Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 8 June, 2016 4:29 am |

The Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates is celebrating Ramadan with the launch of a luxuriuous fully air-conditioned marquee on the terrace of the Levantine restaurant Olea, which will offer extended seating throughout the holy month and during summer until 15th September.

 

The enhanced Olea Restaurant, which will have capacity for 300 guests to dine, will be serving a lavish Iftar Buffet and à la carte Suhour menu during Ramadan, accompanied by traditional Arabic entertainment.

 

The Iftar Buffet will celebrate Olea’s Levantine heritage and feature dishes from the six countries of the Levant: Jordan; Lebanon; Cyprus, Palestine; Syria; and southern Turkey, meaning guests can experience the true taste of home during the holy period.

 

Start with one of the traditional soups such as Chicken Freekeh, a Jordanian green wheat soup with chicken, or Hot Mezze including Lamb Makanek, Fried Kebbeh and Samak Bezre. A wide range of Cold Mezze includes Hommous, Moutabel, Modardara, Basterma, Shanklesh and Tabouleh, with a choice of Manakesh and Fresh Arabic Bread straight from the oven.

 

For main course, Olea offers signature menu items including Mansaf Lahem, a national Jordanian dish featuring lamb cooked in dried yoghurt served with rice and flatbread and garnished with almonds, pine nuts and spices, and Maqloba Djaj, an ancient Palestinien recipe known as the “upside down” dish, where a big pot of cooked meats, vegetables and fragrant coloured rice is flipped over as it is served, bringing its delicious juices to the top. 

 

Lamb Ouzi, the traditional Iftar offering of Whole Baby Lamb with Oriental Rice will also be served, as will a Mixed Grill featuring Shish Tawok, Shish Kebab and Lamb Kofta.

 

The sumptuous Dessert station features Soft Kunafa, a Levantine cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar-based syrup, Halawat Al Jibn, a Lebanese dessert meaning “the sweetness of cheese”, and Osmalliah, comprising crispy baked vermicelli topped with orange blossom clotted cream, rose petal jam and roasted pistachios, along with traditional Baklawa, Fresh Fruits and for the children amongst us, a Chocolate Fountain. 

 

 

The Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Director of Sales and Marketing, Alexander Suski, commented: “We are delighted to celebrate Iftar and Suhour for the first time in Olea, our authentic Levantine restaurant and the perfect destination for anyone seeking a traditional experience this Ramadan. Our new air-condtioned marquee means we can cater to even more guests and offer a luxury, spacious setting, giving our diners the privacy they require during the holy period”.

 

The Iftar Buffet at Olea, which runs from sunset until 9pm every evening throughout Ramadan, includes Ramadan juices such as Jallab and Amareddin and house water. It is priced at AED175 per person, with a 50% discount for children aged from six to 12 years old. Children aged five years and younger dine for free.

 

For a more exclusive Iftar in the comfort of your own home, Kempinski MOE is offering the authentic, home-cooked Levantine flavours of Olea delivered to your house and served by the region’s finest chefs. Home delivery and service starts from AED 600* per person.

 

Olea will offer a Suhour set menu for AED 90 per person starting from 10pm until 2.30am, as well as a reduced a la carte menu. The Special Menu for Suhour includes one Ramadan Specialist Drink, with four to choose from; a selection of Hot and Cold Mezze; three different types of Saj Manakeesh; and three Desserts.

 

Olea will also offer a normal breakfast and lunch service during Ramadan, as will Aspen by Kempinski which will remain open for 24 hours, seven days a week.

 

Authentic Spanish eatery Salero Tapas & Bodega will be open and serving its à la carte menu from 12noon until 1am daily during Ramadan. 

 

The luxury nightlife destintion, NOIR Lounge, will be closed from 6th June until 1st July.