10. Qbara
Arabic food is given a modern twist in Dubai's homegrown Qbara restaurant.
Located beside Raffles Hotel near the Dubai Creek, this funky venue is intimate in reds and golds, draped in shadows and subtly sexy.
A cool DJ and rotating artwork projections add to the buzzing vibe enjoyed by an Emirati and expat crowd.
Food spans everything from salads to small hot dishes, but the thing uniting it all is the edgy take on traditional Middle Eastern cuisine.
There's scallops seared with sumac (a tangy lemony spice) served with pomegranate onions or lobster kibbeh (a fried wheat parcel stuffed with flavored meat) with avocado labneh (a soft cheese).
Dates, pine nuts, hummus and more dot the expansive menu.
"If you have one night only in Dubai, then this restaurant is a must -- and ultimately my favorite restaurant in this emirate," says Samantha Wood.
Credit card max-out: Out-pricing even the tasting menu ($136 per person) is the hefty mixed grill. This star of Arabic cuisine features pure-bred Angus sirloin, tiger prawns, Syrian lamb kofta, grilled lamb cutlets and more ($204).
Worth the splurge: The decadent dessert made with iced nougat, baked kunafa pastry and gently flavored orange cream (part of a tasting menu for $136 per person, or on its own for $14).
Qbara, The Fort Complex Opp. The Raffles Hotel Dubai, Dubai 117253 United Arab Emirates;