Best Breakfast Buffet in the Middle East
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cuisine Style: Emirati, Arab
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined: 2011-2013
Article Updated: February 2020
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
You think to yourself that a buffet is just that, a buffet. No matter what country you’re in, you grab a plate, you get some basic all you can eat food choices, and then you eat, hoping that you don’t need a drink refill because there is never a server around to help you. Well, you need to eat at the Safar Restaurant - Now renamed The Gallery, attached to the Dubai International Hotel, Terminal 1 at the Dubai International Airport. I have eaten there several times for breakfast, and it is the best buffet I have ever experienced.
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| Safar Restaurant / Menu |
Located between Gates B9 and B11 in Terminal 1, the Dubai Airport restaurant Safar - Gallery offers an international buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An à la carte menu is also available together with a comprehensive choice of beverages.
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| Safar Restaurant / Smoked Salmon |
Normally when I travel out of Dubai and make my way through the very large Duty-Free area of Terminal 1, I bypass the typical food court that has the very bland and basic foods one can expect from a food court, like McDonald's. I walk a little further down to Safar, where I usually enjoy their breakfast buffet since I’m always flying out early in the morning. This buffet is by far the best breakfast buffet I have ever eaten, with over 100 varieties of items to choose from, and very good service to go along with it.
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| Safar Restaurant / Assorted Bread |
Besides eggs to order, potatoes, beef bacon (remember in the Middle East, no pork damn it), fruits and so forth, they have a wide variety of fresh-baked bread, hummus, moutabel, paratha, Arabic Makanik Sausage, Fattoush, assorted cheeses, and much more. It was truly heaven to enjoy such a nice meal before having to be offered airline food.
Dessert:
The dessert selections were added into the buffet, and as I would visit mainly during the early breakfast hours they would have selections of cheese and breakfast pastries to choose from. Lunch and dinner menus had a varied selection.
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| Safar Restaurant / Breakfast PAstries and Cheese |
Also, check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Buffet and Emirati cuisine articles and restaurants similar to Safar Restaurant - The Gallery:
A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. It can also be classified as a banquet. Restaurants, cruise ships, and wineries also have buffets and banquets that can serve basic courses, or be all you can eat.
A Taste of India Casual curries of North and South India with full lunch buffet in Brandon, Florida
Bourj Al Hamam Restaurant Levant, Jordanian, and Lebanese cuisines with a buffet in Amman, Jordan
Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse Rodízio buffet and churrascaria in the Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Fogo de Chão An upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Fugitives Drift Lodge and Zulu Battlefields African cuisine buffet, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Mount Nelson Afternoon Tea Banquet of pastries and sandwiches at the Belmond, in Cape Town, South Africa
Panfilo’s Bar and Grill Bar And Grill with hotel buffet at the Sheraton East, Tampa, Florida
The Boma - Dinner and Drum Show Taste of tribal Zimbabwean cuisine in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Dutch Kitchen Buffet of Dutch and French cuisine at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
The Jungle Junction Zimbabwe and international tastings buffet at the Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe
The Medieval Banquet Medieval-style British cuisine banquet plus 2-hour dinner show in London, UK
Tradewinds Restaurant Local and international cuisine in Sandton, South Africa
Emirati Cuisine:
a.k.a. Khaleeji (or lower Arab Peninsula) Cuisine
The modern diet of the United Arab Emirates is cosmopolitan, featuring dishes from many Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. A lot of people confuse Levantine food as being Emirati/Khaleeji but due to harsh desert conditions, the traditional food of the UAE uses a lot of meat, grain, and dairy.
Aseelah A Modern Twist on Emirati Cuisine, at the Radisson Blu, Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
Al Fanar Restaurant and Café Authentic Emirati Cuisine, Festival City, Dubai, UAE
Asail AlSham Sweets “Mastic” ice-cream in Deira Dubai, UAE
Seven Sands Fresh, traditional, cultural; 7 regions for Seven Sands near the Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Dubai restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist
Plaza Versace Hotel, Dubai, UAE
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The First Indian Fine dining restaurant at Sheraton Dubai Creek
Dubai, UAE
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Takes its name from the signature festive dish of Uzbekistan with Russian and Uyghur influence.
La Mer, Dubai, UAE
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Safar Restaurant - The Gallery a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Safar Restaurant - The Gallery
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
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10
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1
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Food quality
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11
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9
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2
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Plate presentation
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6
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5
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1
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Customer service
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11
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8
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3
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Alcohol and other beverages
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6
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2
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4
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Total regular points awarded
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45
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34
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11
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.755555555555556
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.755555555555556
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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- 0 - 5
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2
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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2 of 5 Stars:
76% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Far Above The Average Dining Experience
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Safar Restaurant - The Gallery Wine rating:
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3 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California
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Corkage fees:
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Safar Restaurant - The Gallery does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Safar Restaurant - The Gallery:
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Arabic, Emirati
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Halal, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Smart casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Safar Restaurant - The Gallery Experiences:
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A place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Great brunch, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Safar Restaurant - The Gallery has a public lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Safar Restaurant - The Gallery
WARNING: is a smoking dining room
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Arab Emirate Dirham (AED)
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د.إ
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Safar Restaurant - Now Called The Gallery:
Airport Road
Dubai International Terminal Hotel
Gate #B9, 4th level, Dubai International Airport
Garhoud, Dubai, UAE
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+9714 505 2000 / 52719
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Email Us:
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Serving hours:
UAE standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - BST Offset + 4:00)
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Mon-Sun
Open 24 hours
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Safar Restaurant - Now The Gallery:
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****
The world’s best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine
Sydney, Australia
|
Seasonal Irish with French gastronomic dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Other Safar Restaurant - The Gallery Pictures:
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| Safar Restaurant / Hummus |
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| Safar Restaurant / Hummus and More |
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| Safar Restaurant / Carving Garnish |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
