The Review
Carine sits on the first floor of the clubhouse at Emirates Golf Club, looking out through floor-to-ceiling windows across the 18th fairway of the Majlis Course — the tournament venue that Dubai built its golf reputation on. Chef Izu Ani opened it in 2018 as his most personal restaurant, naming it for his wife, Carine. He is one of the most influential chefs in the city (La Serre, La Petite Maison, 3Fils, Risen, Izu), and Carine is the room that reveals most about him: unfussy, rustic, technically exact, deeply French, quietly Mediterranean.
The dining room is a garden — literally. The ceiling is a cloud of dried flowers; the tables are round and well-spaced; potted olive trees anchor the centre. The room does not have to try to be beautiful. At golden hour it is one of Dubai's most photographed interiors, though the photographs never quite capture why you are actually there. The food, and the light through those windows, and the particular feeling of being just far enough from Marina traffic to forget you are in the city.
The menu changes with the seasons but the grammar is consistent. A whole baked sea bream in a salt crust, filleted tableside. A rack of lamb with a herb crust and pommes purée that has the exact density of the one at Joël Robuchon's atelier in Paris. Burrata with heirloom tomato in summer. Cavolo nero with white beans in winter. Pasta that is always strictly al dente, dressed with precisely the amount of olive oil the dish requires and no more. The Sunday lunch is a Dubai institution — a long, slow four-course affair with champagne that runs through the afternoon and into early evening.
The wine list is French-leaning but sensible, with a strong Provence rosé selection and an approachable Italian corner. Desserts, executed by one of Ani's long-time pastry chefs, are best ordered a little reluctantly so that you end up saying yes to the soufflé of the day. Two people will spend between AED 700 and AED 1,200 for dinner including wine. The value is in the restraint.
Best for First Date
Carine is the city's most reliably successful first-date reservation. The dining room has the exact quality a first date needs: warm, elegant, flattering under the late-afternoon light, unhurried at any pace you want to set. The food is crowd-pleasing without being generic, which means no disagreements at ordering. The pricing is generous enough that the bill does not become a moment. Request a window table at booking — the fairway view is worth the small additional lead time. Sunday lunch is a popular proposal choice in Dubai for a reason; for a first date, weekday dinner hits a slightly lower-stakes register that pays off.
Signature Dishes
The whole sea bream baked in a salt crust is the signature order, deboned and filleted tableside, served with lemon, olive oil, and a handful of herbs. The rack of lamb with a herb crust and pommes purée is the alternative main for meat-eaters; it is as serious a lamb dish as anything in Dubai. The burrata with heirloom tomatoes, when it is on the menu, is the summer opener. Pasta — tagliolini with truffle in season, pappardelle with slow-cooked lamb, orecchiette with sausage — is consistently exceptional. For dessert, the Grand Marnier soufflé is the room's showpiece; the chocolate tart with salted caramel is the non-theatrical alternative.
What to Know Before You Go
Carine sits on the first floor of the clubhouse at Emirates Golf Club, entering via the main clubhouse lobby. The drive from Downtown takes about twenty minutes; from the Marina, around ten. Dress is smart — golf course club codes apply, meaning no shorts in the evening, and a jacket is welcome but not required. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for Sunday lunch (book two to three weeks ahead) and for window tables. The restaurant serves alcohol. Valet parking is available at the clubhouse entrance. Service can be slow when the room is full; plan for a leisurely evening.
Also in Dubai, Eauzone is the alternative romantic choice at One&Only Royal Mirage, Ossiano is the grand-gesture fine-dining option, and Orfali Bros Bistro is the Middle Eastern parallel. For more First Date and Proposal recommendations, see our occasion guides.