A Front-Row Seat to the Dubai Fountain

An Evening at Blume in Fashion Avenue

The other day, I visited Dubai Mall for the first time in a while, and it reminded me of an evening we spent there as a family last December.

At that time, my eldest daughter, who lives in Paris, was visiting Dubai during her winter holiday. It was her first time in the city, so we wanted to show her a few places that felt truly Dubai. We live here, but whenever family or friends come to visit, the city somehow begins to look different. Dubai is usually part of our everyday life, but when we show it to someone else, its glamorous, almost theatrical side comes alive again.

That day, we spent a slow morning at home and headed to Dubai Mall in the late afternoon. It was just before Christmas, so we also wanted to look for Christmas presents for everyone in the family.

Dubai Mall is enormous: endless shops, cafés, restaurants, people from all over the world, and, just outside, the famous Dubai Fountain. It is one of those places where you can feel the full energy of Dubai all at once.

After walking around the mall and searching for gifts, we were ready for dinner. My husband suggested a restaurant he had been to before, one with a terrace overlooking the fountain.

That is how we ended up at Blume, located in Fashion Avenue.

Blume: A Global Cuisine Inspired by the Silk Road

Blume is a restaurant in Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue. The name Blume means “flower” in German, and although I do not know the exact reason behind the name, the atmosphere certainly felt floral, elegant, and slightly romantic.

Before writing this, I looked up the concept of the restaurant and found that Blume is described as being inspired by the Silk Road, combining Mediterranean, Japanese, and global flavors. That made sense to me when I remembered the menu. It was not limited to one particular cuisine. Instead, the dishes seemed to move freely between different food cultures.

There were dishes that felt Italian, others that reminded me of Middle Eastern or Turkish cuisine, and many that simply felt international. In that sense, Blume felt very much like Dubai itself: a place where people, flavors, and ideas from many parts of the world come together at the same table.

A December Evening on the Terrace

December is one of the most pleasant times of year in Dubai.

The intense heat of summer has softened, and from late afternoon into the evening, sitting outside becomes a real pleasure. Our table was on the terrace, with the Dubai Fountain lake directly in front of us and the lights of Downtown Dubai glittering all around.

It felt like a front-row seat.

The air was gentle, the view was open, and the whole setting had that special winter-in-Dubai feeling: festive, relaxed, and a little luxurious.

Starters: Beef Carpaccio and Guacamole

We began with beef carpaccio and avocado guacamole. The beef carpaccio was beautifully presented, with thin slices of beef topped generously with fresh arugula and shaved cheese. What I remember most clearly was the cheese. Its rich aroma and gentle saltiness paired so well with the delicate beef, making the dish both light and flavorful.

The avocado guacamole was also memorable, especially because of its stylish presentation. The smooth avocado dip was served with crisp, thin flatbread arranged beautifully around it. On a separate plate, there were also tortilla chips, making it a perfect dish to share casually around the table.

Beef carpaccio and guacamole may not seem like an obvious pairing, but that was exactly what made the meal enjoyable. Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean, and global influences were already appearing together from the very beginning. That kind of freedom is something I often notice in Dubai restaurants.

A Side Dish That Surprised Us: Truffle Fries

We also ordered a side of fries, and when it arrived, we were surprised. At first glance, I thought there might be some kind of unusual spice scattered on top. But then I realized it was real truffle, shaved generously over the fries.

The potatoes were coated in a rich, creamy sauce, and the fragrance of the truffle made the dish feel far more luxurious than ordinary French fries. It was indulgent, aromatic, and very Dubai in its sense of abundance. It was also dangerously delicious. I think this dish may be one reason why we were too full for dessert later.

Pizza and Panuozzo to Share

For the main dishes, we chose what my family always loves: pizza. The Margherita and Quattro Formaggi were easy choices for us. A simple Margherita, with its balance of tomato and cheese, and a rich four-cheese pizza are the kind of dishes that everyone at the table can enjoy. Both were delicious, and once we started sharing them, it was hard to stop.

I also wanted to try something a little different, so I ordered the Panuozzo. Panuozzo is a sandwich-like dish from Naples, made with pizza dough. This one was filled with arugula and prosciutto.

When it arrived, I was surprised by the generous amount of cheese shaved over the top, almost like snow. The outside of the dough was crisp and fragrant, while the inside was wonderfully soft and chewy.

In fact, all of Blume’s pizza dough had a lovely texture: fluffy, chewy, and satisfying. The portions were generous, too. As we shared the dishes across the table, everyone seemed happy, almost moved, by the simple pleasure of eating good pizza again.

There was something very satisfying about that moment: family, warm bread, melted cheese, conversation, and the lights of Dubai just beyond the table.

Christian Dior Tableware

Another detail that made the evening feel special was the tableware. The plates and cutlery were from Christian Dior, with a striking red toile de Jouy-style pattern. Even before the food arrived, the table already looked beautiful. It felt very fitting for a restaurant inside Fashion Avenue. The experience was not only about the food, but also about presentation, design, and atmosphere. The table itself felt carefully styled, almost like part of the restaurant’s concept.

The red Dior plates, the fountain view, the terrace, and the mixture of global dishes all came together in a way that felt elegant, playful, and very Dubai.

Watching the Dubai Fountain from Above

The highlight of the evening was, of course, the Dubai Fountain. Usually, when we watch the fountain show, we stand near the lake and look up at the water as it rises dramatically with the music. From below, the show is powerful. You feel close to the movement, the sound, and even the spray of the water.

But from Blume’s terrace, we saw the fountain from above, and it was beautiful in a completely different way.

From that height, we could see the full outline of the lake, the movement of the water, the lights around the promenade, and the skyline of Downtown Dubai. The entire scene unfolded in front of us like a completed painting.

There was something elegant about watching the show while sitting at the table, sharing pizza, and enjoying dinner. It felt less crowded, more relaxed, and somehow more graceful.

For my daughter, who was visiting Dubai for the first time, I think it must have been a memorable evening: the mall, the lights, the fountain, the terrace, and a family dinner overlooking it all.

Final Thoughts

By the end of the meal, we were completely full. The portions had been generous, and unfortunately, we did not make it to dessert. The truffle fries may have been partly responsible for that. Still, it was a very satisfying dinner. We had good food, a beautiful view, and the simple pleasure of being together as a family.

If you are visiting Dubai Mall and looking for a slightly special place to have dinner, Blume is worth considering. It is especially appealing if you would like a fountain-view terrace, a glamorous atmosphere, and dishes that can be shared with family or friends.

For visitors to Dubai, the Dubai Fountain is one of those classic sights that is worth seeing at least once. Watching it from the lakeside is impressive, but seeing it from a terrace above gives the experience a different kind of beauty. You can take in the whole scene: the water, the music, the lights, and the city around it. If you visit during the cooler months, I would especially recommend trying to reserve a terrace table.

And one more thing: the Quattro Formaggi pizza we enjoyed that evening reminded me how much my family loves a good cheese pizza. At home, I have spent time creating my own version of a rich, flavorful four-cheese pizza that is easy to make but still feels special.

If you love cheese as much as we do, you can find the recipe here: 👉 Easy Homemade Quattro Formaggi Pizza (4-Cheese)