As surreal and outlandish as the Hyatt Capital Gate is, it’s also oddly intimate. Similarly, so is its main dining outlet, 18°. In fact, 18° is like how your local would be if we all lived on Mars in a giant space station that leaned sideways at and 18° angle. And for this, their excellent service staff can take all the credit. Now we’d prefer friendly staff to the decorous kind that hover about almost apologetically to fill your glass and unfold your napkin then begone. And in that vein, the staff here are so friendly, forthcoming and happy to engage in brief snippets of conversation that we almost feel bad that we don’t know their names.

Furthermore, they are very keen to have you trying out the cool 18° concept of sharing, which makes things all the more laid back and chummy.

Appropriately, the cuisine is Eastern Mediterranean. And the menu covers all those cultures that have one very essential thing in common (aside from plentiful olive oil); the importance of dining as a social experience. To that effect, all the food is brought to your table in serving dishes or small pots and pans, and placed in the centre for everyone to help themselves. Which is great, since you’ll want to try everything.

And because our eyes are larger than our stomachs, we ordered a starter from both the Italian and Turkish sections of the menu and three mains, one each from Greece, Syria and Lebanon. The organic rucola salad was simple and satisfying, and the Turkish melted kashkaval with pastirma ham passed the Turk-test with flying colours, because that pastirma was the authentic stuff, its smell guaranteed to linger on your person for two days.

Our mains were steamed mussels from Greece, which were tasty and plentiful. It shared table space with beef tenderloin with pomegranate glaze and pistachio pepper crust, as well as a giant milk-fed veal chop, both served with a spattering of creamy mash. The first was tender, juicy and complemented by such wonderful tangy and nutty flavours. The second was succulent and so satisfyingly fatty, it very nearly tasted of duck.

To top off the satisfaction, we partook of some Turkish coffee and the excellent desserts on offer. Chef Brigit’s specialty of Maracaibo chocolate fondant with chocolate cake and burnt honey sesame ice-cream was a real treat. But the best thing here really has to be their homemade ice creams. The date burnt honey was a heavenly experience that tasted like sticky toffee pudding. Our choppers are still smacking to savour its memory.

The bill (for two)
Organic rucola Dhs75
Melted cheese pastirma Dhs65
Beef tenderloin Dhs240
Milk-fed veal chop Dhs250
Steamed mussels Dhs110
Ice cream Dhs20
Maracaibo fondant Dhs50
Total (excluding service) Dhs815