The UAE has a plethora of restaurants, each offering a wonderful dining experience, where diners can enjoy a variety of cuisines and take their palettes on a journey, without having to travel.
When exploring the flavours and tastes in the UAE, one to definitely try out is South American cuisine, also referred to as Latin American cuisine. The term Latin America was coined in the 19th century for regions in the Americas that were ruled by Spanish, French and Portuguese empires, and consists of 20 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico and Venezuela.
With each country being home to their own cultures and traditions, there are many variations of traditional dishes from these places like ceviche which is made out of raw fish or shrimp marinated in citrus flavours, and empanadas that are baked or fried pastry pockets commonly made with fillings of meat.
While out and about in the UAE and looking for delicious food to transport people to countries in Latin America, Connector is here with some brilliant suggestions.
Toro Toro, Grosvenor House
Toro Toro at Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, is a great place to enjoy delicious Pan-Latin cuisine, from Peru to Brazil. The restaurant has captivating interiors with dark walls, palm leaves and tribal patterns. While at the restaurant, tuck into tasty dishes including Chilean sea bass, grilled octopus, lomo saltado empanadas that are pastries with beef tenderloin stuffing, soft shell crab tacos, and Toro Toro tres leches, which is a passion fruit sorbet with whipped mango and red currants. To entertain guests, live performances from Samba dancers, decked out in carnival gear is also held.
04-3176000
Hotel Cartagena, JW Marriott Marquis
Hotel Cartagena at JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay, is a great place to explore Latin American flavours, with a backstory. The restaurant is inspired by Mrs Buendia's father, who travelled through Latin America, collecting memorabilia and keepsakes, and has since become a place to relax with friends and loved ones. Relish in dishes like mushroom truffle empanada, bao cubano which is a pulled lamb and beef sandwich, guacamole and chips, Puerto Rican braised short ribs, and pulled lamb tacos.
04-3509287
Santé Ria, The First Collection JVC
Santé Ria at The First Collection, JVC is a great place to enjoy South American flavours, at their finest. With stunning graffiti walls, the colourful venue is also home to live entertainment, to keep guests tapping their feet to the music. Savour in dishes including smoked guacamole, Mexican beef tacos, coconut ceviche, vegetarian empanadas, churros and chocolate tacos.
04-2756630
En Fuego, Atlantis The Palm
En Fuego at Atlantis The Palm is a great place to enjoy vibes from Latin America in Dubai. The restaurant has live dancers putting on brilliant performances, as well as a DJ playing Latin beats to keep guests dancing. The venue serves delicious dishes including fajitas, beef burritos, nachos, chicken empanadas, chicken quesadillas and tres leches.
www.atlantis.com
Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant, Millennium Airport Hotel
Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant at Millennium Airport Hotel, Al Garhoud, is the spot to enjoy tasty Mexican food and late-night fiestas daily, where the party never stops. The venue has an outdoor area, great to dine at during the cooler months, and live entertainment to make the most of the time spent at the restaurant. Tuck into mouthwatering dishes including chilli con carne, picante crab quesadillas, san remo beef burrito, tex mex mix grill, steak diablo, ensalada de fajita and nachos de chocolate.
04-7028855
Amazónico Dubai, DIFC
Amazónico Dubai in DIFC is a lovely place to visit, when looking for a place with stunning interiors and delicious food. The venue is inspired by the Amazon rainforest, with captivating foliage and culture from the Asian and Mediterranean people residing there. The restaurant has an indoor dining area, and a rooftop option, perfect for cooler months. Delight in an expansive menu with dishes like guacamole with sea urchin, Brazilian-style grilled rump steak, squid marinated in panka chilli, and chimichurri marinated skirt steak.
04-5713999
Clay Dubai, Bluewaters Island
Clay Dubai at Bluewaters Island, is an amazing place to enjoy a fusion of South American and Asian flavours. The restaurant serves Nikkei cuisine, which is a fusion of the tastes from Japan and Peru, and has a delicious menu featuring dishes like cebiche platter, soft shell crab bao, taco de maguro which is a tortilla stuffed with bluefish tuna, Andean short ribs, Chilean sea bass, churros and yuzu cheesecake. The venue also features a unique ambience, with the decor inspired by South American colours and Japanese black timber.
www.claydubai.com
Loca Restaurant and Bar, Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa
Loca Restaurant and Bar at Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, Jumeirah, is a brilliant place to enjoy authentic Latin American flavours. With a contemporary setting and a brick wall design, the restaurant specialises in bringing Mexican flavours to Dubai. Tuck into a variety of traditional dishes including doradas de queso asadero which are blue corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, nachos with guacamole, chicken chorizo omelette, beef fillet fajitas, chicken quesadillas, and carne asada burritos made with grilled beef tenderloin.
