The Gentleman Magazine Issue 18 | December 2019 | Page 78
JA RESORTS & HOTELS OPENS TWO
‘MODERN MIDDLE EASTERN’ RESTAURANTS
CALLED PHOENICIA
Phoenicia is the latest addition to the rapidly expanding JA
Resorts & Hotels Restaurant and Bar portfolio, set to open
in two Dubai locations this month offering modern Middle
Eastern cuisine, with menus by award-winning consulting
chef, Greg Malouf.
Phoenicia (pronounced fuh-neesh-a) was an ancient
Mediterranean civilization that originated in Lebanon, in the
west of the Fertile Crescent or what is now often referred to
as ‘the cradle of civilisation’. In 2500 B.C. and beyond, the
Phoenicians were famous tradesmen who introduced the
cultivation of olive oil and widely sold saffron, wine, figs and
salted fish amongst many other luxuries. In a modern tribute
to our Phoenician ancestors, JA Resorts & Hotels introduces
two new Phoenicia restaurants, one in JA Oasis Beach Tower
on The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence and the other in JA
Beach Hotel at JA The Resort, Jebel Ali. Both restaurants are
set to be ‘authentic neighbourhood eateries that celebrate the
enduring popularity and history of Middle Eastern cuisine’.
More than 4000 years after the first Phoenicians, their legacy
lives on through cuisine and culture. Bringing that to life in the
Phoenicia restaurants is the Master of Modern Middle Eastern
Cuisine, Greg Malouf. As the consulting chef of Phoenicia,
the Australian-Lebanese chef has designed and developed
a series of ‘menus by Greg Malouf ’ offering a contemporary
twist on the Middle Eastern classics, such as Hazelnut Falafel
and Seabass Sayadeeya- a refreshing blend of the best of the
old with the thrill of the new. Desserts have a unique and ultra
Instagrammable twist, like the Baklava Ice Cream Sandwich.
The food presentation is simple and rustic, with a discreet
licensed bar complimenting a wide range of artisan tea’s
and juices. With a focus on sharing, the food is enduringly
approachable and affordable.
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Phoenicia has two outlets, one in JA Oasis Beach Tower in
the heart of The Walk, JBR and the other in JA Beach Hotel,
nestled amongst the expansive greenery of JA The Resort.
Within Phoenicia in JA Oasis Beach Tower, the interior is a
mix of a refreshing mint colour, white stone and light tone
woods. Handwoven baskets and elegant fishing style décor
hark back to the trading days of the Phoenician ‘sea-people’. In
JA Beach Hotel, Phoenicia has a similar theme with arabesque
style wrought iron, exposed brickwork and a smattering of
traditional Middle Eastern artefacts setting the scene for an
atmospheric meal. Vice President of Food & Beverage, Rob
Cunningham commented: ‘We are confident that our guests
are going to love Phoenicia, that’s why we have opened it in two
locations. We are working with another multi award-winning
chef - Greg Malouf - to create menus that we know will keep
guests coming back for more. These are the classics you know
and love, but with a fresh perspective and twist that Greg is
renowned for’.
About the Chef
Greg Malouf is one of Australia’s most influential and
admired chefs and is widely credited with changing the way
we experience and understand Middle Eastern food. Greg
draws on his classical cooking training in Europe, his travels
researching regional dishes and perhaps most significantly,
his Lebanese heritage for inspiration. Greg’s reputation was
forged in his hometown, Melbourne where at the award-
winning O’ Connells and MoMo restaurants, he won national
and international recognition for his innovative food. In 2012,
during his tenure at the iconic Petersham Nurseries Café in
London, the restaurant achieved a second year of Michelin
Star status. Greg has written eight successful cookbooks and
has recently won a James Beard award for the best bakery and
pastry book of 2019, Suqar. A resident of Dubai, Greg brings
a refined understanding of the local market to his culinary
endeavours and insists that his food always retains its authentic
qualities and simple presentation, without fuss or fanfare so
that the flavours speak for themselves.
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