Dubai Dream Big

Tom Cruise may have climbed, rappelled and swung around Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol but I wasnt letting that deter me from dining calmly at At.mosphere, the 122nd floor restaurant in the worlds tallest building. Ushered past the quiet Armani Hotel reception by a graceful hostess to the express elevator, in 45 seconds, I was transported 670 feet to the worlds highest restaurant from ground level. The change in air pressure is so drastic, youll be popping more than the bubbly. A cantilevered staircase connects the restaurant to the lounge with the best view in Dubai. Our mission impossible A nine-course festive taster menu of Oscietra caviar, Maison Soulard foie gras, Portugal Langouste, truffles, oysters and sea scallops. Ethan Hunt had sleepwalked onto the sets of Casino Royale with the memory of Jason Bourne. Thus stuffed, the only danger lay in rolling off while admiring the view.

Detail of Persian Court at the Ibn Batuta Shopping Mall

Two floors up, the worlds highest observation deck, At The Top, was recently voted Best Attraction in the world. Burj Khalifa surpassed heavyweights like London Eye and Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. The viewing deck also came second to the Empire State Building in the Best Observation Deck category and was also voted the Most Romantic Attraction or Tour 2015 alongside the Eiffel Tower. The fireworks display from the Burj Khalifa easily ranks among the worlds most spectacular year-end celebrations.

While Burj Khalifa offers a terrific birds- eye view, it is quite another thing to leave the stationary perch and see Dubai from the air, like a bird in flight. SeaWings, Dubais ultimate luxury excursion, took off from Dubai Creek for a 25-minute seaplane tour of the city, with 15 minutes of pure flying time. The 10-seater Cessna Caravan cruised along the coastline past landmarks like Port Rashid, Dubais old port thats now a cruise terminal. Its only from the air that the 300 man-made islets of The World Islands, using sand dredged from the sea, can be seen in the shape of a world map. Most are still uninhabited, except the Sultans pleasure playground Greenland and Lebanon, the only island in commercial use.

SeaWings' seaplane tour offers stunning vistas

There was a collective gasp as the seaplane swooped towards the fronds of Palm Jumeirah. Nakheel Groups flagship archipelago is Dubais most exclusive address with several mega hotels like Waldorf Astoria, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Atlantis. Shaped like an Arabic portal to another dimension, Atlantis featured extensively in Shah Rukh Khans heist flick Happy New Year, described by critics as Oceans 11 written by baboons. Indian cinema is huge here and the first Bollywood-themed park is set to open this October.

Thats where Im staying, I pointed to Anantaras unmistakeable orange gabled roof on the eastern crescent. Another gasp and envy, as we splashed down near Jebel Ali Golf Resort where my chauffer-driven Merc whisked me back to Anantara at Palm Jumeirah. The word Jumeirah is derived from the Arabic jamilah, meaning beautiful. And it sure was The blue waters of the Persian Gulf looked so inviting one could jump in. Fortunately, my lagoon villa provided the perfect opportunity to do so.

A platter of miang kham at Mekong, Dubai's top Pan-Asian restaurant

After a relaxing spa session in the Turkish hammam, I headed to Mekong, Dubais top Pan-Asian restaurant, where I was welcomed with miang kham, a traditional Thai snack of roasted coconut shavings, chilli, ginger, garlic, shallots, peanuts, dried shrimps and raw mango, wrapped in a betel leaf. In the dimlit interior, I leafed through the menuit came with its own clip-on torch. My steward Sunday (born on a Sunday in Myanmar) suggested that despite dining alone, I should try the sharing platter of spring rolls, crab cakes, satay and chicken pandan. Sunday made my day.

Now Im a big fan of eating local and purists may question the logic of eating Thai in Dubai But with 200 nationalities making Dubai their home, theres great diversity. Lebanese, Japanese, Turkish, Mexican, Egyptian, French, Italian, American diner, Australian Outback, you name it, they got it. There are other multi-cultural cities too, but Dubai is unique as expats comprise nearly 80% of its 2.45 million population. So whatever the cuisine, its top-notch.

As a city, Dubai believes in the best, the biggest and the tallest. After seducing immigrants with tax-free income and quality of life, it provides every avenue to make sure they spend it all. Over 50 shopping malls Ibn Battuta Mall, Deira City Centre, Dubai Marina Mall, Burjuman Centre, Mall of the Emirates with its indoor ski slope and Egyptian-themed Wafi Malllet you buy any brand or product in every variation possible. However, Dubai Mall took not just the cake, but the entire boulangerie.

Luxury stores dot the Dubai Mall

It was as if someone went to God or Santa Claus and made the most impossible wish. I want the largest and best mall in the world. (Granted) Er with a Dancing Fountain and an Aquarium. And the worlds largest collection of sharks and rays. (Will 33,000 marine creatures do) Ya, but behind the worlds largest acrylic panel And an Ice Rink, with intermittent snowfall like the real thing. (Ok) Hang on, also a waterfall, across four floors. (Anything else) And a 155-million-year old dinosaur to round it off. (It will have every goddamn thing)

Spread over 13 million square feet (and still expanding), Emaar Groups Dubai Mall also has its own indoor theme park SEGA Republic, the worlds largest sweet shop Candylicious, the largest shoe store in the world by Chalhoub, a 22-screen cineplex with 4-D, edutainment zone KidZania, a Gold Souk, Hamleys from London, Bloomingdales from New York and Galeries Lafayette, their only store outside Paris. And a flight simulator for Emirates A-380, the largest aircraft in the world, because you always wanted to fly a plane, right With over 1,200 stores, you can be here for a while.

