Bystro Dubai | The new crowd puller in Manara | Sheikh Zayed Road

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A friend was raving about Bystro Dubai a couple of weeks ago, so I went there for lunch late last week.  It has an inconspicuous entrance between Olive Garden and Jones the Grocer on the service road of Sheikh Zayed Road, but the inside of the restaurant is open and inviting, seats about 100 people, and almost has the feel of a country style kitchen.

Shortly after I was directed to an empty table, the owner himself came by to welcome me and take my drink order, which I thought was a nice personal touch to really make the customer feel at home. I was intrigued by their extensive selection of non-alcoholic drinks so decided to go with the Non Alcohol Passionfruit Bellini.  The restaurant has a no nonsense approach with the menu appearing right in front of you on the table mat, with some of the weekly specials written on chalkboards.

Since I was dining alone this time, I got a chance to chat with the owner - Josh Benson - who shared some of his thoughts with me. Having worked in the hospitality industry in Dubai for about 7 years, Josh (along with his wife) decided to create their own value for money dining concept which would allow a repeat customer to come back 2-3 times a week.  This strategy clearly worked as I ended up going back the very next day to try the breakfast food, which is served till 4pm on the weekends.

The food is a good mix of healthy and indulgent options, with a few good vegetarian picks.  My favourite lunch item was the Quinoa and Lentil “Super Salad” which I devoured within minutes of its arrival.  It had a little bit of an Indian curry flavour to it, which led me to ask whether the chef was Indian, but I was surprised to learn that he was Englishman right out of Manchester!  The beetroot hummus was served along with sliced bread and a high quality olive oil and balsamic.  I could taste the tahini, just a touch of beetroot flavour and a light sourness.  It was a nice touch to have this beetroot hummus in the falafel wrap as well.

When I went back the next day for brunch, I tried the Huevos Rancheros and absolutely loved the dish, mainly due to the delicious pinto bean preparation and homemade tomato relish.   My table also ordered the short stack of pancakes, which was just 2 simple and fluffy pancakes served with maple syrup on the side.  We thought it would have been nice with some fruit compote perhaps, and we later learned that we would have gotten it had we requested for it.  I also stole a bit of my friend's colourful Watermelon, Orange and Feta Salad, which was light, fresh and perfect for the summer.

Watch out Jones, you’ve got yourself some serious competition – at least as a vegetarian customer, I will be at Bystro far more often.

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