Aside from Filipino food, Filipino-themed gastro-pubs and night clubs have also been one of the most effective coping mechanisms of our fellow Filipino expats here in Dubai. You'll most likely find Filipino clubs, either in Deira or Bur Dubai, bustling with Filipinos (and other expats alike) during weekends.
There's another player in the Dubai night life scene which just newly opened early this year—Datu Club (DC) located in Sofitel Dubai Downtown.
I've been to a couple of other Filipino bars here in Dubai, but our experience in DC was definitely a notch higher. We experienced a true Filipino hospitality the moment we stepped into DC. The staff warmly welcomed us with wide smiles and ushered us to a couch just right in front of the stage. Every staff who attended to us were polite and I can vouch that this is not just because they knew were there for a review, because other customers were also treated the same.
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| Early birds in a night club! :p |
The live entertainment at DC is set to start at 9PM, so in case you come early, a game or two of pool, or simply chilling with upbeat music in their huge seating area would keep you entertained.
Mark and I did what we do best and immediately enjoyed some good pub grub and a couple of drinks. Their menu offers a variety of Asian and international food, with pork dishes being from the Filipino cuisine.
I had Bullfrog and Long Island Iced Tea (the former being the most favorable for me as the latter was just too alcoholic), while Mark had 3 shots of his all time favorite Jaeger Bomb!
DC offers pork dishes, so Mark's first order of business was to order Crispy Pata! We haven’t had pork for so long (I think the last time was in 2017 during our vacation in the Philippines), so this Crispy Pata was definitely a treat!
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| Crispy Pata - AED 75 |
It came in a generous serving of deep fried pork leg chunks with chili soy sauce and fries. Every bite of the Crispy Pata, especially the skin, was heaven on my palates! Even Mark, who was supposedly on a diet, can't stop digging in!
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| Crispy Pata - AED 75 |
I chose the Dynamite Shrimps, as recommended by the staff, and it was okay. Served on a bed of lettuce in a martini glass, the lightly battered prawns drenched in sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce would have totally made my shrimp-lover heart jump for joy had the sauce not been too much on the acidic side. But then again, it's still shrimp, so I was still in love. Mark was already won over by the Crispy Pata, so I had the shrimps all to myself! Yasss!
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| Dynamite Shrimps - AED 68 |
The Nachos with Meat was Mark's order and was our least favorite among the bunch. The serving was huge, the beef ragu was really good, and the trio of sauces (tomato salsa, sour cream, guacamole) were delicious, but we just thought the nachos:ragu ratio was not proportionate. A little more ragu would do the trick, I suppose. Plus, the cheese that they used became tough and rubbery after some time.
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| Nachos with Meat - AED 70 |
DC fully captured the authentic Manila night club vibe with its live entertainment. Datu's Tribe (singers and live band) showcased the Filipino talent as they filled the place with their singing prowess with their every set. It was OPM (Original Pilipino Music) Night during our visit, so we got to enjoy music from Filipino singers/artists.
The band was also happy to accommodate song requests from the guests. The Vogue Star Dancers also entertained the guests with lively dance performances. To say that Mark and I enjoyed the night is an understatement!
For me it's a bold move for Datu Club, since it is the first of its kind, a Filipino-themed bar at the heart of Dubai rallying up against upscale and rather expensive bars in Downtown Dubai.
But I must say, with DC's good food and vast drinks selection (all of which are reasonably priced), authentic Filipino hospitality, and live entertainment, DC has such a great potential not just for the Filipino market but for other nationalities as well and the entire Downtown Dubai's night life scene.
Prices of food and drinks here at Datu Club are reasonable. They also have daily promotions like Ladies Night on Mondays, and Hotelier and F&B Night on Sundays. Know more about them by clicking the video link below. ;)
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DATU CLUB
Level 5, Sofitel Dubai Downtown
Downtown Dubai, Dubai, U.A.E.
+971 (0)4 503 6111
www.instagram.com/datuclub
We were invited to try Datu Club and our meal and drinks were complimentary, but this post is not influenced nor paid for. Opinions on this blog post are my own.
All photos and videos were taken with an iPhone 6S Plus.
Kriska Marie
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