasl District, which has been built as a self-sustaining hub in a traditional style souq with neighbourhood cafés, antique shops and other retail stores. It’s interesting to note that the Al Wasl District is a historical site and hosted the first modern hospital in the Emirate – Al Maktoum Hospital. The location’s proximity to the traditional spice and gold souq and the historical creekside is attractive both for tourists and Dubai residents booking into the property, specially if one is interested in exploring a heritage area.

The view of Deira from our room

Disclaimer: Images have been taken by Team FoodeMag and photographer Rupa Dutta Chowdhury (RDC)

For more info:
Hyatt Place™ Wasl District
Address: Al Wasl District P.O. Box 128851, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +971 4 401 1234; Reservations: +971 4 401 1212

Gallery Cafe:
Breakfast from 6:30 am to 11:00 am
Lunch from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Dinner from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm