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LPM Dubai

Dubai

Picturesque Provençal plates from a Dubai mainstay

On the Pass

Michael Koffi

Consistency is key: LPM is a grande dame of the Dubai culinary scene, having first opened its doors over a decade ago. The fact that it is still one of the hardest spots to reserve a table is testament to its consistency – you’re guaranteed quality ingredients, tried-and-tested recipes, staff that make you feel like a regular (even if you’re not) and great people-watching.

What to order: LPM attracts a crowd that tends to rattle off their favourites, made to be shared with the table, without needing to look at the menu. Top picks include a much copied but never bettered lentil salad, baked whole sea bream with Provençal herbs and lemon, confit duck with orange and hispi cabbage or any of its beloved plates of pasta. The food is unfussy, straddling the Italian-French border, and utterly delicious.

Think ahead: Pre-reserve one of their whole roast chickens with foie gras – prior notice is needed to cook it to perfection. Mopping up the juices with the crusty baguette baked fresh and served hot from the oven is one of life’s great culinary pleasures.

Beautiful space: A recent remodel added a covered conservatory that provides yet another dimension to the white, light-filled room, with pops of colour thanks to bright artwork adorning the walls. If all the tables are full, propping up the bar is no hardship as you’re offered the full menu, excellent chat from the bar team and an elevated seat for a bird’s-eye view of the room.

To drink? Creative, story-telling mixology is also on the menu thanks to LPM’s global bar manager Tibor Krascsenics, who took inspiration from French artist Jean Cocteau to magic up 12 new cocktails during the pandemic. Subsequently launched in the restaurant’s sister venues internationally, the drinks take you on a creative journey through the writer’s life.

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