Bamboo Lagoon

Bamboo Lagoon looks like a children’s birthday party venue Discuss this article

Bamboo Lagoon looks like a children’s birthday party venue. With its straw-roof huts, indoor streams and fake rock pools, it is achingly – if amusingly – tacky, and the live entertainment is of the coconut-shells-and-banging-instruments ariety. But the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet is surprisingly sophisticated and includes unlimited house drinks served in seriously adult measures.

The focal point, if there is such a thing amid the maze of dark little walkways and beach-style shelters, is the seafood barbecue, where it is definitely worth waiting for the latest batch to come sizzling straight off the hotplate. A pleasant buttery hammour and fully flavoured shrimps with chilli and galanga had the edge over bland lobster which required a boost from the chilli, ginger and garlic sauces on offer. Woven containers held piles of shells and crustacean body parts which, though messy and slightly intimidating, proved to be hiding some huge mussels with a subtle ginger tang and fleshy shrimp with a mild nutty taste. A good creamy yellow curry had just enough heat to have an impact while the squid in adobo sauce was not for the timid of palate. The rice was lightly fragranced and of almost perfect consistency, although – like all the main dishes – it could have been hotter.

Don’t be tempted to bypass the starters and salads, where some unusual combinations are a real treat. Delicate coconut shrimps were the highlight from the wok; there was some interesting vegetarian sushi although the fish was of average quality, and the marinaded smoked salmon tasted strongly, and rather bizarrely, of German stollen. The brilliant black bean salad lived up to its billing – it was like tabouleh but with more bite and texture, and the green mango dish with broccoli and baby corn had an impressive kick.

From an impressive array of exotic desserts, the magical little pink drinks turned out to be a kind of rice-pudding-and-perfumed-syrup mix, but a chocolate cake worthy of a French patisserie and an excellent, crisp fruit salad stood out. I heartily recommend leaving your cynicism on the other side of the little wooden bridge at the entrance.

• Previous reviews
  • 01 December,2001- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff

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