Enigma — Restaurant in Dubai

positive: good persian vibe with nice entertainment. good mix of starters that fit perfectly and faloudeh was nice

here it goes wrong: Menu do not match at all, persian cuisine have strong and unique taste that was mixed with raw fish or Taco.... nothing was adding up. You feel they wanted to get ride of their ingredients on friday evening, so they put together some manu!

The worst part was the main dish. It was truly the worst Gheymeh and Kabab we have ever had. Gheyme was mix of tomato paste made in 2mins in cold water with uncooked beans and tiny tiny pieces of meat. Believe me it was so bad that I brought my friends home and we opened Gheyme Hani (Canned food) and it was much better than that food. Persian cuisine is an elegant cuisine with essence of Saffaran and Cinnamon all over the dining table.That was embarrassing to be served (tomato paste wateri, taste-less something) as representative of persian dish in such high end resturant.

Kabab was absolutely raw with zero taste. This is the simplest dish that is very hard to get it wrong! they managed. If anyone know a tinny bit about persian Kabab dish, they know it comes with sides. here, they leave that piece of meat in our sad plate without any proper sides such as bread or onions or herbs. There were two bowls of rice. The rice with green beans tha is not persian and both were crazingly dry!!! what chef was thinking that is good menu and dish to serve in this restaurant as a fine dinning.

at last, there is dress code and they emphasises on that but no respect for dress code. People walked in with flip-flop, short and cap and we were way over dressed. dont bother, go with jean and shirt you are still overdressed.

overall we appreciated those dancers that brought nice atmosphere but low quality food and i do not take friends there to present...

At the lobby level of Palazzo Versace, with indoor and outdoor seating facing the main pool and magnificent Creek (especially at night), Enigma delivers on its namesake, “delightfully mysterious”.

The installation of branded wall mirrors result in dramatic reflections of candlelight and exteriors, creating an Ottoman palace effect. The soft fabrics used for seating arrangements including pillows, sofas and chairs create a “divan culture”.

Signature cocktails, designed around everyone’s favourite beverages and well-known landmarks like Constantinople and Bosporus, show the bartender’s obsession with the history (of the world and drinks).

One can never underestimate the freshly baked fluffy bread with crispy edges and sesame seeds, paired with a selection of sauces, including my favourite tomato and red peppers, sweet pear puree and sliced marinated to crisp onions.

The real magic starts when the chef appears with a long serving table and house cured meat, pastrami layered with black pepper, fenugreek, anise, bay leaf, white pepper and obviously a secret ingredient. While the chef slowly slices pastrami on white plates carved of stone, he engages in a conversation explaining the magic behind the softest and the most fragrant piece of meat one can dream of.

But the masterpiece of the night was octopus, cooked in a vacuum pot for as long as five hours, then quickly seared...

Ambience: The restaurant is located in one of the best designed hotels. It has both an indoor and an outdoor seating area. The outdoor faces the hotel’s pool . The vibe is so mysterious, a play of old vs new, modern vs traditional.. which makes u think that the name was perfectly chosen as it does creat the mystery in the mind . I loved the vibe , also there was live violine playing which added to the charm of the place. ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

Food: Fantastic. Presentation was spot on! The presentation was indeed a work of art on its own. The creativity that was used to transform a cuisine that is thousands of years old and give it a modern twist was truly admirable. The food was extremely tasty , cooked just to the perfection, portions reasonable, ingredients fresh…. What else could you ask for!? One of the best Iranian foods I have had so far. As someone who cooks a lot herself and considers herself a master of Iranian cuisine I should admit that Enigma left me speechless with the quality and taste of food they offered. ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

Service: Superb. Extremely polite staff, very well trained. Service was perfect. ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

Overall: A must...