One weekend night, in Marina Plaza, Ed and I walked away from the crowd to find an interesting cafe that was quite new to us, but already popular to healthy eaters. Most people headed straight towards Dubai Marina Mall and Pier 7, while we turned right and took the stairs to Marina Tower, to the terrace of Ultra Brasserie.
The stairway and the terrace were dimly lighted that night, making the cafe a hidden spot. From the outside, it seemed a little less inviting, but Ultra Brasserie was able to shoo off all my apprehensions the moment we arrived on the doorstep.
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| Ultra Brasserie in Marina Plaza |
I wondered why the brasserie was named Ultra. It probably means ultra-chic as it is a bright contemporary cafe with clean white walls accentuated with a vibrant pattern and colorful furniture. Organic produce are displayed in white stylish divider, while freshly baked pastries are available at the counter. Above it is a chalkboard filled with reminders to eat healthy - a big slap to my face obviously! :)
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| trendy cafe in Dubai Marina |
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| fresh local produce |
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| healthy foodie quotes |
Ultra could also mean ultra-healthy. The menu boasts healthy selections from breakfast to dinner. The restaurant is known to serve organic and sustainable local produce. The first two pages are devoted to their breakfast offerings which actually made me felt we should have been there in the morning!
After having enough of the "should have, could have", I began to browse the All Day Menu and realize there's nothing to fret. Ultra serves smoothies and burgers and mains - the healthy ones of course!
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| Ultra Brasserie's menu |
As it was warm outside, we started our dinner with smoothies and had the soup served later. I had the Ultra Super Hero - a green smoothie made of spinach, avocado, ginger and green apple. My husband had Ginger and Peach - a concoction of peach, ginger, yogurt, honey and sparkling water. Both are nutritiously delicious; the kind of drinks I wouldn't mind having instead of milkshakes!
Ed and I, then, shared a serving of Ultra's soup of the day - Zucchini and Broccoli soup. It is creamy and hearty, with a boost of fresh and rich flavors.
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| Ultra's super smoothies |
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| Super Hero smoothie savored until the last drop! |
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| Ultra's soup of the day: Zucchini and Broccoli |
Ultra may also mean ultra-delicious! And that was well-proven halfway through our dinner. For the mains, Ed had Baked Paprika Spiced Salmon Fillet served with grilled asparagus, braised cabbage and roasted capsicum puree. My husband who is a meticulous eater found the salmon perfectly seasoned and fresh.
I, on the other hand, chose a main with a superman logo - Balsamic Glazed NZ Angus Beef Tenderloin Medallions. It came with potatoes, button mushrooms and green beans. The logo symbolizes Super Ultra Food; hence I had super high expectations on it. It was served well-done instead of medium-well which I think I clearly asked for. But, I'm glad it still turned out to be juicy and flavorful.
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| Baked Paprika Spiced Salmon Fillet |
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| my husband about to devour a hearty meal |
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| Balsamic Glazed NZ Angus Beef Tenderloin Medallions |
When dessert time came, I did what exactly the menu says "exercise those legs and see our display". :) While looking at the bread and pastries, a staff recommended Tapioca - a dessert which was not on the counter. I agreed and minutes later, a lovely plate was brought to our table.
Ultra's Tapioca dessert is something new for Ed and I. The mound of tapioca is a little creamy and unsweetened. What made it special is the sweet cream with a hint of cinnamon on the side and of course the fresh raspberries on top.
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| pastry counter in Ultra Brasserie |
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| Tapioca with cream and raspberries |
That night, the staff were friendly and our orders were served fast. Ultra is pretty calm in the evening; it was only me and Ed and another couple in the restaurant. Our server informed us that Ultra is at its prime during the day, especially on breakfast and lunch hours. That I have yet to experience! I guess I would love Ultra's energetic atmosphere as much as I love its calmness at night.
For Ultra Brasserie's complete menu and prices, please visit their official website: www.ultra.ae.
Location:
Ultra Brasserie
Marina Plaza
Dubai Marina
*Ultra Brasserie also has a branch in Emaar Square, Downtown Dubai.
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