Don’t miss the Arcadia Farmer’s Market on Saturday 3rd March in JVT.
Food
Fresh Food at F-mart – now open in JVT
Hello villagers!
We are delighted to announce that a new grocery shop has opened its doors in JVT. Today was the grand opening of F-Mart.
Great coffee, just baked baguette, a fantastic fishmonger, fresh produce and just about anything you might need can all be found now in District 2! Check them out and tell John that the JVT website sent you!
A new treat in JVT: Noa’s Delices
A young couple living in JVT is soon bringing us a new culinary treat, Noa’s Delices!
Their business, Earnest Enterprises LLC, is behind this new venture. And earnest they are. This hardworking pair brings the neighborhood another family business which is sure to tantalize our taste buds. Part of the JVT community since a little more than one year, we are delighted that Stephane and Sunita chose to open their lovely little café restaurant right at home.
I was lucky to recently meet the co-owner, Stephane, as he was sitting silently at an empty table in the quiet restaurant striving to get everything in place for the opening. I took the opportunity to pop in and then got to speak to the couple about how they got started. They began planning this project back in May, 2015 and feel it has been a marathon run ever since. With many hurdles, big and small, to overcome, they are rightly proud to have come nearly to the end of their race. “The experience has been priceless and worth any hardship we encountered along the way,” Stephane told me. I’m particularly excited to give the JVT community a sneak peak at what we can expect to find at our newest dining experience opening soon.
Noa’s Délices is aptly named after the couple’s first miracle, daughter Noa. Their little princess inspired them to develop this food and drink outlet incorporating all of the Delights of a genuine, home-feel french café with traditional viennoiserie, patisserie and time-honored dishes. As ultimate foodies, they are clearly driven to develop an authentic dine-in concept offering traditional meals at an affordable price to delight their customers and build a loyal base of regulars. “We believe in being honest and bringing honest food to a table,” said Sunita.
I was especially thrilled to learn that JVTers will get a special treat with at-home delivery of Noa’s French Breakfast Basket. Brought directly to your doorstep, the basket will include real French pastries, breads, jams and butter. I hope to be the first to put in my order for a fresh, daily ficelle! Anyone who has travelled to Paris will certainly agree with me that an early morning thin ficelle spread with delicious dairy butter cannot be beat.
Passionate about their craft, the couple explained how they were often disappointed with a lot of French food outlets around Dubai which turned out to be either less than authentic or highly overpriced. They also found that JVT was lacking an establishment where families, office employees or neighborhood school staff could congregate to enjoy a good meal or light snack without having to take the car outside the community. These two points were central to convincing the couple to open their doors at the Imperial Residence Building next to Limitless. When I asked them why they chose JVT as their home, it was the variety of cultures and, above all, the tranquility which makes for peaceful and relaxing surroundings which won them over.
I found their enthusiasm for Noa’s Delices both charming and infectious. It surely made me want all the best for them. Not only do Sunita and Stephane intend to make us happy in JVT, they also plan to give back. They explained to me how they wish to contribute to humanitarian work from future profits they generate. “We are so passionate about our business because we believe in being real and in doing good,” Sunita explained. Since getting married in 2012, they have been working on setting up a business and dreaming about making their mark on the world. Let’s wish them lots of luck and help them achieve their dreams each time we dine at Noa’s Delights!
Opening any day now… See you there!
Location: Imperial Residence (across from Milestone)
Tel: 04 421 5180
Nearby Fusion restaurant is a must try !
If you don’t know the Ghaya Grand, you should ! It is a five-star hotel located exactly 7 minutes from JVT making it a great place to enjoy the day poolside or a tuck into a nice evening meal. This week my husband and I were treated to an enjoyable and flavorful meal at Fusion to sample their brand new theme-night concept.
Be sure to read to the end for your chance to enjoy dinner for a family of four on the house!
Great place to take the family
Fusion is a remarkable dining option close to our neighborhood. It is a great place to take the family when you don’t have time to cook as it’s almost like being at home with your own personal chef. The food is impeccably fresh, the staff friendly and accommodating and there is plenty of variety to please any member of the family. I would describe the concept as a made-to-order buffet with live cooking stations. There are three cuisine stations – Asian, Indian and Italian – as well as a sushi counter, salad buffet and dessert selections. Each evening offers a different theme night so you will find, for example, on seafood nights that your fresh catch can be prepared Asian style, with an Indian flare or why not opt to top a pizza with some crustaceans!
When we visited, we started off with mocktails choosing a dragon fruit specialty that matched the Asia theme that evening as well as a lovely mojito. The combinations were both fresh and sophisticated. I could well imagine spending an afternoon at the Ghaya Grand pool with a virgin mojito in hand. But, reverie aside, let’s get back to our dinner.
Fusion combines flavors effortlessly
We sampled almost all of the dishes and to not spoil the surprise for your own visit, I’ll elaborate on our favorites. At the salad station, the many unique bite size appetizer options were all appealing. It’s not often that you find such delectable little treats at a buffet. The minature broccoli pannacotta had the texture of a soufflé with an Asian twist.
At the Indian counter, my husband most enjoyed the mutton sheek kebab with mint sauce. This tasty treat was a real hit even although I could write volumes about the rich and creamy butter chicken, the fresh naan bread or the various curry dishes. The real thing to know is that Chef Anand hails from India and has been in the kitchen cooking since age 12!
At the Asian live cooking station, I was most impressed by the freshness of the vegetables. You can select your ingredients for a fresh noodle wok or ask the chef to whip up a portion of the two evening specialties. We enjoyed a steaming dish of vegetable rice noodles, fragrant and sweet. We also couldn’t resist having him make us a Kung Pao shrimp special. He gladly prepared mine with a bit less spice and it was a mouth watering treat. I was also delighted to see the special Peking duck trolley and couldn’t pass up the chance to savor a few yummy rolled pancakes with plum sauce. One of my all time favorites, I would say this came pretty close to the duck I’ve sampled in Beijing.
Ending our meal, I would also note positively the dessert selections. While we di
d not find an overabundance of choices, the Opera cake was tasty and light, better than most desserts at the typical Dubai buffet where I find the wide selection generally heavy and overly sweet. I’d say Fusion has got it right in terms of quality over quantity.
The main negative for Fusion has got to be the lighting and the design. It was a real shame that the flamboyant Asian wok cooking, for example, was under dimmed lights. The flashy wall and ceiling designs can also be somewhat distracting from the overall experience. However, the wide variety of made-to-order, fresh and tasty selections will bring me back. I am eager to try seafood night next! Which night will you try?
If you’d like the chance to enjoy a meal at Fusion, click here to enter the competition for dinner for four.
All this month, Ghaya Grand Hotel is also offering readers of the JVT blog a very special deal:
*Buy 1 Get 1* offer for JVT residents.
Please note the following terms and conditions would apply:
– Offer valid for 1 month, from the day of posting on 9 October 2016
– Offer valid on Adults package
– Includes food and water only
– Email must be sent to marketing@ghayagrandhotel.com in order to make a reservation for the advertised promotion.
– Prior reservation would be recommended to avail of this offer.
Jumeirah Village Triangle 