Gursha, located at Club Vista Mare on the Palm Jumeirah was my first insight into wholesome Ethiopian cuisine. Beautifully furnished, this restaurant is contemporary, with lovely glimpses of Ethiopia. If you’re at a bit of a loss while perusing the menu, don’t hesitate to ask your waiter/waitress as they know the menu inside out.
I started off with a tequila based cocktail, which was refreshing and delicious. Club Vista Mare is thankfully one of those few places in Dubai unattached to a hotel and so all the places serve alcohol. Since it was mine and my #Nomwithme partner’s first Ethiopian food experience, we opted for the non-vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia. It’s such a communal feeling when you dig into one platter together. The platter is a combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes served with two types of ‘injera’ – a gluten free sourdough.
Amongst the dishes served were:
- Gursha Kitfo – a raw beef tartare (which we ordered medium well). I quite enjoyed this dish.
- Doro – a chicken curry
- Tibs Firfir – a type of beef stir fry
- Shiro – a chickpea stew
- Siga – a beef stew
I personally loved the tibs firfir and the chicken curry, but some of the vegetarian dishes were also fantastic. One plate is sufficient for 2-3 people atleast, it’s wholesome food, with some connections in the flavour profile to desi food. We closed our meal with some Ethiopian coffee and popcorn; which is an unusual combination in my opinion. But the coffee was full-bodied and delicious.
Mm..can’t wait to visit again! Gursha is also available on The Entertainer, so make sure you check it out!
LOCATION: Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah
DISCLOSURE: This review has been written in exchange of a complimentary meal. However, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Update: As of May 2022, this establishment has been shut down.
The decor is darn pretty! Haven’t had Ethiopian cuisine either so adding this restaurant in my list of places to do in Dubai.
Those cloth hanged are so beautiful. Are those weaved locally?
I wish I knew! I’m sure they’re definitely sourced from Ethiopia though
That looks like a great place to eat out! I’d heard that Ethiopian cuisine can be made vegan but I haven’t tried yet. I really want to, now!
You must check it out when you get the chance!
Never tried ethiopian food…since entertainer is also available..will definitely try
Let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by!
I love the decor of this restaurant and the food looks so delicious. Though I’m not very fond of Ethiopian cuisine as the food is too spicy for me!
The good thing about this place is that they ask about the spice tolerance before you order!
We have seen the place a few times every time we go to Breeze and Aji! We are very tempted to go try it out soon too! Looks good, but somehow a part of us wants to save the first time for when we go to Ethiopia itself soon!
I’ll be looking forward to reading that post!
The decor of the restaurant is really beautiful and there is something special in those hanging Ethiopian clothes too. The food looks quite wholesome and tempting. Will love to give a try some day.
Ethiopian food is on my must try list for sure, I can’t believe it’s taken so long for someone to open a restaurant serving it here though since it was so fashionable in the late 90s! I’m going to have to venture to the Palm and experience something new.