Dean & Deluca — Restaurant in Al Asimah

A Disappointing Experience at Dean and Deluca

We recently had the opportunity to dine at the highly acclaimed Dean and Deluca, expecting an exquisite meal accompanied by top-notch service, However, we left the restaurant feeling underwhelmed and disappointed, as the experience fell far short of my expectations.

Let me first say that the food was very good as is the usual. No issues there.

Upon arrival, we were the first guests to be seated on a quiet Monday morning. Despite the near-empty restaurant, the staff seemed to be in a constant state of haste and disarray.

The first disappointment arose when we perused the menu and found breakfast items listed in the all-day food section. Our waitress informed us that this was a typo, and the dishes were not available beyond breakfast hours. While we appreciated her honesty, this oversight left us questioning the level of professionalism at a high-end restaurant like Dean and Deluca. Especially since the fish we wanted was a breakfast dish.

The service continued to deteriorate throughout our meal. Our waitress abruptly left while we were placing our order, forcing us to call her back to complete it. Moreover, our table lacked essential items such as salt, pepper, and napkins, which we had to procure from another table ourselves.

The missteps continued as our dessert was brought out while we were still enjoying our main courses. Despite the staff's assurance that dessert would be served when we were ready, the premature arrival disrupted the flow of our dining experience.

To top it all off, the staff repeatedly attempted to remove our dishes before we were finished eating. Although they apologized each time, the constant interruptions detracted from what should have been a relaxing and enjoyable meal.

In summary, our experience at Dean and Deluca left much to be desired. The lack of attention to detail, coupled with subpar service, was disheartening given the restaurant's high-end reputation. While the food itself was satisfactory, the overall experience was severely marred by the numerous mishaps. A kind smile is something that the greeter should practice as her face was very stiff and...

This particular branch is located at the Arabian Gulf Street, and being a sea facing restaurant, it adds an additional point to the location.

We wanted to celebrate the last weekend of 2021 with a luxury gourmet food and Dean and Deluca was a good fit to our weekend.

They don’t reserve tables on calls during the weekends and hence we had to wait 30 minutes to get our table.

The reception staff were friendly and the waiting area is beautiful with a sea facing view but with limited seating.

As soon as we were seated at our table, we were awed by the amazing view right around us. In front was the astonishing sea view and right behind was a wall with clocks with multiple time zones.

The ambience is certainly the best thing about this restaurant and it does push me to be a little biased towards the numbers of stars given to this restaurant.

We were first served with the complimentary olive breads along with butter, although they weren’t freshly baked and they would only be served once.

The crockeries on the tables were fabulous and it adds to the presentation.

There aren’t many options in chicken but still we could manage to order 3 dishes;

1. Chicken char grilled skewers: the presentation was brilliant but the taste wasn’t up to mark.
2. Shawarma nachos: Again, they pulled up a great skill in presentation and it did have an amazing taste with multiple flavors, but yet lacking with the amount of dressing on the nachos.
3. Chicken Moroccan tagine: This was pretty much bland and didn’t have considered number of flavors in them. It was not up to the standards of luxury gourmet restaurant.

The service could have been little more kind and humble as Alshaya Group is known for their customer service and it is exceptional in some of the other branches I have visited.

I would give 3 stars to the restaurant according to the value it adds to the money. And would certainly like to come back and have their shawarma nachos...

My experience at Dean & DeLuca was truly amazing. From the moment I walked in, the beautiful beach view and the perfect vibe had me hooked. The atmosphere was just right for a relaxing meal.

The servers were super friendly and attentive, making me feel welcome right away. Then, I had the pleasure of meeting the manager, Raj, who was going around to ensure everyone was having a great time. I told him, “I’m not kidding, this lamb and rice dish is the best I’ve ever had in my entire life!” As a Kuwaiti, if I’m looking for a Kuwaiti dish, I usually go to local Kuwaiti restaurants. I wouldn’t come to Dean & DeLuca for a Kuwaiti dish, but this exceeded my expectations. It felt like something my mom or grandma would cook—a true home-cooked meal in a modern setting.

Raj seemed genuinely happy to hear that and called over the chef, Ramy Haly. Both Raj and Ramy came over to thank me personally, which made me feel really special. I told Ramy that the lamb just melted in my mouth, buttery and delicious.

And the cherry on top was the dessert. The pistachio cake was incredible—light, flavorful, and the perfect end to a fantastic meal.

I’m beyond happy with my experience today. If you’re looking for an amazing meal with an ocean view, I highly recommend checking...