I’ve had a very exciting week of new launches and openings. Foodie-wise there’s a very new exciting seafood theme night at The W hotel at Al Habtoor City called Sea-Me on Wednesday nights. This was actually the first time I was ever at the W hotel, and as soon as I entered the lobby, I thought of Tron!
Although the lobby was super futuristic looking in a lot of ways, as soon as you enter Level 7 that feel goes away almost immediately. This restaurant looks tasteful to boot. As soon as we were shown to our table, I had already walked past the lounge in the corner and came across this really cool ceviche station. The lighting in the restaurant is very ambient and it’s perfect for a night out with your beau. Right now, the views don’t offer much, but once all the infrastructure on and around completes, it’s definitely going to razzle and dazzle.
![Interiors|Sea-Me buffet|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0026.jpg)
![Bar|Sea-ME|Level 7|The W](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0030.jpg)
We started off our night arriving to the ceviche station where they have salmon, tuna and oysters in a conveyor belt format. They were dished out by the chef as he laid out the crisp flavours that make a good ceviche. Onions, cucumbers, a bit of chilli and lime. Perfection.
![Ceviche station|Sea-Me buffet|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0012.jpg)
If you walk on, there’s an interesting make your own salad station. I’m a sucker for sun-dried tomatos so was happy to see that as part of the greens.Besides this there was a chiller with small plates of prepped dishes. I picked the anchovies and olive butter and F.C. opted for the octopus in a fresh tomato paste. The octopus won, with F.C. going for seconds.
![A large salad station|Sea-Me buffet|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0010.jpg)
We then went and saw an excellent lobster salad station. This salad was nice and freshly prepared with apples and clean flavours that were light on the stomach. This is a place where you can enjoy some fresh cocktail shrimp, mussels and a couple of other shell fish with a choice of two dipping sauces.
![Lobster salad|Sea-Me buffet|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0013.jpg)
![Sea-Me buffet|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0027.jpg)
Moving on to a cooking station where there were some seafood favourites such as Paella Catalana, an exceptional risotto and a very fouga-like Arabic shrimp rice. A fish en papillote makes an entrance here, but disappoints despite my previous excitement as the spices were not ingrained. The paella according to F.C. “was not inauthentic,but not quite there.”
![The seafood & rice station. Try the risotto in the cute little pans!|Sea-Me|Level 7|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0015.jpg)
![Paella Catalana|Sea-Me|Level 7|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0014.jpg)
![Paella Catalana close up|Level 7|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_8537-e1476007946448.jpg)
![Focaccia|Level 7|Sea-Me|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0018.jpg)
At this point, I was getting full but there was so much more to explore! The lamb was cold and dry, but F.C. and I tried the most lovely crusted salmon with a scallop mousse. Favourite dish of the night, closely followed by the octopus. The crust was perfectly crisp, the salmon tender and the mousse creamy.
![Salmon|Level 7|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0021.jpg)
![Lamb|Level 7|Sea-Me|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0025.jpg)
The Sea-Me night also offered us several well-priced cocktails. I picked the Balearic Cooler, which was spot on with flavours. So refreshing, it made me wish I was sitting by the pool with the Tahitian sun on my back. It had gin, peach shrub, soda and bay leaves.
The desserts were impressive and even though I was too full, I couldn’t help trying the pecan tart, the panna cotta and a blueberry tart. All of which fell flat against the panna cotta ice cream F.C. decided to have and of which I happily kept dipping my spoon in his bowl.
![Dessert Selection|Level 7|Sea-Me|The W|Al Habtoor City](https://www.omnomnirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0020.jpg)
Overall, at AED 245 per person, it’s a steal for the high quality seafood. Give Sea-Me a try!
DISCLOSURE: I was offered a complimentary meal in exchange for this review. However, opinions are my own.
Lovely post, very informative thanks 🙂
It’s going to be interesting to see how the W pans out (no pun intended) as they are stunning when they work well, but can seem gimmicky once the initial novelty, press nights and buzz wears off.
I’m a big, big fan of SPG, Starwood and especially W hotels and have been lucky to have been in some of their best. Although I tried staying away from the W for six months to allow it all to bed in, I tried the pool deck/bar a few weeks – and it still needs work, but any new hotel does.
Hope you got your SPG Starpoints on your spend BTW ….
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed reading it! I only just subscribed to your blog and am now figuring out my way through SPG thanks to you 🙂
Full disclosure: I was asked to review this restaurant in exchange for a “free” dinner.
Well done on the review and the invite, it’s for #winners 🙂
If the W takes off anything like the brand has in other Ws I’ve been in – Hollywood, NYC, Barcelona etc. – then Dubai is in for a real treat.
Thanks for checking out the blog and the SPG articles – it’s well worth getting into, especially in Dubai. There’s a load of articles yet to be published, but feel free to drop a comment or through the socials if you’ve any questions or can help further 🙂
And keep up the great work, of course!