Al Maeda

Al Maeda is the Lebanese-inspired signature restaurant at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort, set in a private villa on the far arm of the resort's crescent bay. It's one of the more atmospheric dinner rooms in the city: a modern, softly-lit interior pairs with an outdoor terrace that catches the Arabian Gulf breeze, and most evenings a live oud player adds to the mood without overpowering the conversation. The kitchen takes the classical Levantine repertoire seriously. Mezze - both hot and cold - arrive at proper scale and with real precision, fresh manakish come out of a traditional fire oven, and the grill turns out standouts like the Al Maeda kebab and the Arabic mixed grill. Seafood is handled with the same care; the Kunafa prawns and the sea bass are the dishes guests come back for. Vegetarians and larger tables are comfortably looked after. Service is personal and long-tenured, led by a restaurant manager regulars name by his first name. The pace is unhurried by design - expect the meal to unfold across two to three hours, anchored by bread, dips, grill and shisha on the terrace. Book the terrace at sunset and order across both the cold mezze and the fire oven sections to see the kitchen at its best.