There is a good choice of restaurants in Dubai Marina offering a mix of French, Italian and Latin-American cuisine, complemented by restaurants serving an eclectic range of food styles. If you rather not cook in your Dubai Marina apartment then check some of these restaurants out:• BiCE, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, is one in a chain of Italian restaurants that sells the kind of quality dishes that attracts crowds of diners even though it is sited in one of the Marina’s slightly less fashionable locations. The food is exquisite and includes authentic Italian dishes, served with fresh herbs, virgin olive oil and mature balsamic vinegar. • Frankie’s, in Al Fattan Marine Tower, Dubai Marina, is the culinary creation of the champion jockey, Frankie Dettori, and the chef that bucks all the trends, Marco Pierre White. The décor in the bar is plush and soft, with rich colours complemented by the familiar voices of crooners from a bygone age. The dining room is sleek and smart and wholly contemporary and the ideal accompaniment to Marco Pierre White’s perfectly grilled and seasoned fish dishes or richly flavoured game.

• Le Classique offers richly flavoured French dishes in traditional surroundings. The restaurant in Emirates Golf Club may not look “hip” to the young rich but the menu is superb and delivers what it promises in spades. Of particularly good value is the choice of set menus.

• Another restaurant founded by a celebrity chef is Mezzanine in the Grosvenor House Hotel, Dubai Marina. Gary Rhodes offers a menu of classic British foods complemented by the kind of chic fare that graces the most discerning Parisian restaurants. The décor is cool but the ambiance is warm and inviting.

• Nineteen lies within the Montgomerie Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai Marina, and it and offers a sophisticated atmosphere that complements the smooth greens of the golf course that can be seen through the picture windows. There is an open kitchen so you can see your dishes being prepared and if dining al fresco suits you, there is terrace that offers wonderful views of the rolling hills.

• For a completely different style of eating there is Pachanga, in the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, which offers high quality Latin-American food including wonderfully tender steaks. The décor resembles street corners in hot, sultry South American cities and there is a superb range of cocktails including classic tequilas complemented by salsa music.

Photo Credit: TimeOut Dubai review of the Pachanga

| Since 2006 Holiday Velvet offers Dubai holiday rentals.