Almaz by Momo JBR Dubai Review: Stylish & Contemporary North African Cuisine on The Beach

Falling in love with Dubai wasn’t something that happened over night, but took a mere 24 hours. Arriving tired, early and going straight into meetings and greetings with a slightly forced smile on our face, all we really wanted to do was sit down, relax in the sun and eat till our hearts were content. And that was where Almaz by Momo came in. Strolling along what is known as The Walk on Jumeirah Beach Residence, it’s an area of Dubai which is full of restaurants, street food traders and golden soft sands. There isn’t any alcohol mind you – but it was nice to have a break from it and the juices they whip up instead are equally as satisfying.

It looks stunning too. The outside terrace is full of light, wicker furniture and plump pillows. Inside it’s incredibly modern and with a tree like structure sprawling across the ceiling and out from the ground. It wasn’t until writing this review that I discovered the owner behind this restaurant has a story too. Owned by a gentlemen named Mourad Mazouz, he’s now one of the worlds leading restaurateurs who in fact launched the still very popular Momo London in 1997. Mourad also supported the launch of Michelin starred restaurant Club Gascon in Smithfield and in 2002 opened the now two Michelin starred restaurant, Sketch by the legendary Pierre Gagnaire. Not to mention the many other successful openings in Paris and of course Dubai/Abu Dhabi.

And then of course there was the food. Beautiful plates of distinctly Mediterranean, African and Middle Eastern flavours. A huge basket of bread was perfect for scooping up all of our food and especially so with the huge portion of hummus topped with meat. Silky, smooth, flavoursome and a healthy dollop of olive oil. The beef mixture in the middle was in a gravy of sorts, laced with a little chilli and pine nuts. It was every bit as good as it looked.

What was great about the food here was not only is it exactly the type of food you want to be eating when in Dubai, but never did we have a bad dish and the prices were rather affordable – considering its prime location. The fresh tabouleh served in baby gem was perfect again for mopping up the dips and especially more so for this smoky machuia dip. Made up of chopped charcoal peppers, tomatoes, spices, olive oil and coriander. Eating these two dishes in the warm 24 degree afternoon sun was utter heaven.

What my photos really doesn’t capture here, are the portion sizes. Each plate was huge and packed full to the edges. Our table had barely any room left to move and we couldn’t even finish half of what we ordered between us. The Moroccan merguez sausages were arguably some of the best I’ve had and were cooked just perfectly. A plate pf charcoal aubergine moutabel didn’t let us down either. Every bit as fresh and smokey as we’d hoped for.

Sadly too full for desserts, we did spy them displayed on the way out and I must admit – they looked as though they had been created in a Michelin starred kitchen. Just another excuse to return to Almaz by Momo when next in Dubai/Abu Dhabi. I really loved the concept of this place, its casualness and the quality of the food. With three locations now split between Dubai and Abu Dhabi there is more than one reason to return. Now, I just need to head to Momo in London and find out how it all started.