Samari

North African favourite on Al Mina Road Discuss this article

From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

Get past the perpetually furious waitress and relentless medley of Moroccan pop and blaring Fashion TV, and you just might like Samari’s buzzing café atmosphere. The place is pretty worn around the edges and a bit grubby, but is very popular with locals.

A consistent haze of shisha is to be expected. But the food is a bit of a letdown; logic says that a place as colourfully local as this would serve up first-rate grub, but then the logic of serving everything from tuna nicoise to lasagne in a clearly Moroccan place escapes us.

But even the staples of the cuisine are disappointing: the unappetising appearance of the lamb tagine isn’t helped by a handful of soggy prunes and cheap-tasting meat. Fatty and almost tasteless, this off-the-bone shank stew possesses neither the heartiness of Moroccan food, nor its own distinct character.

Despite the shab, Samari is comfortable and there’s something to be said for the tasteful restraint in ‘Moroccanising’ the place. But you’re never likely to randomly end up in the abyss that is Al Mina Street, and this café isn’t worth going out of your way for.

• Previous reviews
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Jeremy Lawrence
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 30 April,2006- reviewed by Time Out Dubai
  • 01 May,2005- reviewed by Matthew Lee

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