
Restaurant Review: Pots, Pans, & Boards
It’s an exciting combination of hearty British pub fare, with a touch of Middle Eastern flavour and the perfect trimmings of French je ne sais quoi. Put them all together and you’ve got one of the newer restaurants at The Beach, JBR – Pots, Pans & Boards.
The restaurant was opened in September 2015 by British celebrity chef Tom Aiken, well known the world-over for being the youngest chef to have been awarded two Michelin stars. With multiple UK restaurants, cookbooks and TV appearances under his chef’s belt, Aiken set his sights on Dubai with a clear vision – Pots, Pans & Boards had to be fun, casual, all-day dining – the experience was about sharing, communicating and having a good time over a good meal.
As you step in, you cannot help but be struck by its rustic, feel-good atmosphere and playful appearance that effortlessly embraces chic and colourful modern elements, like large communal tables and painted tiles.
Not surprisingly, pots, pans and boards make up a large part of the experience and not only is your food served on them, but they figure prominently in the décor as well, lined up on shelves around the restaurant and hanging from the walls too.
Along with several well-known dishes such as the black squid tempura and treacle marinated salmon, the menu features a generous dose of the Middle Eastern influence, like lamb chops with labneh, a white bean and black garlic hummus and a traditional English dessert like sticky toffee pudding, served with date ice cream, to name a few. In an interview with The National, Aiken said, “When you go to new countries, you want to embrace the culture in a way that translates onto the menu. It’s not always just about the chef wanting to do dishes he wants to do. It’s also taking our guests and local market into consideration.” His self-proclaimed menu favourite is the malt-glazed short rib with crisp onions and celeriac truffle, famed to be just as delicious as it sounds.
While you wait for your order, watch the chefs do what they do best in the comfort and style of a spacious open kitchen, adding on to the little nuances that make this place quite a charming spot. With an outdoor terrace that’s especially pleasant during these cooler months, Pots, Pans & Boards serve breakfast lunch and dinner.
The best restaurants are decidedly the ones that sell not only good food, but a great experience as well – one which audiences are keen on learning more about and connecting with. It’s important to reach out to your market in the right way and whether it’s through brochures, newsletters, social media or in-mailers, regular, relevant, and in this case, engaging content, drives brand advocacy and builds interest and loyalty in your brand.