JW's Steakhouse

JW's Steakhouse
Fine Dining
JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai
Booking: 04 607 7977

Consistency is the true high point of this, Dubai's oldest and most established steakhouse. It's just consistently damn good, time after time after time. There are flashier joints, there are more expensive joints. But nowhere will you find a safer pair of hands.

Don't worry about the slightly naff 'brass' plaques on the tables with regulars' names on them: it's just part of the 'gentleman's club' atmosphere: dark woods, deeply studded green leather high back club chairs and beef bone napkin rings, along with the steer decorated underplates, are all part of the Texan Men's Club feel. This is not a place to take vegans, although they might serve you one if you agree to have it done rare.

They do a stunning lobster bisque here (OK, so it's a weakness of mine. Sue me) which is served with a swirl of cream and flaming brandy, with a side dish of flat French bread croutons alongside little dishes of marie rose sauce and parmesan to sprinkle on them. This is a treat.

They also do a smart foie gras with apple - this is worth talking some friends into and accompanying with a half bottle of cheekily chilled Tokay, although we settled for Brown Brothers' dessert wine last visit as they'd carelessly run out of Hungarian laughing juice.

But the main feature is the steak: you want wagyu, you want black angus striploin, you want filet mignon or t-bone. JW's does steak very well indeed. Any vegetables are ordered as sides: try the onion rings, asparagus and the hash browns are all splendid (hash browns had been replaced by some other pan-finished potato, but it's OK - they'll come to their senses soon enough).

We've been eating here for something like 12 years now and it's never once let us down. And strangely enough, I think that's probably the highest praise I can think of for any restaurant.