Prime52 review: Sister of Prime68 restaurant forges a more relaxed path without lowering the steaks
When your sister restaurant is one of the most lauded steakhouses in the UAE, you can either choose to follow in the same footsteps or make your own way. Prime52 chose option three, walking a path that's a little bit Prime68, a little bit itself. As chef de cuisine Daniel Gallo puts it: 'It's a similar commitment to quality, but in a different setting.' When it opened in November at Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites in the Marina just in time for the winter season rush, the restaurant was unveiled alongside the relaunched Observatory Lounge, with both venues sharing the floor and offering fabulous views from (in case you hadn't you guessed) the 52nd floor. My husband (my perennial plus-one) and I were shown to one of the booths that line the back wall and offer a view of the dining room. Naturally, the tables by the windows have the best views of the harbour but, for me, the intimacy and comfort of a booth trumps a window-side seat. There are tables between the booths and windows, which I imagine fill up last. The vibe is definitely more relaxed than Prime68, so ideal for those who prefer a laid-back ambience. It's also a mixed bag crowd-wise. Habituated to the upmarket glamour of Prime68, we dressed up, as we always do for evening dinner – and were among the majority who did so, too. But a glance around showed we were also sharing the dining room with a table of 10 who were just-off-the-beach-casual in shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops, accessorised with baby carriers and prams. I have zero issue whatsoever with babies and children in even the smartest of restaurants – parents have to eat too! – but the dress code (or lack thereof) felt a little confusing. For starters, I opted for the Caesar salad (Dh67) while my husband ordered the Hokkaido scallops with cecina (Dh152). The salad came with no surprises (which, quite frankly is why I order it), while the scallops were accompanied by corn cream, almond dressing and Wagyu cecina. The bread, with a choice of butters, was brought to the table in time to mop up the sauces and dressings. There's a choice of 10 appetisers in the deliberately pared-back menu that comprises all of one page, a welcome respite from ploughing through pages and pages of items. Other options include French onion soup (Dh68), steak tartare (from Dh92), smoked foie terrine (Dh128) and grilled octopus (Dh112). Mains are divided into 'farm to table' and 'fresh from the coast'. This being a steak restaurant, we opted for the meat, with my choice of a USDA prime black Angus 250g fillet mignon (Dh278) served alongside my husband's order of Stanbroke signature Black Angus 350g rib eye (Dh302). Other cuts include New York striploin (Dh352), tomahawk (Dh897 for two) and Chateaubriand (Dh592 for two). There is also the option to order your preferred cut. The steaks were cooked to our specifications (medium-well for him, well-done for me and I don't want to hear anything about it), alongside sides of mashed potatoes, truffle fries, sauteed wild mushrooms and grilled seasonal vegetables (all Dh38). The sauce selection is what you'd expect, a bearnaise, wild mushroom, chimichurri, red wine and peppercorn. The mashed potatoes were creamy, the mushrooms well-seasoned and flavourful, and the vegetables nicely crunchy. Add-ons include foie gras, surf and turf and seasonal truffle, all at Dh67, while those who come to a steak restaurant and don't eat steak, can enjoy a burger – Black Angus (Dh148) or Wagyu (Dh187) – baby chicken (Dh167), cedarwood-roasted Norwegian salmon (Dh192) or grilled Alaskan king crab leg (Dh497). I'm a creature of habit, so when it comes to my cut of steak I never deviate from the fillet mignon, which I highly recommend here for its tenderness and depth of flavour. If I were going to avoid a dish, it would be the burrata and tomato tartare appetiser due to wholly prejudicial reasons against burrata, a food item I just don't get and never will. But what do you expect from a philistine who orders her steak well done, eh? Is it possible to dine at Prime52 for under Dh250 per person? Absolutely. The cheapest items on the menu for a three-course meal comprise the Prime58 green salad of mixed lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocado, carrots cucumber, red onions, caramelised walnuts, honey lemon dressing (Dh58), followed by wild mushroom ravioli with truffle for main (Dh132) and a choice of four of the five desserts, the chocolate bliss, burnt Brie cheesecake, apple tarte Tatin and the pain perdu, which are all priced at Dh57. Those looking to splash out can enjoy the seafood platter of king crab leg, oyster, prawns, tuna and octopus with a mignonette and citrus chilli mayo (Dh447), tomahawk (Dh897 for two) and the cheese board (Dh127) to end. Hailing from Venezuela, chef Gallo began his 17-year-spanning career with learning the art of Latin American cuisine in his home country before heading farther afield to Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, as well as Hong Kong's celebrated Mono. 'The straightforward menu at Prime52 is a reflection of the restaurant's philosophy of letting the quality of the produce speak for itself,' he says. Adding of his preferred cut: 'The Westholme Wagyu rib-eye AA4-5 is a cut that stands out for its beautiful marbling and buttery flavour, delivering an exceptional steak experience.' Sharing that the menu will change every six months along with chef's specials that focus on seasonal ingredients, Gallo names his favourite dish as 'the Wagyu steak tartare served with sourdough, which combines the rich, tender texture of the Wagyu with the perfect crunch and tang of the bread'. And for dessert? 'The burnt Brie cheesecake is a dish I absolutely love – it's creamy, slightly tangy and has a caramelised top that adds a depth of flavour.' Prime52 at Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites, Dubai is open daily from 6pm to midnight. For reservations, call 04 319 4791. This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
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