The Verdict
Levant & Nar is the InterContinental Mina Al Arab's flagship restaurant and, on most critical counts, the most ambitious dining room in the emirate. The project takes Turkish and Levantine traditions — grilled meats, mezze, kebabs, flatbreads, kofta — and builds them around an open-fire pit on a massive terrace that wraps around the resort's seafront edge with 360-degree views of the Arabian Gulf. At sunset, the combination is as dramatic as any restaurant setting in the UAE.
The cooking programme earns the setting. The open fire is used theatrically but also functionally: oven-cooked rack of lamb wrapped in vine leaves is finished over the flames; seafood platters feature flame-kissed whole fish, octopus and prawns; the kebab programme is cooked on skewers visible from the terrace. The mezze selection — hummus, mutabbal, fattoush, warak enab, muhammara — is prepared daily with imported Levantine ingredients and served with fresh flatbreads from a dedicated clay oven. The menu extends into Turkish territory with iskender, adana kebab, and a slow-roasted kuzu tandir that requires a day's advance booking.
The dining room interior (for cooler months and wind) mirrors the terrace's aesthetic — warm stone, copper accents, carved wood, and the fire pit reconfigured as a central indoor hearth. Service is formal but warm in the Levantine tradition; the restaurant handles large celebratory parties with particular skill. For the terrace experience, book an hour before sunset and plan to stay through to the early evening.
Why It Works for Birthday
Levant & Nar suits Birthday and Proposal dining in the upper register — the terrace setting makes this one of the most dramatic venues in the UAE, the Levantine food style accommodates sharing and celebration, and the open-fire theatre provides the spectacle without imposing it. For Impress Clients booked from Dubai, the weekend drive and the change of atmosphere itself is part of the signal.
Also in Ras Al Khaimah
For further Ras Al Khaimah options across occasions, see all restaurants in Ras Al Khaimah. Diners looking for the same occasion elsewhere can browse the Birthday collection across every city we cover, or explore nearby destinations: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.