11 Woodfire — Restaurant in Dubai

I visited 11woodfire restaurant in Dubai during Ramadan, and unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. While there were a few positive aspects, such as the exceptional bone marrow dish, the overall atmosphere, food, and service were subpar.

Starting with the atmosphere, it was rather average. There was nothing particularly special about it, and it failed to create a memorable dining experience. Moving on to the food, I must say that it was quite disappointing considering the word of mouth it generated, maybe we ordered the wrong stuff? I would have given it a rating of 1/5 if not for the outstanding bone marrow we ordered, which was truly phenomenal.

The reception we received was just okay. We requested to move tables, but we were told it was booked. Strangely, despite the restaurant being almost empty with only four couples present, we saw no one claiming any other tables throughout our dinner.

What truly marred our experience was the behavior of the waitress attending to our table. She exhibited strange behavior by telling my partner, in a cold and stiff manner, that smoking was not allowed. The peculiar thing was that my partner was not smoking nor attempting to smoke at any point. This left a frosty and uncomfortable atmosphere for both of us. However, things took an unexpected turn when my partner went to the bathroom. The waitress suddenly became friendly and asked us where we were from. When we mentioned our Arab origins, she replied with an uncalled-for comment, saying that my partner didn't give her "Arab vibes." I was taken aback by her remark, and when I asked her to clarify, she hesitated and refrained from explaining further, supposedly to avoid offending us.

This blatant profiling and the discomfort it caused us are unacceptable. I have no intention of returning to 11woodfire to subject myself to such an experience again. I hope the management takes this feedback seriously and addresses these...

I made a booking and specifically mentioned it was for the Lunch Prixe Fix Menu and it was very disappointing to be told when I sat down that the beef cheeks and lamb were not available. These 2 dishes were the main reason that my friend and I wanted to come to the restaurant.

I can safely assume that these are 2 of the more popular choices for the lunch menu and they surely knew that too. I arrived almost exactly at 12pm so it's not like many orders had been placed making these dishes unavailable. They must have known well in advance that these dishes were not available.

Considering that it's likely that these dishes are popular, it is poor management to not have enough stock for them and poor customer service to have not let me know before arriving. We felt deceived and I now question how often they don't have items available from the fixed lunch menu.

There were not many other items on the lunch menu that we were interested in except for the duck so I asked if that could be substituted since 2 items were not available. The waiter didn't seem interested in trying to help until I said we would leave if a substation wasn't possible so he went away to check. He came back and magically now 1 portion of beef cheeks were available but a substitution for the duck was not possible. I once again said we would be leaving if it's not possible and he said it's not so we left.

I contacted the restaurant the next day and they were just full of excuses. That day they had "some issues" with non available items and the substitution wasn't possible due to "various reasons".

I understand that non availability might happen sometimes, but they would have known about the non availability well in advance and didn't advise me earlier and they had no interest in trying to provide reasonable customer service.

After their poor excuses, they had the audacity to say they would love to have me...

11 Woodfire is a restaurant nestled in a charming villa in a quaint neighborhood near Town Center Jumeirah. As you enter, you are greeted by a quaint sundial, setting the tone for a potentially delightful dining experience. However, the allure of the setting is quickly overshadowed by the hefty price tag. Some appetizers cost a staggering 350+ Dirhams, raising eyebrows and expectations. While the villa's interior is beautifully decorated, though the wall paint leaves much to be desired. The culinary journey began with a disappointing note. The Chicken Wings with Chipotle and Soy were served with the inedible wing tips still attached, a minor detail that significantly impacted the overall experience. Additionally, the starters were served alongside the main courses, undermining the concept of a progressive dining experience. The highlight of the meal was undoubtedly the Ribeye Steak. Perfectly cooked and presented, which is what you expect with the hefty price tag of 510 Dirhams. The Potato Aligot, a creamy and garlicky delight, complemented the steak perfectly. However, the unexpected addition of mushrooms, not mentioned on the menu, was a minor disappointment. Unfortunately, the dining experience was marred by the presence of persistent flies, a truly unpleasant sight that detracted from the ambiance. The Wagyu Burger, touted as a star dish, was indeed good but failed to live up to the hype. The Cauliflower Steak, while decent, fell short of its "steak" moniker. The dessert, a 'Bone Marrow' Chocolate with Tonka ice-cream, Pecans, and Banana, was a delightful conclusion to the meal, showcasing a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. While the food at 11 Woodfire is undoubtedly good, the exorbitant prices and minor service lapses overshadow the overall experience. Unless I am seeking a decadent dessert with a cup of coffee, it is unlikely that the restaurant justifies a...