The Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel's iftar is a challenge to the rest

My cue was to look for the 88 lanterns in the area serving iftar. These, I was told later, symbolise good luck as per Chinese tradition — information which was a bit unnerving. After all, why would a hotel want to wish its guests luck, especially at the start of a meal? My thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of our hostess who guided us to our table before giving a brief overview of the best things awaiting us that evening. I will begin with what I didn't like first, since there isn't much. Though all the food stations were in close proximity and well-placed, the orange lights used over each dish were a major irritant. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for ambience. However, with hungry people queuing up behind me and taste buds dying to explore, I was in a rush and needed to see better to know what exactly was going on my plate. Once I had adjusted to the minimal lighting, I was ready to indulge — knife, fork and appetite. The kebabs — a lamb seekh and chicken tikka — were on the beautiful side of smoky, delicately spiced and well done. Having said that, I would have preferred it if they were a little warmer, since the "room temperature" deterred me from taking a second helping. Our hostess had been all praise for the made-to-order saj manakish. A few bites later, I understood why. The fresh bread — in cheese, meat and vegetable options and baked in an open oven — was "saj" a delight. I queued up twice. From the salad bar, I will recommend not one but four offerings. The beetroot moutabbal was exceptional — think a healthier, far less fattening version of a carrot halwa but with a deeper, richer hue and texture. The hummus, potato salad and potato hara were exceptional too and worked very well on their own or in combination with a main dish. Another must-try is the bukhari rice paired with dawood basha — the meatball curry's strong tomato flavour does not overpower the spices in the rice, which meant a flavoursome surprise in each spoonful. The dessert station had some remember-on-the-ride-back-home offerings too. I steered away from the Arabic sweets after my partner's "so-so" hand gesture. However, the satin cake was quite another story — the snow-white chocolate frosting was light and airy, as was the sponge base. A must-try. And I bet you this season's best mangoes are packed in the pint-sized mousse servings, screaming for guests to do themselves a flavour and simply indulge. As I polished off the creamy dessert, my eyes drifted back to the ceiling and the lanterns' symbolism dawned on me — it was an open challenge to all other iftars... "Good luck" beating this.      Where: Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai     Price: Dh140     Call: 04-4445613 Conservatory, Al Manzil Hotel We walked into the quiet interiors of the Conservatory at about 6.55pm for their iftar buffet. Usually most buffets, that close to iftar, are teeming with people in a mad scramble. Here, there was a lovely sense of calm, an almost gentle ambience. The restaurant was busy, but that did not translate into chaos. We broke our fast with dates, steaming hot lentil soup and cold mezze. The soup was creamy with no hint of being drowned in every brand of single cream available. The Conservatory was a restaurant after my heart — no overwhelming love of cream or butter. The hot mezze, especially the one stuffed with feta, was a bit of a revelation. Nothing complicated, but the shell was light and crisp while the inside crumbly and warm with a hint of brine. I loved the main course prawn in a spicy tomato sauce with bell peppers. It was a Moroccan-Indian fusion experiment that was deliciously satisfying. And I usually avoid all forms of seafood, as I have scant respect for most people's ability to serve it without a hint of the docks coming through. I combined it with some potatoes tempered with mustard and curry leaves, along with aubergine pulao. It was quite a performance — each held its own but none was overpowering. The final round — dessert. As I decided to go for the fresh fruit option, I spied a giant bowl further down the table. Turns out it was my other favourite — kunafa. I happily accepted a piece. It was melt-in-the-mouth with a thin layer of warm cheese and topping drizzled with sugar syrup. A great closing note, indeed. — Anupa Kurian, Readers Editor     Where: Conservatory, Al Manzil Hotel, The Old Town, Downtown Dubai     Cost: Dh145; Dh72 for children between 6 and 12 years.     Call: 04-4285928 Skywalk Cafe The Marriott is one of the better known hotel brands in the world and it was quite surprising they were offering an iftar buffet for Dh70. The downstairs cafe style layout of the building was welcoming and relaxed and the terrace was lovely. The staff members were very friendly and accommodating and, when the clock struck 7.02pm, served my friend and me the best fruit cocktail smoothie I've had in Dubai — so refreshing. The thing about me and buffets is that I go determined to try everything. And I had a pretty good stab at it. The starters were varied, fresh and tasty with lettuces, meats, pickles and, of course, soup, which hit the spot for a hungry tummy. The mains included chicken biryani, a firm favourite of mine, beef stew, pasta and others. Then we moved on to the dessert, which included some lovely Arabic sweets, dates and cakes. — Tina Curran, Copy Editor Where: Skywalk Cafe, Marriott Executive Apartments, Dubai Creek Price: Dh70 for adults and Dh35 for children aged between 5 and 12. Call: 04-2131000 Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort, Jumeirah Beach Walk Smurftar with the Smurf gang On Thursday. Indulge in a sumptuous iftar buffet for Dh175 per person, held at the Ramadan tent situated on the beach. Guests will be treated to a Smurftastic welcome on arrival. Call: 04-3153861