Al Mazaj

Al Mazaj (named after a brand of hookah tobacco) take their shisha very seriously indeed Discuss this article

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Al Mazaj (named after a brand of hookah tobacco) take their shisha very seriously indeed. As you enter the restaurant from the Century Village courtyard you pass a herd of shisha pipes chilling out in the open air. The venue is divided in two; the dining room on one side with geometrically-precise furniture, and a canopied extension where light shines through plastic panels onto ornate wooden benches, creating a fruity smoke-fused communality.

The jovial Arabic music doesn’t quite counterbalance the sober atmosphere created by the thousand shades of brown on display – on decorative old cabinets, fluffy pillows, and an oud resting facedown on a tall stool, sadly unused on our lunch visit. There’s also a well-stocked bar and a thorough wine list, and they do a fine, if slightly oversweet, fresh fruit cocktail. All the usual hot and cold mezze are available along with a selection of kebabs. The orfali dish was excellent, succulent chunks of beef with peppers and tomatoes, speckled with parsley and served on a half-portion of Lebanese bread. And the grape shisha was delicious too, forming a crisp, cool and juicy mist.

• Previous reviews
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Jeremy Lawrence
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 30 April,2006- reviewed by TimeOut Dubai Staff

Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.