Shortly after SLS opened its doors here in Dubai, social media went into a little explosion of its own. There were so many reels of Fi’lia and their rooftop pool – that steady camwork leading out to their terrace, I can just picture Fi’lia’s staff shaking their heads watching guest after guest collecting content for their socials (me, included, haha). Numerous failed attempts to reach out to their marketing team later (hides head in ground), I figured I’ll bite the bullet and go. A friend had mentioned their business lunch deal – 99 AED for 3-courses – that’s not too bad? So when the opportunity came to organise a get-together with a group of friends, Fi’lia it was going to be.
How was it? Did it live up to the hype? Was it worth the trip to Business Bay?
Let’s start with reservations.
This I’ll give them credit for. Where a lot of venues fall short in, least they got this part right. I booked online, received an email shortly after. They followed up with a phonecall, and did the same the day before. Good job.
Getting there.
I am not a fan of Business Bay. I would assume everyone who doesn’t live in the marina shares the same sentiment about the marina. My tip is …..keep your eyes open when you drive, and don’t miss an exit.
First impressions.
The lobby itself is on the 70th floor. Don’t be alarmed if you walk into the hotel on Ground floor to find a little cafe on the side and nothing else. Then prepare to be completely wowed by the sky lobby itself when you get there. Modern, high ceilings, natural light streaming in. Caviar Bar to one far end and S Bar to the other. It’s a beautifully designed hotel lobby.
Let’s get down to business. What do you get for the business lunch?
Here’s the business lunch menu.
And how was it?
We were a group of 5, arriving for a 12pm booking. There is a 2 hour timeslot for the business lunch which suited us fine.
For starters, we ended up having one of each from the menu. I was happy with my Arugula Salad – this was tossed with ricotta cheese, candied walnuts and balsamico. The Insalata Di Indivia was a perfect combination of endives, mustard dressing, gorgonzola cheese and green apple. Our friend did say that the addition of pecans was a nice touch of added sweetness to the dish.
The Oven baked Feta however did not get a thumbs up.
I went with Seabass for mains – this was served with warm couscous salad, grilled asparagus and lemon sauce. Plating, taste – good. Portions was small, and I had to remind myself – well, this is 99aed for 3 choices so it was to be expected? Or not?
Our friends who opted for the Due Cacio E Due Pepe – pasta with parmigiano cream and pecorino cheese – did comment it was good but on the dry side, as the sauce was a tad too thick. Those who are vegetarian will be happy to see quite a few options to choose from – and our vegetarian friend went for the Sedano Rapa – which was salt crusted celeriac served with cauliflower-fennel puree. The comment passed on was that the team could have done a lot better with the grilled celeriac – the dish by itself was a letdown. The celeriac was very plain, and dry. Sorry guys.
For desserts, though there were 2 options on the menu, we all went for the tiramisu. And that, was a definite winner for all of us.
Overall thoughts.
The business lunch is smartly priced at 99 AED. It gives you the impression that is is very well-priced, in comparison with a lot of other Business Lunches in the area. Note that it does not include water or any hot drinks – a cappuccino or latte is 25 AED, and a 750mL bottle of Evian or sparkling Ferrarelle (no local water) is 29 AED.
Fi’lia is no doubt a stunning restaurant.
The decor, ambience is 10/10. When the weather cools down, it will be lovely to sit out at the terrace. And to pay around 125 AED per person for a 3-course meal with one coffee is undoubtedly a good price. The food however, was not a winner for all of us. It would have been better to up the portions a little – I’m glad I didn’t bring the husband along as he would have still been hungry after.
Will we return? The group consensus was no for some, yes for some. For me – if there was another good offer – a well-priced brunch, then yes. Otherwise, it’s a tick off the box for now.
- Fi’lia Business Lunch
- Website
- Price : 99 AED for 3 courses, excluding drinks
- SLS Dubai, Business Bay Dubai
Note : Non-sponsored post. We all paid for the Business Lunch offer at Fi’lia.
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