Arjwan presents a very unique perspective – an outdoor breezy terrace overlooking the Gulf, hosted at a five-star luxury hotel, and offering a fusion of creative cuisine inspired by local Emirati traditional flavors!

Indoors, the decor is attractive and the colors are bright and lively, representing the restaurant’s namesake – the delicate desert flower: Arjwan.

Bring a table of friends and laughter,

or dine with someone special in a private booth.

Through the door, and the restaurant transforms!

You are now on a secluded terrace, part of the majestic Sheraton Beach Resort Arabian-inspired complex.

During the fresh weather months, the evenings are delightful up here.

However, despite the wonderful ambiance, it is the innovative quality of the dishes that are Arjwan’s main attraction.

Camel meat is featured in several signature dishes, and adapted, evolved, into famous dishes from all over the world – yet, maintaining somehow a true connection to the Emirates.

The exploration by the Chef’s team must have been very exciting indeed!

We delighted, for instance, in Camel Spring Rolls…

In fact, they were a masterpiece!

Do not take the short-leap into thinking: well, anyone can substitute camel meat and roll it into a spring roll… NO!

The meat must be tender, and seasoned, lightly, not to overpower; and then the meat must be pulled, the fibers separated, so that it melts in your mouth, and contrasts with the crispy crunchy spring roll wrap – and then it is paired and grounded, in this case on a bed of paprika mutabel.

So now you have the earthy, fleshy meat of the camel, light and crisp wrap, supported by that third dimension of smooth blended texture and tangy undertones of the smoked eggplant!!!

That is pure genius in my book!

But let me not focus too heavily on the camel – it is true that the uniqueness in flavors and texture, and even cultural and historical connotations, make a camel dish exotic, but I don’t want to minimize the other delicacies prepared at Arjwan.

Beside the other camelly mains: the slow-braised camel striploin, served with Emirati spiced pumpkin puree and caramelized onions, and accompanied by green beans, and bathed in its jus; and also the Camel Mixed Grill, which is a fantastic regional platter fit for royalty from years gone by, the mains include many other phenomenal dishes rooted in local Emirati flavors.

In fact, the dish which blew my taste buds into outer space was the Slow Cooked Lamb Shank!

And please allow me a moment to clearly explain this dish, because, like the Camel Spring Rolls, this illuminates the philosophy behind these masterpieces:

Lamb Shank is slow-cooked, usually in an oven, and it is served in many variations in the Middle East. At Arjwan, here is how the Chef has approached this dish:

Firstly, the lamb meat is so well cooked, over time, and at low heat, that the meat just falls off the bone, leaving the bone dry and clean – perfectly cooked.

But then comes the grounding into the region’s cuisine: it is topped with an intense sauteed tapenade of sun-dried tomato and cardemom – the seeds of which are an instant connection to Arabia, much loved in Emirati coffee, in sweets, and all sorts of other uses, such as twisting a tomato tapenade into a swirl of Arabian culture!

Brilliant! Also, the tapenade’s intensity cuts the lamb, adding a second dimension of taste pleasure.

But our good Chef is not done yet!

The lamb shank is served on orzo pasta, a favorite in his native Egypt, which is then further creamed with labneh, a delightfully soft cheese strained from yoghurt – and how this melts into the orzo, dynamically interacting with the lamb meat, and the sharp tapenade, is simply divine.

The dish is a masterpiece of fine cuisine, and my hat is off to the virtuoso Chef!

Other dishes will equally delight your palate.

Above, a fresh crab salad (marinated in sumac-pomegranate dressing – there’s the cultural link again!), and below is the grilled and marinated Tiger Prawns:

Your menu selections continue, with a trip to all sorts of grilled delicacies, and across to India, bringing in inspiration from the historical trade routes of the UAE.

And for dessert?

Just close your eyes and point randomly, because all are favorites, and all are exceptional!

Overall, for a unique and absolutely splendid culinary interpretation of local Emirati flavors, Arjwan places itself at the very top level in the whole country. Sharjah may not be a first-off destination for fine dining, due also to the Emirate’s dryness, but when the destination is a culinary journey of excellence such as what Arjwan has prepared for you, I say that forsaking a tipsy drink for an evening of unique dining pleasure on the Sheraton’s terrace is absolutely worth it.