RESTAURANT REVIEW: CAMEL STATION

RATING

***

I tend to abuse the things I like. Meaning, if something makes a good impression on me once, I will keep going back to that same thing, until I’m absolutely sick of it. 

I’ve been drooling over Camel Station’s food for months through social media, before I finally had the opportunity to try it. On one random weekend, I was finally able to try it with a friend. We went there for lunch, and the weather was perfect to sit outside on their deck overlooking the yacht marina on the wharf. The first thing that really grabs your attention is the decor of the place. It has a very contemporary and creative aesthetic, blending in elements of Emirati traditions and hospitality, which are quite striking at first glance, and very artistic. Naturally, the ‘camel’ plays a huge role in the decor and the food.

Camels being a key symbol of UAE culture and heritage, it makes sense to see it given such importance and value. The menu itself comes in the shape of a camel head, which I thought was really cool. However, you are also presented with a tablet that has the menu, if you prefer the digital route. The tablet was useful because it contains images of all the items on the menu, which makes it easier to visualize what it is you’re ordering, especially when you’re dealing with such an eclectic and diverse cuisine.

I was feeling brave that day, so I decided to try their melted camel burger, which is served at your table where the waiter then pours raclette-like cheese straight onto your burger, in a mouthwatering display. I had never had camel meat before this, and did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised at how tender and juicy the burger turned out to be. The blend of sauce, vegetables, melted cheese and thickness of the patty were perfect - in my opinion - and I devoured the whole thing in minutes! I ordered alongside the burger a passionfruit and strawberry juice, which comes in the coolest ceramic cup and was deliciously refreshing.

I left there feeling really satisfied and happy with myself. I had such a good experience that I immediately made plans with my sisters to go for breakfast the next day. Yep. I waste no time. I figured now that I’ve tried their lunch, I need to try their breakfast, those pictures looked sinfully good!

So back I went the next day. The first observation was that the restaurant was completely empty both indoors and outdoors. Since I sat outdoors the previous day, we chose to sit indoors this time. There seemed to be only one waiter on hand, who gave us the menu (both tablets and camel heads), and we divided up the items so each one of us ordered a different dish, giving us the opportunity to try a variety of things. So we ended up ordering the halloumi bruschetta dish (can't remember what it was called exactly), the Mexican egg Benedict, the Turkish eggs, Kinder pancakes and the Dutch pancake.

Unfortunately, my second experience did not go as smoothly as the first time. The food took a very long time to arrive, and when it did, it did not come at the same time. The waiter seemed confused and harassed, because he was working on his own - even though, it really wasn’t that busy (just us in the place). The egg Benedict was ordered soft, but it came hard-boiled, so I sent it back. The halloumi bruschetta was OK, but it was overflowing with greens and needed more flavor. The Turkish eggs and Kinder pancakes were absolutely delicious, as was the Benedict when it was brought back with the egg poached to perfection. I loved the bread they used for the Benedict, it had the perfect combination of softness and crunch, and the flavors blended so well with the guacamole and the hollandaise sauce. 

The biggest disappointment came with the Dutch pancakes, which arrived after all the other dishes were already served and eaten. My sister, who was waiting for her dish was very upset. Even more so when she ate it and realized that actually…it wasn’t that good. It was dry and there was a specific spice used that was too strong, taking away from the pancake flavor. Furthermore, she ended up burning a finger when she accidentally touched the skillet, which was scorching hot. It came without a warning from the waiter and with no way of handling it, like a cover for the handle or placing the skillet on a plate to allow us to maneuver the dish without hurting ourselves. That was definitely a huge disappointment and took away so much from our experience, regardless how much we enjoyed some of the other dishes. 

Would I go back? Maybe. I would consider going back with friends if the majority chose the place, but I’m not sure that I would voluntarily recommend going. I think they need to train their servers better, there is a slight attitude problem and several mistakes that occurred that really does affect the overall experience. I may have been happy with my meal, but my sister left there annoyed, frustrated, in pain and hungry! 

I will acknowledge that every place will have its good days and bad days, and I’ve only been there twice, so although I generally liked the food at Camel Station, there is definitely a lot of room for improvement.