Best Burgers Forever is much like you’d expect a burger place to be: counter-service and fast food uniforms. No surprises there. Still, on our visit the dining space was unusually ‘cool’, not only because of the Arctic air-conditioning, but also because of the clean, graphic lines in a white space, with splashes of red and the intricate stencil-like chairs.

Yet there was something particularly refreshing about the outdoor area, situated right at the tail end of the marina. Relative to Dubai, this corner was uncharacteristically quiet and hidden. A touch of breeze seemed to have wound its way from the sea and my guest remarked that once the summer hits, this could be one of the few locations still pleasant enough to sit outside.

The menu offered a fairly classic selection of fast-food-style burger combinations and meal deals, the real (and only) stand-out being the choice between beef or camel meat. Unsurprisingly, it quickly became obvious that the camel was all either of us were interested in, although for the sake of fairness it seemed we ought to try the beef as well. Rather than fight over the camel, I suggested we order one of each and cut them in half. ‘Are you that committed to the cause then?’ my guest laughed.

Well, yes, and I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail: when the burgers arrived, one per box, they were cut in half, but with each half individually wrapped. Cute, I thought. We did, however, miss out on Best Burgers Forever’s big joke: the bread is cut into the shape of the ‘B’ logo. Kitsch it may be, but that’s dedication to branding for you.

The double cheeseburger (with beef) was a standard fast-food affair: tasty but a bit greasy (with too much raw onion). The single camel burger was certainly the favourite. It came without cheese, so lacked the slime of those cheapo yellow strips of ‘American’. Also, the patty was much leaner, yet still moist, with a looser, more recognisably meaty texture. Those ‘B’ shaped buns worked well, made with sweet, brioche-like dough. The chips and potato wedges were both fine, and there was nothing out of place.

As evening fell, the bright cobalt of the marina’s blue bridge melted into the pink glow from a nearby lamp post, creating a dusty pastel picture akin to a Hockney painting. So we ordered coffee and gelato and sat a while longer. The caramel gelato was a success, the strawberry (of which I had a cheeky spoonful) tasted of real, juicy strawberries, and the berry sorbet was deliciously tart and refreshing. The coffee, meanwhile, was awful – but it was such a lovely place to sit.

The bill (for two)
1x Double beef cheese meal Dhs48
1x Single camel burger meal Dhs45
2x Milkshake Dhs20
1x Ice-cream cup Dhs19
2x Coffee Dhs12
Total Dhs144