While we’re still getting used to the new normal (or is it just normal now, a few months on?), heading out to a bar is going to have a slightly different vibe.
Before you head out, you need to add your mask to the list of things to remember, and when you get to the venue there’s the small matter of a temperature check before you even enter.
The tables are further apart than before with fewer people at each, there’s no bar service and definitely no dancing.
But all of that has become standard now, with the main thing we’re still getting used to after months at home is being in a room with a great atmosphere and a good crowd on a night out.
When we walk into Up and Below at Courtyard by Marriott we’re delighted to see so many people out enjoying their night.
Better yet, everyone is playing by the rules, tables are sticking to four people, they’re all at least two metres apart and when not drinking or eating, people pop on their mask like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
We’ve always had a soft spot for this bar and we’re happy to see so many people out enjoying the ambience on a weekend.
Plus, right now there are some pretty impressive deals on offer, so if you’re looking for places that are kind on your pocket, this one is a safe choice.
Order any plate of food and you get a drink for Dhs1. Plus, if that isn’t enough of an incentive, you can get drinks from as little as Dhs15, including pints of hops.
We never miss an opportunity to get a great deal so we order some chicken wings and nachos, get our Dhs1 drinks and save the (comparatively) expensive Dhs15 ones for later.
The wings and the nachos are both good examples of bar food done well and, when shared among a group, they are the ideal finger food, to accompany a few cool drinks.
There’s a buzz around the place, dozens of conversations all melded into one. We’ve missed this, we’ve missed being part of a buzzing crowd, taking a load off, discussing how crazy things are right now enjoying good times, with good people just like we used to before things all changed.
The bill for four comes in at less than Dhs200, we can’t help but be delighted and look forward to coming back to do it all again very soon.
