From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

When confronted with a decor scheme more avocado heavy than a ’70s bathroom, your initial reaction may be to scream and run in the opposite direction. But give this place a chance.

It may be empty, but it seems not many have discovered the smoky mutabbal, ferociously garlicky houmous Beiruty, and piping hot bread that complements the piquant, crispy fattoush salad perfectly. The mixed grill, however, is a bit, well, mixed. The chicken is juicy and tender, but the chop too fatty, the kebab uninspiring and the chips cold.

The waiting staff are perhaps out of practice due to the lack of custom: on Time Out’s visit we requested a bottle of Lebanese wine from one waiter, but, quickly after, another came over and tried to take our drinks order again. On explaining that we’d already ordered, he growled, ‘No, you give me your drink order.’ He then proceeded to look at us in horror when he thought we wanted a bottle of wine each.

After the rather scary start, they soon became charming (or maybe that was just the wine. Over all, there’s definitely something odd about Baladna, but, in a city full of identikit chain restaurants, maybe that’s not bad.