Ocean Basket - Seafood restaurant - Mirdiff City Center, Dubai

[caption id="attachment_1342" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Men in Jeans: Me with the owners of Ocean Basket (From left: Manny and George lazarides)[/caption]

It's been a while that I've visited a seafood restaurant. So here I am at a new seafood restaurant in Dubai called Ocean Basket located at Mirdiff CityCenter and before I continue I would like to highlight that there is a chance for you to easily win 300dhs dining voucher at Ocean Basket restaurant. More details at end of post...

[caption id="attachment_1335" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Interiors of ocean basket restaurant[/caption]

It's actually their second branch in Dubai. The first one is inside Dubai Airport - Terminal 3. I love the theme of this restaurant as in the colors, the fonts used in their menu page, the drawings and most importantly I understand their menu. Menu is well designed, they have pictures besides each of their item with pricing and description making it easier for someone like me who is a part time sea food lover. Note I am talking about the menu available at the restaurant. You might not find pictures on their menu online. You can check out their online menu here.

[caption id="attachment_1327" align="aligncenter" width="705"] on the house - homemade chilli, tartar and garlic sauces along with bread and butter[/caption]

While you wait for your drinks you are given a nice basket of bread, butter and 3 homemade sauces which is chilli, tartar and garlic sauces. Chilli was definitely dangerous, you just couldn't eat too much of it. Our order started with fresh juices. We ordered Watermelon, strawberry and lemon n mint. Strawberry was tasting best out of the three. Rich and pure.

[caption id="attachment_1328" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Fruit juices - Dhs 20 - Lemon and mint, strawberry and watermelon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1329" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Village salad - Dhs 25[/caption]

The village salad came in a lovely big white bowl. The giant slab of cheese on top and that little bit of olive oil flowing on top got me moving. The salad was surely dressed well and was good to begin with. We had quite a bit of interesting items as starters too:

• Calamari starter - Dhs 30


• Halloumi cheese - Dhs 29


• Garlic and cheese prawns - Dhs 50


• Mussels in lemon and Garlic - Dhs 39

[caption id="attachment_1332" align="aligncenter" width="705"] calamari starter - Dhs 30[/caption]

Calamari here is a fried one but they do have different versions of calamari for you. You could try their fried, grilled or Cajun. Cajun came spicy and I loved that one. Halloumi cheese was super. People on the table wanted more of it. The sauce that came along for prawns and Mussels was special which gave extra taste to them.

[caption id="attachment_1331" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Halloumi cheese - Dhs 29[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1351" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Garlic and cheese prawns - Dhs 50[/caption]

Of course they give you chopsticks for you to easily hold them and eat but I was more comfortable with fork and knife, I skipped the chopsticks. It's cool to see people using chopsticks but you need to have that patience if you haven't used a chopstick before. Once you know how to use it, nothing like it. Maybe I should start practicing before I start embarrassing myself using the wrong tools at the wrong place. Also noticed their menu gave you some tips on using chopsticks :)

[caption id="attachment_1330" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Mussels in lemon and Garlic - Dhs 39[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1367" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Sushi for 2 - Dhs 140[/caption]

We tried the Sushi for 2

• 8 pieces of salmon california rolls (A rice roll filled with seaweed, avo & fresh salmon, sliced to bite)


• 8 pieces of tuna fashion sandwiches (Miniature rice sandwiches, filled with layers of fresh tune and nori)


• 6 pieces of prawn nigiri (Fingers of Japanese sushi rice topped with prawn)


• 6 pieces of crab stick maki (A palm sized snack made of sushi rice and crab stick, wrapped in a seaweed cone)

I enjoyed all of it specially the prawns one. Nice thing about eating sushi is that it's light and it feels great in your stomach.

[caption id="attachment_1338" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Da full deck - Dhs 320 - 30 prince prawns, mussels, calamari, calamari steak strips and line fish[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1337" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Da full deck - dhs 320 - Calamari in focus - 30 prince prawns, mussels, calamari, calamari steak strips and linefish[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1340" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Da Family platter - Dhs 170 - 12 prince prawns, calamari, 4 pieces of fish[/caption]

The tray was literally full and loaded with seafood. The fish(Nile perch) that came along it was really nice. There was another fish that i tried as well which was soft called cream dory but i enjoyed the nile perch more. Prince prawns would easily come off their skin and into my fork :). It was a great meal.

[caption id="attachment_1341" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Dozen Prince prawns stir fry- Dhs 70 - 12 pieces of prawns and stir-fry vegetables[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1336" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Calamari 3 ways (Grilled, Fried and Cajun) - Dhs 65[/caption]

Above you can see the three types of Calamari I was telling you about earlier. Extreme left is the spicy calamari which I enjoyed the most among the calamaris. The rice you see here is a little blank in taste for me.

[caption id="attachment_1334" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Peri Peri sauce of Ocean basket - Dhs 15[/caption]

I thought peri peri only came from Nandos but here's another one. A piri piri sauce to match your seafood. Even the packing looks more or less the same but this sauce can only be found at Ocean Basket restaurant. So if you want to buy one of these, you don't find them from supermarkets but instead you buy directly from Ocean basket restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_1339" align="aligncenter" width="705"] My plate of fish(nile perch) and prawns[/caption]

Ocean Basket restaurant official website: http://www.oceanbasket.com/
To win 300dhs dining voucher at Ocean Basket restaurant. All you have to tell me is:

Why do you think you deserve to be treated at Ocean Basket restaurant?. Write me in all the funky way you know ;)

You can either e-mail me your answer with your details (Answer, Full name, Mobile number) to rubeen@outlook.com or you could fill up the form below. The competition ends in 2 days and winner will be announced on saturday(14th December) night!

Fill up and 300dhs Ocean Basket dining voucher could be yours :)

[contact-form][contact-field label='Full Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Mobile' type='text' required='1'/][contact-field label='Why do you think you deserve a treat at Ocean Basket restaurant?' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]