MAMA ZONIA — Restaurant in Dubai

The new restaurant on the second floor of Pier 7 is a mystery to solve. The experience commences the moment elevator doors open and suddenly you find yourself surrounded by the sounds and colours of the world’s most precious rainforest. The visual of sunny pineapples being caramelized by bright orange flames through the panoramic open kitchen will build your appetite, and you’ll immediately want to place your order. Slow down and instead, take a good look at what’s going on.

The sliding ceiling high gate at the reception is worth a fortune, potentially being the most expensive pieces of décor at Mama Zonia and made by a Thai artist exclusively for this space (the same artist who created a magnificent golden cage at Hotel Cartagena). Once you pass the gate, look to your right. A little lounge on a podium surrounded by greenery is not just another pretty spot but a revolving platform. I wonder if it was inspired by Austin Powers’ approach to living :)

The next curiosity is a central glamorous bar with hidden mirrors and reflective surfaces. The bar stand itself is covered in clay tiles most probably recovered from the depths of Amazonian forests once belonging to Incas (knowing the owners I wouldn’t be surprised). The mixing crew a tough recruitment process, so do not be surprise to discover that everyone is a character. Take Vasile for example. Born in Russia, raised in Moldova and matured in Romania, he carries the weight of his life adventures inked into skin. Literally. Apart from an unbeatable life philosophy and sharp sense of humour, he is good at mixing a drink that suits one’s personality. He totally figured out my dear friend with a dedicated tequila based cocktail!

Away from the bar, in the far most corner, stands a state of the art sushi bar with a team ready to roll. Fresh ingredients, a wild approach and a keen effort to serve the best made me remember to come back for a late night serving of sashimi, rare Asian beverages and a conversation.

The DJ booth is a large wooden table packed with gadgets and glowing buttons. Behind it is a tiled wall with Disney-like saturated images of the rain forest and its inhabitants. The DJ’s appearance as a of Victoria Secret model is enhanced with a pair of Angel Wings and the most charming smile. Her name is Caroll and she is truly awesome.

The rest of the indoor space is a large dining area with the elements of jungle chic and a touch of gold, a colour so loved in the region. The designer once again made wise use of reflective materials to give the interiors a breath taking view of Dubai Marina and the shimmering night lighting. The views are especially appreciated from the comfort of the outdoor terrace, high enough to keep you away from the traffic noise and low enough to enjoy watching the water canal busy with all kinds of boats.

As for the food, it’s the mystery I failed to solve on my fist visit. Incredibly delicious and fresh in terms of ingredients and style, I failed to place a category tag on the dishes. Latin American? Caribbean? Exotic global? The answer is still there hiding in the jungles of Mama Zonia. Tell me...

Went to celebrate my cousin’s and sister’s birthday. We had dinner as well. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, they night wasn’t as eventful as it would have been. Meaning, there weren’t those night vibes.

Their food was, overall, delicious. Thé banana guacamole was fantastic! I loved how they played with the banana and turned into crisps without making you feel the banana. Thé emmental balls are soft, but hot inside so be careful. They are the right temperature but still don’t rush it in your mouth. Regarding the dumpling, the duck dumpling tasted better than the chicken. Thé volcano sushi is a masterpiece. It isn’t like the other sushi stores where they just pour sauce all over it. In here, it is fresh and original in making. It is worth it; it gives you the vibe. The tuna sushi was also delicious and amazing. I love how they played well with their sushi to make it outstanding. Black widow tacos are marvellous. I think they used prawn or lobster; not sure. It is of fair size; good for one but can be shared if you cut it well. Crispy in a fantastic way and by using the soft taco bread; the combination balanced it. For the dessert, Mango Pango tasted better than the Caramel cheesecake. Note: the caramel cheesecake had a taste of orange (I am not a huge fan of orange with some food, but they mixed it well, but still there might be a bias in my words). The mango Pango was a tiramisu with mangoes and mango sorbet. We tried mixing the two desserts for fun and they tasted delicious together.

For my drink, I ordered Mama something. It is spicy so I risked it. I thought it won’t really be spicy but it was and it hit really well. You can taste it with every sip, but the overall mixture was balanced, to a degree.

I wish we tried the frog legs, sounded interesting, but maybe next time.

The service was really good. Our waitress was lovely, helpful and she had the qualified mémorisation skills for such top restaurant. She was friendly and funny as well. Thé Guy who called me regarding our birthday plan was also helpful; he remembered the plan and made sure to tell his team. He maintained it and it wasn’t ruined.

We enjoyed our stay there. Our waitress said they will hopefully get things back by September. Will hope to...

Mama zonia is a place near Pier 7 near Marina Bay, Dubai. It is styled like a jungle with standing and overhanging plants all around, making it feel like a veritable jungle high above. It's a unique experience. We were 9 women who had lunch there to celebrate a birthday. We chose the set menu with one soup, starter, main course and dessert. Being a vegetarian, I chose Miso Shiro, Avocado salad, Red Thai curry with rice and Coconut and Mango Sorbet. The others had non veg options. Though it was a set menu and the options were quite limited, they did not have cheesecake in stock for the birthday girl initially. That was disappointing. Also, the tempura they served had gluten in it, hence had to be changed, albeit hesitantly. The service was satisfactory, however, the menu and inventory could be planned better. The portion sizes are slightly smaller than average but were enough for most people. The food tasted good! Overall, it's a good place to hang out in with a fantastic ambiance and a beautiful view of the pier, but be prepared for changing your menu choices. In case you're fine with limited choices, go for the set menu, you will like the food. Do not miss caramelized bananas with coconut Sorbet. ...