Chef Michael Mina was in Dubai for a few days, and we were quite fortunate to have been invited to pop into Mina Brasserie for lunch whilst he was there. We had never been to Mina Brasserie – so was fairly excited to get dressed up and drive up to the Four Seasons DIFC on a school day. A mid-week date, it was.

We valeted, and got ourselves onto the podium level of the Four Seasons. The restaurant was busy, with what looked like a typical work crowd who decided to have a end-of-the-week leisurely lunch. My husband and I looked at each other – we definitely made the right decision to leave the little ones at home today!

So, how was the menu, and what did we have? How is the restaurant like?

The staff started off with recommendations from the raw menu but we were both not really in the mood for some. I opted for the quinoa and kale salad instead, and him, the wild mushroom soup. Think I’m just going through a quinoa and kale phase – having absolutely loved the one at Twiggy the week before. Mina’s version (65 AED) came with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, chopped avocado and ginger dressing. Starting to see the trend here – the dried cranberries for the added sweetness. Loved the additional thinly sliced cucumber and radish as well. The mushroom soup (70 AED) – a combination of shiitake, porcini and button mushrooms was thick, served with a baguette. Both dishes, beautifully presented.

We did take on one of the recommended dishes – the truffle gratinee (65AED). This was macaroni cooked with a rich truffle cream and mimolette cheese – a tasty dish, albeit a tad too filling – especially when I had steak coming up next. I decided I was going to have a little and proceed with the mains.

My Cafe de Paris Striplion* (285 AED) came in a large plate – portions were extremely generous. They had ran out of the wagyu filet, so my husband went with the wood-grilled 250g Filet Mignon* (270AED) instead. Both steaks came in a perfect medium-well, we could not fault it.

At this point we both knew that we would not be able to try any desserts if we finished all that meat (and the truffle grattinee). The staff was nice enough to let us pack it away, after signing the standard waiver form (Thanks)

To end the lunch? The classic tiramisu it would be. Loved how it was served – with the staff lifting the plastic film supporting it, and the tiramisu melts away from within.

For drinks – it was fascinating to see that their cocktails and mocktails are inspired by historical and iconic works of art. There’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’, ‘Starry Night’ and the beautiful ‘Melting Watch’ by Salvador Dali. I’m keen to know if there are other restaurants and bars out there with original cocktails like Mina does.

Overall thoughts?

If I wasn’t such a lazy marina bum, I’ll be happy to return to Mina again for lunch. The indoor is bit more formal, so if you prefer a more laid-back atmosphere just choose a spot in their outdoor covered terrace.

At dinner-time, the prices are as mentioned in the review above.

Go at lunch and opt for their Business Lunch which is 120 AED for 3 courses or 105 AED for 2 courses – this includes tea, coffee or hey – ice-cream for those who fancy that. It’s a bargain, considering that each dish ranges from 60-140 AED, and you can choose from dishes like Grilled Octopus (105 AED), Endive Crab Salads (85 AED), and Wagyu Burger (145 AED). *Note that the Cafe de Striploin and 250g Filet Mignon is not included in the Business Lunch deal.

You DIFC people, aren’t you guys lucky, having so many good restaurants at your doorstep?

• Mina Brasserie
• Four Seasons DIFC
• Deal : Business Lunch – 120 AED for 3 courses, 105 AED for 2 courses including tea, coffee or ice-cream. Available Sunday through Thursday.

Disclaimer : We were guests of Mina’s Brasserie to review the venue over lunch.