04-3461111
Fogueira Restaurant and Lounge, Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach
Fogueira Restaurant and Lounge at Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach, is an amazing place to visit for an all-you-can-eat experience. The venue serves an authentic Brazilian churrasco, where a variety of meat options are cooked on skewers over an open flame and served to diners. Apart from the churrasco offer, guests can tuck into dishes including Peruvian ceviche, beef empanadas, chicken tacos and chilli con carne nachos.
050-1896214
Uno Mas, Centara Mirage Beach Resort
Uno Mas at Centara Mirage Beach Resort, Dubai Islands, is a brilliant restaurant to enjoy Argentinian food at its best. The venue serves amazing charcoal grills and dishes to tantalise the tastebuds including tuna ceviche, prawn in garlic tapas, portobello burger, Argentinian steak salad, black tiger prawns, grilled lamb rack, churros and tarta de chocolate.
www.centarahotelsresorts.com
Muchachas Mexican Cantina, Holiday Inn Express
Muchachas Mexican Cantina at Holiday Inn Express, Al Safa, is an amazing place to delight in Mexican cuisine, with a modern touch. The restaurant has a colourful and energetic vibe, perfect to get those perfect Instagram pictures. Savour in dishes including salmon ceviche, charcoal octopus, beef nachos, birria quesadilla, mango habanero wings, vegetable enchilada which is a corn tortilla with vegetable filling, and tuna toastada.
04-3275878
La Niña Dubai, DIFC
Looking for a restaurant that serves a modern take on Latino and Iberian cuisine? La Niña Dubai at DIFC is the place to visit. The restaurant is decorated with high ceilings and stunning tiles on the walls. With a sharing style menu, diners can delight in mouthwatering dishes including taco de la niña which is a cured Wagyu beef taco, roasted salmon, marinated lamb chops, coca de trufa which is flatbread topped with cheese and truffle, and grilled eggplant.
04-3951300
Puerto 99, Bluewaters Island and DIFC
Puerto 99 at Bluewaters Island and DIFC, is a great place to enjoy tasty authentic Mexican food, that will have visitors coming back for more. The restaurant serves a delicious seafood and steak menu with dishes including Mexican street corn, guacamole, dynamite cauliflower, spicy tuna tostada, cream spider crab and lamb shank.
04-5576627
Asado Restaurant, Palace Downtown
Asado Restaurant at Palace Downtown, Downtown Dubai, is a brilliant place to enjoy the tastes of Argentina. The main highlight of the restaurant is the parrilla, where various cuts of meat are prepared on an open wood fire grill, a popular style of cooking in Argentinian cuisine. Savour in dishes including quinoa salad, vegan chorizo, homemade artichoke ragu stuffed ravioli, Argentian mix grill and fondant de chocolate.
www.addresshotels.com
Esco-Bar, Radisson Beach Resort
Relish in the tastes of Latin American cuisine at Esco-Bar at Radisson Beach Resort, Palm Jumeirah West Beach. Take in the views of West Palm Beach at the restaurant decked out in green and earthy tones, inspired by the Amazon rainforest. The venue offers a spin on Latin American and Texas flavours, and diners can enjoy dishes including beef mushroom, tomato tortilla, tacos de carna, salmon ceviche, shrimp fajitas and grilled prime beef tenderloin steak.
056-4447575
Fogo De Chao, DIFC
For diners that are looking to enjoy delicious flavours from Brazil, Fogo De Chao at DIFC is the place to visit. The Brazilian steak house is popular for its churrascaria experience, where premium cuts of meat are grilled on an open fire. The restaurant has an open kitchen and guests can enjoy watching Chefs in action, and is also home to a market table, where stews, salads and soups are served. Delight in dishes including beef ribs, fogo feijoada which is a traditional black bean stew served with rice, Chilean sea bass, and tres leches cake, a vanilla sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk.
04-3438867
Tamoka, JBR
Tamoka at JBR is a lovely place to enjoy delicious fusion flavours from Caribbean and Latin American cuisines, while taking in the views from the beach. The restaurant offers a variety of entertainment, from live music and DJs playing captivating tunes. Specialising in ceviche, seafood and meat, all served with a contemporary twist, diners can savour in dishes like chickpea flatbread, skewed beef tenderloin, charred leeks, salmon ceviche, craw lobster and Venezuelan chocolate tacos.
04-3186099
Burro Blanco, Business Bay and Motor City
Burro Blanco in Business Bay and Motor City, is the place to check out for tasty Mexican street food in Dubai. Diners can relish in burritos, bowls and tacos including avocado fritas, chips and salsa, Mexican street corn, taquitos, quesadilla and trio tacos.
www.burroblancouae.com