The Copper Lobster - Surf & Turf By The Sea

An evening of surf and turf by the Gulf of Oman coastline with the freshest catch-of-the-day and premium quality of meat, The Copper Lobster SeaGrill & GastroBar at the Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort is an absolute place to DINE for. mylifestylenews writes.

It is always a pleasing and refreshing to know that a restaurant name is also an ode to the subject in the title, sharing the same coastline and with a nod to the emirate’s seafaring history to discover the delights of a restaurant that uses the local produce in whatever way they possibly can to reduce carbon footprint as well as to bring the most genuine local flavour to your table.

Nestled amongst the hidden valleys of the majestic Al Hajar Mountains, Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort lies along the coastal region of Dibba, the second largest town in the emirate of Fujairah. Set against a dramatic backdrop of rugged terrain, travelers can expect to discover a destination lauded for its natural beauty, with archaeological and heritage sites all within easy accessibility from the resort.

The Copper Lobster SeaGrill & GastroBar is located on the waterfront level, so three levels below the lobby with easy access by the lift or you may make your grand entrance by descending the steep set of stairs from the port cochere level graciously......in style.

The restaurant is broken up into three sections – a market style display room at the entrance through the glass window with the daily fresh catch from the sea, a London-style gastro bar that offers a more intimate setting together with the friendly family dining area. The large outdoor al fresco terrace section is also another ideal dining spot especially for the current Arabic winter season to enjoy the light crisp sea breeze in the evening.

The seafaring history and seaside location is referenced in so many details, with crude rope being a prime décor inspiration and it is used in very imaginative ways to create a number of motifs/allusion to fishing boats, anchor ropes, fishing nets and elements that relate to the sea and more adorned with warm decorative lightings juxtaposed with the soft illuminated hue of blue LED light and shade which adds modernity to the entire restaurant.

Wining and dining by the sea in a modern and cozy thematic ambience where quality meat and fresh seafood is offered, being a SeaGrill, the main focus is seafood, so there is a market display of freshly caught produce from the nearby sea, including a wall of tanks with the live Omani lobsters, giant prawns, octopus and a variety of fishes as well as locally farmed Dibba Bay oysters and more - the freshness of the produce is best to enjoy without hesitation. If seafood is not your thing, you also have a choice of meats for carnivores, such as lamb, spatchcock poussin, rib-eye and even tomahawk which is a rare and good find in this region, so you are genuinely spoilt for choice.

Your placemat is your menu, with the beverage menu on the back, so in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere and a ready reference point, should you not wish to order everything at once and slowly let the evening evolve.

While we were making some serious decisions about the order of events, an unexpected amuse bouche arrived – a fresh oyster from Dibba Bay with diced eggplant in a lemon Sriracha sauce. This was delicious and just the perfect starter for our seafood journey and while the sauce was a little dominating nonetheless a surprising, tasty beginning.

<Grilled Octopus>

First official starter we ordered came to the table with Trapani pesto, potato lentil salad and chlorophyll mousse beautifully presented on a ‘black truffle” motif plate. Absolutely visually stunning! A divine char-grilled flavour and it really hit the spot with very tender meat to boot and this can be a fine-dining dish bar none. The lentil salad is a perfect foil to the richness of the octopus. Bravo to the kitchen brigade by creating such a superb starter and with a glass of Camino de Chile Sauvignon Blanc is the best compliment.

 

<TCL Garden Salad>

They tout this as 20+ seasonal ingredients dressed in olive oil “butter” and with amaranth crisp. Striking presentation served on what we would describe as a “UFO” salad bowl/plate which was rather messy to toss all ingredients together on the shallow diameter flying object. The combination of the designated ingredients includes olive foam, beetroot powder, raspberry vinaigrette, carrot, mixed leaves and much more. A little bit heavy on the dressing front but totally refreshing and a good palate cleanser after the amuse bouche and grilled octopus.

<TNT Shrimps>

A generous portion of rock shrimps deep fried in tempura served with spicy mayo and potato chips. As tempura goes, the batter was a little on the thick side, but as fritters, this is perfect as the shrimps were quite meaty and tasty. The hint of spicy mayo dipping gave a small kick on the palate which goes perfectly well with a glass of South Africa KWV cuvee brut sparkling.

 

<Kampot Pepper Crab>

Alaskan King Crab legs are hand pulled and made into some crispy and delicious crab cakes with the remaining flesh from the halved legs pan-fried in young green peppercorn sauce garnished with quinoa seed, cilantro on a bed of lemon egg plant puree. Less spicy than we would have thought from the peppercorn used yet the aroma was intense and did not overpower the freshness of the crab meat. The crab cake is a standout!

<Tomahawk & Wine> – Bone in rib-eye (1.2kg) and rate potato

The perfectly char-grilled meat is a winner from beginning to end, perfectly cooked and packed with awesome flavour. A good balance lean and fat makes a perfect tomahawk, juicy, meaty with intense flavour. There was an abundance of meat, as you would expect from a tomahawk, so you need to ensure that you have reserved room for this that is absolutely worth waiting for. This dish comes with garlic croutons and served with a rather salty green Chimuchuri sauce. A side order of broccolini and asparagus to offset the richness of the meat would be an ideal compliment.  This sharing order for two also comes with a bottle of Camino de Chile Merlot or Cabernet sauvignon of your choice as part of the menu price. A real deal and value for money especially with such high quality produce.

 

<TCL Chocolate Fondant>
Salted caramel butter, hazelnut mousse, strawberry puree and milk ice cream – this winning combination of chocolate fondant may not be as fluffy as we would have liked, but tasty nonetheless for such a classic dessert and perfect to share to end on such a big meal for the evening.

The overall dining experience at The Copper Lobster SeaGrill & GastroBar is cozy, friendly and unpretentious. Most importantly, it was more than just a hearty meal and truly delights your palate. We had no expectations and yet we had a very memorable evening with fine food and wine and some very attentive service from our server Camilo, who was also engaging with his conversation and desire to ensure that we were fully conversant with each dish as it was served. His passion was also matched by the culinary standard coming from the kitchen, which is where it all starts to pique our tastebuds and makes you wish you had time and room to sample more menu items, but less is more and we shall just have to return for another memorable visit to indulge.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 4/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

The Copper Lobster

Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort

Rugaylat Road

Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

Tel: +971 9 204 1080

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.