During the first night of our stay at Four Points Sheraton Bur Dubai, we headed downstairs to one of their restaurants, Picante.

Now, the hotel actually has three restaurants, a bar and a cafe, but we chose Picante because the cuisine is quite different from what we are used to. Although the Picante has grills and other common items on the menu, it also boasts a few exotic Portuguese and Brazilian dishes as well.

The restaurant’s decor is a mix of homely and rustic, with a splash of funky colors. It’s has a very welcoming and friendly vibe. The staff are really kind and took care of us from beginning till end. We never had to wave them down, they were very attentive.

After taking our order, we were quickly served a bread along with an herbed butter, pickled carrots and olives.

With that, they also brought us a small amuse-bouche which was really out of this world. It was made from smoked salmon, horseradish tartar sauce, and beside it was a fried ball of goat cheese on top of sweet caramelized onions. The flavors were so incredible, that I wish they could make a whole meal out of it! Really, really good stuff. 

Our appetizers soon arrived and I realized what a huge mistake we made in ordering so much! We ordered the Seafood Sampler and the Shrimp in Chilli-Garlic Olive Oil.

I thought the sampler would be a little bit of everything, but its actually a lot-a- bit of everything. They were very generous with the size of the sampler. Included in it is sautéed clams, mussels in a red sauce, garlic shrimps, and crab paste. All of the seafood was cooked to perfection and the flavors were good and not so overpowering that it diminishes the taste of the actual meat.

By the time the mains came, we were already half way stuffed from the bread, amuse-bouche and appetizers!

My husband ordered Tiger Prawns off the grill, with rice and steakhouse fries on the side. He loved what he had, and he was done with it before I could even sneak in a bite!

I ordered something totally foreign to me, the Bacalhau. All I knew was that this is a Portuguese/Brazilian dish, and that it was highly recommended by the staff. I really didn’t even know what it looked like until it came to the table.

It’s made from scrambled eggs and crispy shredded potatoes. With it, comes a filet of cod fish. It tastes very heavy and filling, just the way any good comfort food should taste. I wish I hadn’t stuffed myself earlier so I could enjoy  a bit more of this dish. The filet of cod was poached with olive oil, and it was a bit salty for my taste, but since I’ve never had the cuisine before, I can’t really judge if it was supposed to be that way.

As we finished up our mains, I could hardly fit another thing in tummy, so we opted to share a light dessert, the Caramel Mousse.

Its served beautifully in a cup, with a shred of a crispy biscuit. The dessert is quite creamy and custard-like and great for those (including me) who have a sweet tooth.

I don’t think that this cuisine can easily be found in Dubai, so its definitely a rarity to enjoy. If you aren’t particularly keen on exploring new things (or, like in my case, if you have a husband who won’t eat anything that’s not familiar), don’t worry there are plenty of mainstream and common dishes as well!

Ratings (0-5): 

• Staff/Service: 5
• Ambience: 4.5
• Food: 5
• Presentation: 4.5
• Cleanliness: 5
• Value for money: 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.75 

Worth Trying?: Yes, wonderful staff, unique dishes, and a fun, family-friendly atmosphere!

For more information, call Picante  at +971 (0) 4 397 7444.