The Gourmet hub of Dubs

When Team TMN stumbled across a certain venue in the heart of Media City promising home-style gourmet grub at purse friendly prices, we were powerless to resist…

What: 1762 The Gourmet Deli Co.

Where: OMD Building, Dubai Media City, Dubai

When: Sunday-Thursday, 7.30am-6pm

The promise: “You will find our deli shops rustic, warm and homely; somewhere you know you can escape to when you get a moment to pop in and relax over some good food & freshly made brew”

Nestled in the heart of one of Dubai’s busiest business hubs, 1762 is only a stones throw away from most of Dubai’s media companies. A seamless blend of two settings – one, a cosy indoors with exposed brickwork and intimate tables, the other a relaxing, open-aired, conservatory-style room (which avoids the oppressive summer heat with a retractable roof, that closes to create one large, indoor space). Making the most of the last great weather of the season, we opted for the conservatory. Surrounded by greenery and the low-rise buildings of Media City with a glass of fresh pink lemonade in hand, you could easily imagine that you were in New York or London.

Having passed the deli counter as we walked in, tummies were definitely rumbling as we got settled – seeing the food presented in such a tantalising way was a real feast for the eyes. We left our ordering in the capable hands of the venue’s Outlet Manager, Charlotte who decided to showcase some of 1762’s more popular dishes from the extensive menu of delicious-looking deli food.

We began with 1762’s signature dish, traditional, home-cooked roast beef wrapped in a delicious Yorkshire pudding; truly comfort food at its finest! Who knew a Yorkshire pudding could be used instead of humble wrap-bread? Another stand-out dish was the chicken and leek pie – a traditional recipe which managed to provide the perfect blend of chicken, leeks and cream. In contrast to the comforting, carb-laden traditional foods sampled, was the wonderfully light ginger-lime salmon nori roll, which triumphed as team TMN’s favourite dish on the menu. On top of all these mains, we also sampled a selection of the deli counter’s eight salads – freshly prepared daily.

Even filled to the brim, we were informed that we simply had to sample some of the desserts, and who were we to argue? Happy to hang around, we noticed just how busy 1762 gets. Having arrived bang-on midday, there was a steady influx of human traffic, with the queue edging outside – a sign of success if ever there was one.

After sampling the decadent millionaire’s shortbread and twix brownies and the lighter, but equally delectable Tunisian orange cake slices, we finally left, stomachs groaning and in unanimous agreement of a lunch hour well spent.

The verdict : This is definitely a venue worth getting out of the office for, whether for lunch or just a quick bite to go. 1762 caters perfectly to Dubai’s professional crowd. With affordable prices and excellent-quality food, 1762’s three venues (also in DIFC and The Galleries, Jebel Ali) have definitely found their niche. Our only critique is that their opening times are reflective of business hours, and we would love to get a hold of the menu for dinner and brunch! While this may be a possibility at some point, for now at least, it’s remaining the business community’s little secret!