When life gives you lemons, you make a visually-stunning Italian restaurant out of it…? At least that’s the motto followed by Mura, the Italian restaurant on The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah.
The Pointe boasts an impressive catalogue of eateries that go all out with their Instagrammable decor and views of the world’s largest fountains. And most of them do it with the single-minded objective of transporting diners to international destinations. In Mura’s instance, it’s the Amalfi Coast and its nearby islands and towns (Capri, Sicily, etc.) they want to whisk you off to.
Mura, steals the limelight (pun unintended) simply for the sheer over-the-top vibes of the interiors. They’ve easily installed at least 1000 plastic lemons ( our estimate definitely falls short) to replicate the Amalfi Coast’s famed citrus trees. And they’re unapologetic about being extra – they describe themselves as ‘ostentatious’ on their website. For that alone they deserve a *chef’s kiss*
The trattoria is very clear about what they want to offer diners. From the get-go, it’s all about making you believe you’ve escaped to the Italian Rivera. They go about it by vowing you with OTT selfie-friendly archways and stairs strategically positioned next to ornate mirrors and an upstairs dining area with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Palm Fountain.
Here, startling cobalt blue accents, mosaic tiles, and a canopy of bright yellow lemons wrap themselves around the walls. The lemons are dead ringers for the famed sfusato Amalfitano lemons, except for one tiny detail: they’re plastic.
The faux citrus doesn’t take away from the energetic ambiance of the restaurant which is as zesty as the lemons it’s inspired by. Upbeat music at the venue often encourages patrons to stay way past dinner and kick off an afterparty. The restaurant’s location on The Pointe’s West Marina gives front-row seats to the Fountain Show. Coupled with Mura’s traditional Tarantella dancers who break out into a performance most evenings, dinner here often ends up becoming dinner and a show one way or another.
The lime-and-lemony theme finds its way into the food too. While you can’t bite into an actual lemon, you can crack open ‘The Lemon’, Mura’s signature dessert that’s shaped, you guessed it, like a lemon. We’d never encourage you to buy a lemon (something worthless) unless it’s this sorbet. This sweet dish deserves your money just for its #foodporn potential.
Mains and appetizers on the menu are all geared towards being rustic and authentic Italian fare. So you’ll find a mix of Mediterranean-style seafood delicacies and beloved Italian hits such as grilled langoustine, arancini, handmade pizzas and pastas like veal ragu papardelle.
Hand-crafted cocktails are also part of the menu.
Flamboyant atmosphere, an Instagrammer’s dream, scrumptious Italian food and romantic views to wrap it all up. Mura makes it to the list of Italian eateries in Dubai that make you say Mamma Mia!