Leila Restaurant in Dubai

When I think of Arabic restaurants, the first three things that cross my mind are:

1) Delicious   2) Food Coma (it's so hard not to order so many dishes!!)   3) Traditional

Last week, I dined at Leila Restaurant in Downtown Dubai and I couldn't have been more wrong in my assumptions! Leila is a chain from Lebanon serving Medditeranean food with a trendy twist on the traditional. The menu contains dishes like Chicken covered in Osmallieh with chips, Greek Ouzi, and Armenian specialities like Manti and spicy hummus. Even better, if you are watching your waistline, there are lighter options of all the traditional dishes with calorie counts and descriptions of exactly what the dishes contain. No need for a food coma after all! :) 

Putting the delicious food aside, the most thing I loved about Leila was the atmosphere. Unlike other Middle Eastern Restaurants across the Boulevard, Leila has a trendy vibe and the people dining there are very hip. The decor is very 'nouveau Beirut' as I like to call it- artistic, fun, colourful, filled with pictures of old Arabic legends, and very chic. 

I loved the huge & fabulous terrace that overlooks the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard

The greatest thing about the menu were the healthier options with calorie counts.

Arabic food tends to be quite fattening and heavy so it was great to have lighter alternatives to the dishes I love! 

They have a very large selection of cold mezza to choose from
My favourite was their hummus- OMG hands down the best hummus I ever had!
It was so good that we ordered 2 plates!

 Expect to find interesting & delicious Arabic dishes on the menu alongside the traditional
E.g. Leila's Chicken Osmallieh served in a wrapper or ouzi with a twist

Save space for dessert- Trust me!

Next time I am in the mood for a healthy Middle Eastern meal without the guilt, I am definitely visiting Leila again! There are two branches in Dubai: Downtown and in Mirdif City Centre. Click here for more details 

Leila is currently hosting a Photo Contest with the prize being a meal for 2 at the branch in Mirdif. ALL you have to do is post a photo of your favourite dish and you get the chance to win. Super simple! Click here for the chance to win 

Enjoy your experience at Leila and make sure to snap away!  Bon Appetit! :)