Dubai wasnt always like this. Its humble origins lay in a nondescript fishing village of makeshift dwellings, home to Bedouins who depended on pearling, dhow making and trade. Dubai lived in relative obscurity till the discovery of oil in 1966. Its present economy is run on real estate, gold, diamonds and free-market capitalism. Dubai, Do Buy, get it, my Sri Lankan guide Wickeramasinghe cackled at his profound joke.

The best place for a sense of the old traditions is Dubai Museum, housed in the Al Fahidi Fort built in 1787, the oldest existing building in the city. The 20-seater abra (boat) ferries passengers across the creek from Bur Dubai to Deira, the old commercial quarter with its gold and spice souks.

By Day 3, I was ordering Grilled tiger prawns a la Provenale with crispy olive polenta, like I had polenta for lunch everyday back home. Google says polentas Hindi equivalent is Makai ki khichdi. Perhaps I wasnt too far from the truth. So what did you have in Dubai Umm khichdi. Nah, polenta was fine. Thats the thing about fine dineit makes anything sound good. Before being presented with a flourish, every dish was preceded by a one-minute introduction, as if it were nobility. When confronted by words like Moelleux and Cremeux that you might mispronounce, ask for recommendations and snootily confirm.

Atul Kochahr's Indian restaurant, Rang Mahal

The sheer choice in Dubai is mind bogglingdine next to a ceiling-to-floor aquarium in the opulent Al Mahara restaurant at the 7-star Burj Al Arab or al fresco by Jumeirah Beach at Four Seasons SeaFu, dig into a whole seabass baked in salt crust at the Chefs Table at La Serre or try Indian cuisine with a twist at Atul Kochhars Rang Mahal. After eight elaborate courses in Rang Mahals orange and black interiors dominated by massive temple pillars, we hankered for dessert and were frostily informed, The chef is painting. We wondered if this was indeed a tall tale in the worlds tallest hotel JW Marriott Marquis, when five minutes later the Dessert Canvas of assorted Indian sweets was presented like Modern Art. Is that Gouda No thats Gaudi, went my imaginary conversation.

Thats Dubai for you, where dessert can be made into art and an oasis can be carved out of a desert. If Dutch comfort is Thank god its not worse, Dubai lies at the other end of that scale. We know its great, but it will only get better.

Id Souk Marine Station with the Old Souk in the background at the Al Bastakiya Historic Quarter

Getting There There are several direct flights from India to Dubai International Airport (3-4 hrs). Emirates (emirates.com), the national carrier, boasts the worlds biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s.

Where To Stay & Eat Located on the eastern crescent of Palm Jumeirah, Anantara The Palm Dubai (doubles from AED2,000 including breakfast 971-45678888 dubai-palm. anantara.com) offers excellent lagoon rooms, beach pool villas and over-water villas. St Regis Al Habtoor City (doubles from AED 1,800 971-44355555, stregisdubai.com) is Dubais newest 5-star hotel thats centrally located on Sheikh Zayed Road. it has a grand staircase, huge chandelier and excellent food at its speciality restaurants like Brasserie Quartier. Try the Brunch at the Manor on Friday.

French cuisine by Michelin chef Jerome Lagarde, the Lounge at At.mosphere (971-48883828, atmosphereburjkhalifa.com), Burj Khalifa has a minimum spend policy of AED 200 per person at lunch and AED 250 for dinner, with guaranteed window seating. The same seating privilege for lunch at the restaurant will set you back by AED 500.

For sheer opulence with gilded interiors and a giant aquarium, it has to be Al Mahara, Burj al Arab(971-43017600, jumeirah. com). Try the sea bass with almond sauce, Maine lobster with seaweed butter or poached tsarkaya oysters in cucumber and apple broth.

For rickshaw-style seating at oriental tables with overhead lights in bird cages and excellent Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese, go to the Mekong, Anantara The Palm Dubai (971-45678304, dubai-palm.anantara.com/mekong). Try the sharing plattercrispy spring roll, Vietnamese spring roll, tod mun goong (Thai shrimp cake), plah goong (prawn salad with lemongrass), BBQ minced prawn on sugarcane skewer, gai hor baitoey (chicken pandan) and chicken satay.

What To See & Do SeaWings Dubai (seawings.ae) offers a 40-min Dubai Silver Tour which takes off from Dubai Creek and costs AED 1695 per person. Heritage walking tours also available. At AED 3, Dubai Museum (dubaiculture.gov.ae) is a bargain for insights into Emirati culture and the history of Dubai in an old fort. Located on the ground floor of Dubai Mall, the 10-million litre Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo (thedubaiaquarium. com) can be viewed from a distance for free, besides a range of experiences like cage snorkeling, and encounters with rays, otters and sharks for AED 100-200.